Mon, 02/17/2014 - 14:56

Aqueduct: Gotham prospect Uncle Sigh beats bad weather by working Monday afternoon

Debra Roma
Gary Contessa got special permission to work Uncle Sigh over Belmont's training track on Monday afternoon.

With the window of opportunity to get two workouts in before the March 1 Gotham Stakes starting to close, Withers runner-up Uncle Sigh worked five furlongs in 59.98 seconds over the Belmont Park training track on Monday afternoon, three hours after the usual morning training hours concluded.

The workout was timed by Uncle Sigh’s trainer Gary Contessa, who who said he caught the first three furlongs in 37 seconds and the final quarter in 22.98. Contessa said Uncle Sigh, ridden in the work by Nick Santagata, galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.96.

Mon, 02/17/2014 - 13:18

Santa Anita: Sadler's sophomores draw Rosario to California

Benoit & Associates
Kobe's Back, ridden by Joel Rosario, wins the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – When jockey Joel Rosario was based in Southern California, one of his biggest supporters was trainer John Sadler. The band is back together, not quite as frequently, but still making hits.

With Rosario making a rare appearance at Santa Anita on Sunday, he and Sadler teamed to win the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes with Kobe’s Back, and on Monday, Sadler said Rosario had picked up the mount on Kristo for the Grade 2, $300,000 San Felipe Stakes on March 8 at Santa Anita.

Kristo worked six furlongs in 1:13 on Monday at Santa Anita.

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 18:37

Santa Anita: Kobe’s Back impresses in San Vicente Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Kobe's Back, ridden by Joel Rosario, wins the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The hits just keep on coming for trainer John Sadler. Eight days after winning the Robert B. Lewis Stakes with Candy Boy, Sadler won another important 3-year-old stakes race at Santa Anita when Kobe’s Back rallied from last to beat five rivals in the Grade 2, $200,250 San Vicente Stakes on Sunday.

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 17:25

Steve Davidowitz’s El Camino Real Derby analysis

Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby, 1 1/8 miles, Golden Gate Fields, Tapeta surface, Feb. 15

(10 Kentucky Derby eligibility points to the winner, 4 for second, 2 for third, 1 for fourth)

If the Kentucky Derby were to be run on a synthetic track – which it will not – Tamarando automatically would be a very serious contender.

Tamarando’s half-length victory over Dance With Fate on Saturday was his fourth win, including three stakes, from seven tries on three different synthetic surfaces.

Sun, 02/16/2014 - 14:40

Gulfstream Park: General a Rod works for Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston
General a Rod (No. 9), ridden by Joel Rosario, wins the Gulfstream Park Derby by a head over Wildcat Red on Wednesday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Mike Maker said all systems are go for General a Rod, who’s expected to be part of a large and very competitive field for Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes. The $400,000 Fountain of Youth is the final major prep at Gulfstream Park for the meet’s marquee event, the $1 million Florida Derby, on March 29.

Sat, 02/15/2014 - 21:16

Golden Gate Fields: Tamarando storms from last to capture El Camino Real Derby

ALBANY, Calif. -- Tamarando was content to sit last through the first six furlongs, but then unleashed a strong closing run to score a solid victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

Tamarando, winner of last year's Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, was not exactly a last-minute replacement for his unbeaten stablemate Exit Stage Left, who suffered a tendon injury one week earlier.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Sat, 02/15/2014 - 16:44

Aqueduct: Nakatani picks up mount on Uncle Sigh for Gotham

Barbara D. Livingston
Corey Nakatani comes back with the victory aboard Hear the Ghost in the San Felipe Stakes last month.

Corey Nakatani will ride Withers Stakes runner-up Uncle Sigh in the Grade 3, $500,000 Gotham Stakes on March 1 at Aqueduct, replacing Pablo Morales, trainer Gary Contessa said Saturday.

Contessa said the decision, made in tandem with owner Chip McEwen - who races under the moniker Wounded Warrior Stable - was to go with a more experienced rider and was “no knock whatsoever on Pablo Morales,” Contessa added.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Sat, 02/15/2014 - 14:37

Fair Grounds: Rise Up sizzles in prep for Risen Star

Coady Photography
Rise Up, winner of the Delta Downs Jackpot, returned to Tom Amoss’s Fair Grounds barn on Tuesday after a one-month rest in Florida.

Tom Amoss put several stakes horses through timed workouts Saturday morning at Fair Grounds, including Risen Star hopeful Rise Up, who whizzed through a half-mile in a near-bullet 47.40 seconds.

Other prominent Amoss workers included Mylute, whose half-mile in 49.20 seconds was his first published racetrack work since he went to the sidelines following the Jim Dandy Stakes last July; and Delaunay, who went a half-mile in 48.60, his first drill since he won the Gaudin Stakes last month at Fair Grounds in his first race in about five months.

Sat, 02/15/2014 - 14:16

Oaklawn Park: Strong Mandate, Tapiture meet again in Southwest Stakes

Barbara D Livingston
Strong Mandate will make his 3-year-old debut in Monday's Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Last summer at Saratoga, Strong Mandate and Tapiture ran one-two in a maiden special weight sprint. Both have since won major stakes races, and on Monday the pair will meet again in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest.

Sat, 02/15/2014 - 11:32

Gulfstream Park notes: Cairo Prince gets back to work

Barbara D. Livingston
Cairo Prince earned a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure for his 5 3/4-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Cairo Prince had his first workout since his 5 3/4-length romp in the Holy Bull when going an easy half-mile Saturday in 48.60 seconds over a fast track at the Palm Meadows training center.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he was very happy with how Cairo Prince proceeded through the breeze, which came on a bright, brisk morning at a little before 9 a.m. Eastern and with exercise rider Rob Massey aboard.