Baeza, second or third in four major stakes for 3-year-olds since early April, is likely to run in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 20, trainer John Shirreffs confirmed on Wednesday.
Owned by Lee and Susan Searing’s CRK Stables, Baeza finished second by a length to divisional leader Sovereignty in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga on July 26 in his last start. Earlier this year, Baeza was third in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs and Belmont Stakes at Saratoga.
Led by the three-time stakes winner Thought Process, the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Saturday has an expected field of 12 3-year-old fillies.
Thought Process, an easy winner of the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar on July 19, is one of two fillies trained by Phil D'Amato in the big field. He also starts Slick, who finished third in an allowance race at a mile on turf at Del Mar on July 20.
There were times in the 1960s and 1970s that jockey James Dreyer was in the winner’s circle of nearly every major race at Los Alamitos, and a few in New Mexico.
Dreyer rode such famous horses as Charger Bar, Go Josie Go, and Go Derussa Go in an 18-year career that included 535 wins, including 46 stakes at Los Alamitos.
But his success as a jockey was only part of a lifelong involvement in Quarter Horse racing at the Southern California track, and other venues. Dreyer later worked in the track’s racing office, and as a steward from 2003 until a few months ago.
Myra’s Boy has won both of his starts at the Louisiana Downs meet and the Beyer Speed Figures he has earned are the top two numbers at the current stand in Bossier City, La.
Myra’s Boy earned a meet-best 91 when taking an off-the-turf race for first-level allowance runners May 27. It was held at one mile and 70 yards. He returned to earn an 88 for a win in a one-mile turf allowance in his last start July 29. The next stop could be a stakes race.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Brad Cox uses words like “confusing” and “frustrating” to describe his Saratoga meet at which, through five weeks, he’s won just four races from 28 starters.
“It’s been a little bit of a head-scratcher, but we still got time to get it turned around,” Cox said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Goal Oriented has a new target.
Goal Oriented, the third-place finisher behind Journalism in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes on July 20, has been rerouted from the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on Aug. 23 at Saratoga to the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 20 at Parx Racing, trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Schwarzenegger, one of the most hyped 2-year-olds stabled at Saratoga this summer, will finally make his much anticipated debut here this week. When and against what caliber of competition is still to be decided.
Trainer Wesley Ward has entered Schwarzengger, a son of Not This Time, in a maiden special weight race on Thursday and the $150,000 Skidmore Stakes two days later. Both races are carded at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, with the weather ultimately to decide which race Ward chooses for his promising youngster.
By Anna Jeffs
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – South African native Ryan Munger likes his chances aboard Plate Trial Stakes winner Sedburys Ghost in the 166th running of the $1 million King’s Plate on Saturday at Woodbine.
Sedburys Ghost won his first stakes in the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial over the favored Notorious Gangster while earning an 85 Beyer Speed Figure, one of the highest in the King’s Plate field.
The colt Golden Tornado and the filly Carmel Coast were both impressive juvenile debut winners here over the weekend and are both likely heading to Grade 1 stakes at Aqueduct in the fall.
Golden Tornado, a son of McKinzie trained by Danny Gargan, won a six-furlong maiden race by 3 1/4 lengths over the highly regarded and heavily bet Oscar’s Hope. Golden Tornado ran the distance in 1:10.87 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 86.
