ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Victor Espinoza is targeting a return to riding in early February after recently receiving clearance from doctors to resume working horses.
Espinoza, who has not ridden since July because of a spinal injury, worked horses at Santa Anita on Saturday and Sunday. Espinoza sought additional opinions from doctors regarding his recovery in recent weeks.
“I’m good,” Espinoza said between workouts Sunday. “They all decided I’m good and ready to go back to work.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Chad Brown reported Sunday that Bricks and Mortar came out of his impressive victory in Saturday’s inaugural Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf in good order and could have the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs as his next major goal.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – World of Trouble was assigned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure for his 2 3/4-length victory in Saturday's off-the-turf Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint and continues to broaden his options for Jason Servis, who trains the speedy 4-year-old colt for the partnership of Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables.
“He did come out of the race a little tired,” Servis said Sunday morning. “I don’t know where we’ll run next, since we’ve got plenty of spots.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – City of Light and Accelerate are off to stud at Lane’s End Farm in Kentucky now, their racing careers having come to a close in the Pegasus World Cup on Saturday here at Gulfstream Park. Both emerged from the race well their trainers said on a breezy, chilly Sunday morning when they looked back at the Pegasus and all that came before for their star horses.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Divine Miss Grey, a five-time stakes winner in 2018, is nearing her first workout of the year as she prepares for her 5-year-old season, which is likely to start in the $150,000 Heavenly Prize Invitational at Aqueduct on March 10. Divine Miss Grey won last year’s Heavenly Prize by 6 3/4 lengths.
“That’s probably the most likely spot for her to run,” trainer Danny Gargan said.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The complexion of the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 2 changed significantly this week when the connections of the multiple stakes-winning Mind Control said they would skip the race to await the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes on March 9.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The next week at Santa Anita could be a pivotal time for some of the circuit’s 3-year-olds.
An allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option at a mile is scheduled for Thursday, two days before the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. Several trainers have horses that could go in either spot.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita plans to run nine-race programs on weekdays and 10 races on weekends in February, continuing a plan in place since the start of the meeting on Dec. 26, new racing secretary Steve Lym said Friday.
The track has called on trainers to focus on local races. On overnights this weekend, the track published a notice stating that trainers who want to enter runners at other tracks and bring the horse back to Santa Anita must gain permission from the Santa Anita racing office.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Blackjackcat, a multiple stakes winner who finished third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar in 2017, was recently transferred from trainer Mark Glatt to Jerry Hollendorfer.
A 6-year-old gelding by Tale of the Cat owned by Al and Sandee Kirkwood, Blackjackcat was sixth in the Cotton Fitzsimmons Stakes at Turf Paradise on Jan. 12 in his only stakes appearance since last spring.
Glatt said Friday the decision was made by the Kirkwoods and that the transfer occurred “about a week ago.”
There are races in the region for Fair Grounds-based Harlan Punch, winner of the Louisiana Stakes on Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds, but his connections are considering something much more ambitious.
Harlan Punch, who got a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for his three-quarter-length Louisiana win, has the Mineshaft Handicap at Fair Grounds and the Razorback at Oaklawn as possible next starts, but trainer Brad Cox said he’d also nominated Harlan Punch to the Group 2, $1.5 million Godolphin Mile on March 30 at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai.
