LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Finley’sluckycharm continued her preparations for the Grade 2 Honorable Miss on July 25 at Saratoga when she breezed a half-mile Tuesday in 49.20 seconds at Churchill.
:: Saratoga All-Access: Choose from three plans, packages include PPs, strategies & more
“Everything’s good,” said trainer Bret Calhoun. “We’re heading to Saratoga with her Friday. She’ll work there the following Wednesday, then run the Wednesday after that. I’m really happy with her.”
Seven Trumpets, a distant second to Firenze Fire last Saturday in the one-mile Dwyer at Belmont, is being considered for a turn-back to 6 1/2 furlongs in the Grade 3 Amsterdam on July 28 at Saratoga, said trainer Dale Romans.
“I’m also thinking about the Amsterdam for Promises Fulfilled and Cove Blue,” said Romans, who will have a 20-horse string at Saratoga.
With no stakes at Ellis Friday-Sunday, allowance races will serve as nominal highlights. The lone allowance on an eight-race Friday card at the western Kentucky track is the last race, while two allowances (races 5 and 7) anchor a nine-race Saturday card. First post daily is 12:50 p.m. Central.
The $50,000 Good Lord, set for July 22, is the next Ellis stakes.
Lanerie back on Kentucky circuit
ELMONT, N.Y. – Chad Brown trains seven of the 15 fillies and mares nominated to the $500,000 Diana Stakes, the first Grade 1 of the Saratoga meet, scheduled for July 21.
Brown said Sunday he could run as many as four in the 1 1/8-mile turf race. A Raving Beauty, winner of the Grade 1 Just a Game, and Sistercharlie, winner of the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley, are considered definite to run. Fourstar Crook, who beat Sistercharlie in the New York Stakes, and New Money Honey, who came off a lengthy layoff to win an allowance race at Belmont, are possible.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Bee Jersey, a winner of four consecutive dirt races including the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, worked on the Oklahoma turf course in Saratoga for the second consecutive week on Monday.
Bee Jersey went five furlongs in 1:04.51 in company with the 3-year-old Reride. On July 2, Bee Jersey went five furlongs in 1:03.21.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Disco Partner has won two straight runnings of the Jaipur Invitational. On Saturday, he will attempt to win his second straight Forbidden Apple Stakes at Belmont Park.
On Sunday, Disco Partner completed preparations for the $150,000 Forbidden Apple by working a half-mile in 48.05 seconds over the Belmont Park turf course. Irad Ortiz Jr. was up for the move, the fastest of 16 breezes at the distance.
Trainer Robert Tiller reported Monday that reigning Canadian Horse of the Year Pink Lloyd exited his stunning loss in Sunday’s $100,000 Shepperton Stakes in good shape. Pink Lloyd had his 11-race win streak in Woodbine stakes snapped in the 6 1/2-furlong Ontario-sired event. He was softened up in a speed duel and ended up third behind Kingsport and Jacks Escarpment.
“Pink Lloyd is fine,” Tiller said. “He jogged sound [Monday] morning. Things didn’t go right for us. That’s horse racing. I’m very proud of him. He will be back.”
Nominations for the $400,000 Prince of Wales Stakes on July 24 at Fort Erie close Tuesday, and Absolution is pointing to the race, the second jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown. Absolution would be the first Canadian Triple Crown starter for trainer Tony Gattellaro.
Absolution joins the top three finishers from the Queen’s Plate – Wonder Gadot, Aheadbyacentury, and Cooler Mike – and sixth-place Ohio Derby finisher Flameaway among the Prince of Wales Stakes probables.
The trainer Doug Anderson said Sunday he has no defined plans for Prairie Meadows Cornhusker winner Remembering Rita. And that’s fine. What still feels most important is the obscure path Remembering Rita took to the Cornhusker rather than the road he’ll follow the rest of the summer.
Anderson claimed Remembering Rita for $50,000 out of a maiden race Nov. 5, 2016, at Churchill Downs. Remembering Rita got a couple standard post-race rest days in his new stable, returned to the track to train, and showed signs of injury.
Big Changes has returned to Churchill Downs after winning the $50,000 John Henry Stakes on Saturday night at Evangeline Downs. Trainer Brad Cox said he will let him recover from the race before deciding where to run him next.
“Anytime you ship to Louisiana and back north, it takes a little bit out of them,” Cox said.
Big Changes, who races for Steve Landers of Arkansas, has won both of his starts this year. He opened his 6-year-old season with an optional $50,000 claiming turf route score June 19 at Indiana Grand.
