Fri, 05/24/2019 - 12:10

By My Standards back in training after 11th-place finish in Kentucky Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
By My Standards is back in training for Bret Calhoun following his 11th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – By My Standards, the Louisiana Derby winner who was 11th in the Kentucky Derby, has returned to training after getting nearly two weeks off, with his next start still to be determined.

Fri, 05/24/2019 - 11:56

Edgewood upsetter Concrete Rose to breeze Sunday

Barbara D. Livingston
Concrete Rose scored a major upset in the Edgewood Stakes under jockey Julien Leparoux.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Concrete Rose will have her first workout since her stunning upset of Newspaperofrecord when breezing Sunday at Keeneland.

Trainer Rusty Arnold acknowledged the work comes more than three weeks since Concrete Rose swept past the previously undefeated Newspaperofrecord in the May 3 Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs, saying “it was designed this way. Everything is good with the filly.”

Concrete Rose is being pointed to the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 6, when she could be rematched with Newspaperofrecord going 1 1/4 miles.

Fri, 05/24/2019 - 11:36

Queen's Plate Watch: Federal Law on the improve ahead of Plate Trial

Michael Burns
Federal Law (right) edges stablemate My Silencer to win Sunday's Queenston Stakes at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Following a gutsy win in last Sunday’s Queenston Stakes at Woodbine, trainer Mark Casse feels he has Federal Law back on track and is looking toward the $1 million Queen’s Plate on June 29.

“We feel we’re on track for the Queen’s Plate with him,” he said. “His race the other day was extremely good, given he had a rough trip and it looked like he wasn’t going to get the job done. For him to overcome that I thought was pretty impressive.”

Thu, 05/23/2019 - 15:40

Last season's stars help kick off 2019 Arapahoe meet

Coady Photography
Scott Stevens piloted Galactic Princess to three stakes wins in 2018 at Arapahoe Park, including the July 7 Spicy.

Galactic Princess and jockey Scott Stevens teamed to win three stakes races last season at Arapahoe Park and both are back to launch the track’s new season Saturday in the featured $30,000 Ingrid Knotts.

Arapahoe, located in Aurora, Colo., will race 39 days through Aug. 11. The mixed meet features Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. Arapahoe will race every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and has Friday cards on May 31, June 28, July 26, and Aug. 9.

Thu, 05/23/2019 - 15:23

Virginia Derby tops 17-race Colonial Downs stakes schedule

Colonial Downs will hold 17 stakes worth a total of $1.8 million during its 15-day meet that will run from Aug. 8 through Sept. 7.

This will be the first Thoroughbred racing at Colonial Downs since 2013. The New Kent, Va., track first opened in 1997 but closed in 2014 when the track’s owner and its horsemen could not come to terms on a meeting.

New Kent is located between Richmond and Williamsburg, approximately 140 miles south of Washington, D.C.

Thu, 05/23/2019 - 12:56

Tendon tear sidelines Barkley for season

Reed Palmer Photography/Emerald Downs
Barkley, the reigning Longacres Mile winner, will miss the remainder of 2019.

Barkley, the top older horse at Emerald Downs, will not race again this year.

Wed, 05/22/2019 - 15:46

Castellano to receive Venezia Award on Monday

Barbara D. Livingston
Javier Castellano was voted the Mike Venezia Award winner by an online poll of fans.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Four-time Eclipse Award winner Javier Castellano can add another trophy to the mantel, that being the Mike Venezia Award.

The New York Racing Association announced Wednesday that Castellano was the winner of an online vote of fans to win the Venezia Award, given to jockeys who exemplify extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship.

NYRA in 1989 established the Venezia Award in honor of Mike Venezia, a jockey who died as a result of injuries suffered in a spill in 1988 at Belmont.

Wed, 05/22/2019 - 15:40

Come Dancing breezes for Grade 1 Ogden Phipps

Chelsea Durand/NYRA
Come Dancing has scored impressive wins in the Grade 3 Distaff and Grade 2 Ruffian (above) this year.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Come Dancing, blow-out winner of the Grade 3 Distaff and Grade 2 Ruffian in two starts this year for trainer Carlos Martin, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds Wednesday morning over the Belmont Park training track. She is pointing to the Grade 1, $700,000 Ogden Phipps here June 8.

Belmont clockers had Come Dancing in splits of 12.60 seconds, three furlongs in 35.80, and caught her galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.80. Regular rider Manny Franco was up for the breeze.

Wed, 05/22/2019 - 15:36

Epical works, likely for Belmont Gold Cup Invitational or Manhattan

Emily Shields
Epical, shown winning the San Luis Rey Handicap, worked a bullet half-mile over the Belmont main track Wednesday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Epical, a Southern California based-runner who finished fifth in the Grade 1 Man o’ War here on May 11, worked four furlongs in 47.21 seconds Wednesday morning over the Belmont Park main track, the fastest of 12 works at the distance over a fast surface.

Epical will be considered for the Belmont Gold Cup Invitational, a two-mile turf race on June 7, or the Grade 1 Manhattan, a 1 1/4-mile turf race on June 8. Trainer Jim Cassidy said owner Deron Pearson is leaning toward the Manhattan.

Wed, 05/22/2019 - 15:36

Hollendorfer to have 20-horse stable at Belmont Park

Barbara D. Livingston
Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer will split his stable between California and New York this summer.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, based primarily on the West Coast for his career, will have an East Coast presence this summer, sending approximately 20 horses to New York for the summer.

“A couple of clients expressed an interest in having some horses on the East Coast this summer,” Hollendorfer said Tuesday by phone from California. “I’m glad to have customers who are giving me the opportunity to work with good horses on the East and West coast. I don’t think people should pass up an opportunity if you can still do things.”