SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Gary Contessa was pleased enough with how Theitalianamerican trained Friday morning to enter the maiden in Wednesday’s $100,000 Rick Violette Stakes.
On Thursday, Contessa said he didn’t enter the colt in Saturday’s Grade 3 Sanford Stakes because he was not happy with the colt’s bloodwork. Contessa said he planned to take more blood from Theitalianamerican on Monday before deciding whether to run.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Supermason, who registered six of his seven stakes wins at Lone Star Park, has been retired, owner Brad Grady said Friday.
The 7-year-old won 13 of 39 starts overall and earned $417,455. He is a Texas-bred gelding by Grasshopper.
“Supermason was our family’s first stakes winner, on Valentine’s Day at Sam Houston,” said Grady, who raced Grade 1 winner Girvin. “He’s special in that regard. He’s named after our young son.”
Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La., has canceled Saturday night’s program that included the $50,000 John Henry Stakes, according to director of racing Chris Warren.
Warren said the John Henry, a 1 1/16-mile turf race that drew Grade 3 winner Mocito Rojo, would be brought back for July 20.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Sanford Stakes for 2-year-olds drew a field of only five. It wasn’t supposed to be that way.
Several would-be starters were sidelined for a variety of reasons.
Trainer Gary Contessa was planning to run the maiden Theitalianamerican, but Contessa said he didn’t like the results of the colt’s bloodwork. Theitalianamerican finished second in a New York-bred maiden race and the Tremont.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Mitole, a winner of seven consecutive races, including the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 8, has been confirmed for the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga on July 27, trainer Steve Asmussen said Thursday.
“I love how he’s doing. I feel the Vanderbilt is a good spot for him,” Asmussen said.
Trainer Peter Miller had a career-best summer at Del Mar in 2018, winning the training title with 31 victories. He is not anticipating an encore at this summer’s meeting, which runs from Wednesday through Sept. 2.
Miller, 52, said on Thursday that he will have approximately 60 horses at Del Mar and the nearby San Luis Rey Downs training center and a division in Kentucky this summer.
Dan Ward, longtime assistant to beleaguered Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, is expected to operate a stable in his name at the Del Mar summer meeting, which begins on Wednesday.
Hollendorfer was informed earlier this week by Del Mar officials that he would not be allowed to race there this summer. The decision came three weeks after Santa Anita told Hollendorfer to vacate his stalls after a fourth horse in his care at that track suffered a fatal injury in training or racing since late December.
The undefeated stakes winner Bulletproof One was sold Wednesday to Gary and Cecil Barber and will be heading to trainer Peter Miller's Southern California barn on Friday.
Owner-breeder Ellen Jackson said she sold the 2-year-old filly because, “I think there will be more opportunities for her in Southern California.”
Jackson did not reveal the sale price other than to say it was for six figures. She said there will also be a bonus payment if the filly wins a graded stakes.
To accommodate expected construction of a hockey arena on the grounds of Belmont Park, the final 14 race days of the 37-day Belmont fall meet will be conducted at Aqueduct, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday.
Racing at Belmont will run Sept. 6 through Oct. 6 and allow for all of the usual Grade 1 stakes, such as the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, to be run there. Racing will move to Aqueduct on Oct. 11 and what will be considered the Belmont fall meet will go through Oct. 27.
