Tue, 05/14/2019 - 15:56

Pimentel hopes for fast track to Preakness success

Barbara D. Livingston
Julian Pimentel has ridden twice before in the Preakness, in 2011 and 2014, both times aboard longshots.

BALTIMORE – The weather forecast for Preakness Day calls for temperatures in the mid-70s under cloudy skies, which should translate to a fast track. That scenario is just fine for jockey Julian Pimentel and trainer Mike Trombetta, who will team up with Win Win Win, the 10th-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby over a sloppy track that he didn’t relish.

Tue, 05/14/2019 - 12:58

Preakness hopefuls descend on Pimlico

Jim Dunleavy
War of Will, with assistant trainer Kim Carroll, checks out his surroundings on Tuesday morning at Pimlico.

BALTIMORE – War of Will, the powerful-looking, high-energy War Front colt, who finished eighth but was elevated to seventh after almost falling on the far turn of the Kentucky Derby, was the lone Preakness probable on the Pimlico grounds as of Tuesday morning, but he was expected to have company by nightfall.

D. Wayne Lukas on Tuesday vanned Market King from Churchill Downs to Pimlico and arrived at 3:15 p.m.

"It was a real good trip," Lukas said. "There was no traffic, he ate on the way, and didn't turn a hair."

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 14:49

Sir Winston, Intrepid Heart targeting Belmont Stakes

Tom Keyser
Sir Winston, pictured after the Tampa Bay Derby on March 9, rallied from last to get second in the Peter Pan on Saturday at Belmont.

While Peter Pan winner Global Campaign is unlikely to run in the Belmont Stakes, two horses who finished behind him on Saturday are being pointed to the third leg of the Triple Crown.

Sir Winston, who rallied from last to finish second to Global Campaign, and Intrepid Heart, who finished third after stumbling at the break of the race, are both targeting the Belmont Stakes, according to their trainers.

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 14:30

Turf allowances key in Single 6 sequence with $261,677 carryover

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Single 6 jackpot carryover of $261,677 awaits horseplayers when a four-day race week begins at Churchill with an eight-race Thursday program. The 20-cent bet will span races 3-8 and include both allowances on the card.

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 14:26

Princess Warrior undergoing surgery to repair ankle injury

Coady Photography
Mrs. Revere winner Princess Warrior was injured Friday in a race at Churchill.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Princess Warrior, winner of the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere Stakes last fall at Churchill Downs, was scheduled to undergo fusion surgery Monday afternoon for an ankle fracture the filly sustained Friday during a race over the Churchill turf.

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 14:20

Three-day racing weeks for rest of Santa Anita meet

Emily Shields
Santa Anita has averaged 7.4 runners per race since racing resumed on March 29 following a more than three-week break.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita is likely to run three-day race weeks through the end of the spring-summer meeting on June 23 and has extended a $10,000 per race increase in overnight purses through at least June 9, racing secretary Steve Lym said over the weekend.

Santa Anita began three-day racing weeks on April 26-28 because of concern over the availability of race-ready horses. At the time, track officials said the schedule would continue through June 2 and running on the first three Thursdays of June would be evaluated at a later date.

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 14:10

Cox packs a 1-2 punch for Triple Crown debut

Barbara D. Livingston
Brad Cox saddles Owendale and Warrior’s Charge in the Preakness on Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brad Cox hasn’t spent a whole lot of time in Maryland. Based primarily in the Midwest, the 39-year-old trainer has traveled to Pimlico twice, Laurel Park once, and the Timonium sales a few times. One of his most enduring memories – the crabcakes at Michael’s, the popular restaurant located right across York Road from the Timonium fairgrounds.

“Amazing,” Cox said.

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 12:00

Improbable stretches his legs for Preakness

Barbara D. Livingston
Improbable, pictured at Oaklawn in March, is one of four Kentucky Derby starters expected to run back in the Preakness.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bob Baffert has implicit trust in his longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes, but the Hall of Fame trainer felt like it wouldn’t hurt anything to stop by Churchill Downs on his way to another Preakness just to check in on Improbable.

“I just wanted to make sure he’s still got a lot of energy and going over the ground really well,” Baffert said Monday morning after an easy half-mile breeze in 51.80 seconds by Improbable, the morning-line favorite for the 144th Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico in Baltimore. “He looks really healthy. He’s held his weight really well.”

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 10:50

Saez gets 15-day suspension for Maximum Security disqualification

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Luis Saez and trainer Jason Servis (center) wait for the stewards' decision following the Kentucky Derby. Maximum Security, ridden by Saez, crossed the wire first, but was disqualified to 17th for interference.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Luis Saez has been suspended 15 racing days by Churchill Downs stewards for his ride in the Kentucky Derby aboard Maximum Security, who crossed the wire first before being disqualified for causing interference leaving the second turn of the race. Saez was cited for “failure to control his mount and make the proper effort to maintain a straight course,” the stewards cited in their ruling, which was released Monday on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission website.

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 09:10

Juvenile winners could clash in summer stakes

Benoit Photo
Acai wins her career debut in a 2-year-old maiden race Sunday at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Roses for Laura and Acai won the first local races of 2019 for juveniles on Friday and Sunday and could meet in stakes later this summer.

Both fillies beat odds-on favorites in races at 4 1/2 furlongs.