Mon, 08/06/2018 - 13:56

Plans in flux for Separationofpowers

Debra A. Roma
Separationofpowers (left) earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for her head victory over Mia Mischief in the Test.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown would ultimately like to stretch Separationofpowers out in distance. But given her performance winning Saturday’s Grade 1 Test Stakes, the two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer isn’t sure if the time is now to do that.

“This filly could be a real contender for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint the way she ran” Saturday, Brown said. “I need to consider that a target, and if I do, I have to consider how much I want to stretch her out before that.”

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 13:50

Bee Jersey will remain on dirt

Ronnie Betor
Met Mile winner Bee Jersey (inside) is likely to have one more start before the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bee Jersey has worked on turf three times and is nominated to Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, but the Met Mile winner will remain on dirt, trainer Steve Asmussen said.

Asmussen’s primary objective for 2018 is the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, and he will likely use one race to get Bee Jersey there. Options include the Grade 3, $100,000 Ack Ack on Sept. 29 at Churchill Downs and the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap on Sept. 22 at Belmont Park.

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 13:46

Heart to Heart wraps Fourstardave prep with easy half-mile work

Barbara D. Livingston
Heart to Heart worked a half-mile in 49.69 seconds on Monday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After a brief freshening, Heart to Heart is set to resume his 7-year-old campaign in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga. On Monday, he put in his final workout in preparation for what will be his fourth straight appearance in a Grade 1 turf stakes this season.

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 13:20

Mullins has solid 3-year-olds for turf, dirt

Benoit Photo
River Boyne's win in the La Jolla Handicap on Sunday was his fifth in his last six starts.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Victories by River Boyne in the La Jolla Handicap on Sunday and Tatters to Riches in an allowance Saturday have put trainer Jeff Mullins in position to have top contenders in turf and dirt stakes races for 3-year-olds at the end of the Del Mar meet.

Turf specialist River Boyne won for the fifth time in his last six starts when capturing the Grade 3 La Jolla, which is a prep for the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 2.

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 11:50

Best jumps in at top level with OXO Equine

Benoit Photo
Instagrand wins a maiden race on June 29.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The names are Brill, Instagrand, and Rowayton, all 2-year-old debut winners in Southern California since late June.

They were expensive acquisitions who ran to expectations for owner Larry Best and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer in maiden races at Los Alamitos and Santa Anita. All three may be in the conversation about the top juveniles of the year this fall.

“When you buy the horses, you expect them to do well,” Best said Sunday. “You hope and pray a lot. To come out 3 for 3 in maiden races is unexpected. They showed up. It doesn’t get better than that.”

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 11:16

Del Mar average all-sources handle up 9 percent

DEL MAR, Calif.– Boosted by out-of-state handle, Del Mar has shown growth in all-sources handle through the first three weeks of the summer meeting.

Through Sunday, average all-sources handle, including ontrack, simulcasting, and account-wagering sources, reached $13,617,082, a gain of 9.2 percent over the average of $12,470,772 during the corresponding period at the 2017 meeting, according to figures provided by the track.

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 11:06

Cambodia points to John Mabee Stakes

Benoit Photo
Cambodia won her second straight Yellow Ribbon Stakes on Saturday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – At the age of 6, Cambodia could easily be in her final year of racing. If so, Cambodia’s success on the Del Mar turf course will define her career.

Cambodia won her third graded stakes on turf at Del Mar in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes last Saturday, a race she also won in 2017. There is a strong likelihood Cambodia will start in the Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 2, yet another race she won in 2017.

“I think we’ll stay out here,” owner Don Robinson said. “She loves the hard turf and the tight turns.”

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 10:46

Pletcher runners highlight Thursday features

Back-to-back one-mile allowances, each worth $47,000, anchor a 10-race Thursday card at Gulfstream Park that kicks off another four-day race week with a twilight first post of 2 p.m. Eastern. Both co-features attracted major contenders from trainer Todd Pletcher’s Palm Beach Downs division.

Race 7, which goes around two turns on turf, lured the uncoupled Pletcher duo of Songeur and Elk Camp. Race 8, which goes around one turn on the main track, figures to have Incredible Grace as a solid favorite for Pletcher off a flashy June 29 debut victory.

Mon, 08/06/2018 - 10:46

Capture Your Dream quickly pays dividends for Oxley

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Capture Your Dream earned a 60 Beyer Speed Figure with Saturday's Desert Vixen win.

The sale that landed Capture Your Dream in Mark Casse’s barn paid quick dividends when the 2-year-old filly flashed her considerable potential Saturday in winning the $100,000 Desert Vixen at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.

“It was pretty much a win-win for everybody,” Casse said less than 24 hours after Capture Your Dream earned a 60 Beyer Speed Figure with her 1 1/4-length triumph in the six-furlong Desert Vixen.

Sun, 08/05/2018 - 20:33

Ransom the Moon targets Pat O'Brien Stakes

Emily Shields
Flavien Prat guided Ransom the Moon to victory in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby for the second straight year.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Ranson the Moon, the winner of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes on July 28, has earned another start at the current Del Mar summer meeting.

Trainer Phil D’Amato plans to run Ransom the Moon in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 25.

“He’s galloping so strongly I’m looking toward the Pat O’Brien,” D’Amato said. “I think he’s one of those horses that knows he won and he’s back on his game. I’ve wanted to see that for some time.”