ARCADIA, Calif. – In March, Comical was part of the catalog for the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training. It was as close as she got to going through the sale ring.
The filly was withdrawn after co-owner Erik Johnson said there was “no action” from potential buyers, regarding their interest. Comical was sent to trainer Doug O’Neill’s stable in California where she began workouts.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Eddie Haskell won his first graded stakes in Saturday’s Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Santa Anita, leaving trainer Mark Glatt contemplating what the former claimer can achieve through the season.
Glatt mentioned the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint here in November as a long-term goal, should Eddie Haskell continue to improve.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Kochees, a 9-year-old gelding who was pulled up in Saturday’s sixth race, was euthanized on Sunday because of a sesamoid injury, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.
An effort was made overnight to save Kochees, Hollendorfer said.
“We tried, but we couldn’t,” he said.
Kochees, 9, was pulled up at the top of the stretch of a $10,000 claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs by jockey Mario Gutierrez. Kochees was racing at the back of the field when he was injured.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Tacitus, who could vie for favoritism with Preakness winner War of Will in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8, put in a solid five-furlong workout Sunday at Belmont Park in preparation for the third and final leg of the Triple Crown.
BELMONT PARK
Sunday, May 26
Weather: Clear
Temp.: 63
Track: Fast
ELMONT, N.Y. – With the final leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, to be decided at a grueling 1 1/2 miles, there was a distinct pattern to the handful of workouts recorded over the Belmont Park main and training tracks this weekend. The trainers of all five Belmont contenders to breeze here Saturday and Sunday were looking for strong, extended gallop-outs just two weeks out from the race.
Fort Erie Race Track will begin its 122nd season of live racing Tuesday with a card that drew 63 entries for nine races. The meet is highlighted once again by the 84th running of the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on July 23. The Prince of Wales serves as the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown and will be run over 1 3/16 miles on dirt.
Racing will be conducted on Sundays and Tuesdays. The track will have cards only on Tuesdays for the first two weeks of the season, with Sunday racing kicking off June 9. The meet’s closing day is Oct. 15.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher’s success in the Belmont Stakes has come primarily with horses who disappointed in the Kentucky Derby, but rebounded five weeks later to run well in the “Test of the Champion.” In addition to winning the Belmont with Derby also-rans Palace Malice and Tapwrit, he’s had strong runner-up finishes from the likes of Dunkirk, Destin, and Stay Thirsty.
Pletcher is hoping for more of the same with Spinoff, who finished 18th in the Kentucky Derby but who will be given another shot at a classic in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 8.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Red Ruby, last seen winning the 2018 Delaware Oaks by 13 lengths, is on target to make her return to action in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis on the June 15 Stephen Foster night card at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Kellyn Gorder said recently that Red Ruby is training forwardly toward her comeback and that the Grade 2, $750,000 Delaware Handicap on July 14 would follow the Fleur de Lis, assuming all goes well. Red Ruby, a gray 4-year-old filly by Tiznow, has had four timed works at Keeneland since April 25.
ELMONT, N.Y. – It has been two years since Giant Expectations last faced New York-breds, winning a maiden race and a first-level allowance in an 11-day span here in 2017.
Twelve races and $1 million in purse earnings later, Giant Expectations is back at Belmont to run Monday in the $200,000 Commentator Stakes, a one-mile race for New York-breds and the featured event on an 11-race Big Apple Showcase Day card at Belmont Park.
Trainer Peter Eurton said the Commentator was a good spot for him, “and he loves Belmont.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Three-time stakes winner Mind Control worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 on Friday at Monmouth Park, the fastest of 11 works at that distance. Mind Control is preparing for the Grade 1, $400,000 Woody Stephens on the June 8 Belmont Stakes undercard.
“He worked super, cooled out great,” trainer Gregg Sacco said. “His weight is fantastic, his energy level is great, the spacing is good for him.”
The Woody Stephens will be Mind Control’s first start since he won the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes on April 6 at Aqueduct.
