ARCADIA, Calif. – Blackjackcat is a candidate for Saturday’s Grade 3 American Stakes at a mile on turf, but trainer Mark Glatt said on Sunday that he was leaning toward running him in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course April 29.
Blackjackcat, third in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar last November, finished a quiet fifth as the even-money favorite in the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf here Feb. 10, his only start this year.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Horsepower.
Robert and Lawana Low have got it – whether it’s the couple’s trucking company or their undefeated Kentucky Derby hopeful Magnum Moon.
Churchill Downs is the next stop for Magnum Moon after he ran his record to 4 for 4 with his Saturday win in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. The horse was bright and alert Sunday morning at Oaklawn, where he rolled out of the stable area just after 6:30 a.m. to catch a flight to Florida.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Horsepower.
Robert and Lawana Low have got it – whether it’s the couple’s trucking company or their undefeated Kentucky Derby hopeful Magnum Moon.
Churchill Downs is the next stop for Magnum Moon after he ran his record to 4 for 4 with his Saturday win in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. The horse was bright and alert Sunday morning at Oaklawn, where he rolled out of the stable area just after 6:30 a.m. to catch a flight to Florida.
INDIANTOWN GAP, Fla. - Florida Derby runner-up Hofburg got back to serious business just after sunrise Sunday morning at Payson Park, breezing an impressive-looking half-mile in 49.02 in company with the older, Grade 1-placed and multiple Grade 2 winner Good Samaritan.
The lightly raced Hofburg, beaten three lengths by Audible in the Florida Derby, will make his next start May 5 at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – City of Light and Accelerate came out of their first- and second-place finishes in the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap well and walked the shed row Sunday on a cold and breezy morning.
City of Light defeated 6-5 favorite Accelerate by a neck in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap following a stiff stretch drive. It was 10 lengths back to the pacesetter Untrapped, who finished third in the 11-horse field.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Mitole, who put up a Beyer Speed Figure of 107 for his win in the $150,000 Bachelor for 3-year-olds Thursday at Oaklawn, was bright and alert Saturday and is scheduled to ship to Churchill, according to his trainer, Steve Asmussen.
Mitole’s number equaled the top Beyer put up by a 3-year-old so far in 2018. Justify earned a 107 for his win in the Santa Anita Derby.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Sassy Sienna and Wonder Gadot finished a nose apart Friday in the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy at Oaklawn and a rematch is brewing for next month’s Kentucky Oaks.
Trainer Brad Cox said Sassy Sienna, who earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 82 for her win in the Fantasy, is scheduled to ship Saturday night to his Churchill Downs division to begin preparations for the Kentucky Oaks. Trainer Mark Casse said Wonder Gadot, who earned the same number, is set to ship Monday to Churchill for the Oaks.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Unbridled Mo came out of her victory in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park in top shape and was walking the shed row Saturday morning at the D. Wayne Lukas barn, where Todd Pletcher’s horses have been housed for the Racing Festival of the South.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Fire Away, winner of last Sunday’s $100,000 Danger’s Hour, is likely to make his next start in the Grade 2, $250,000 Dixie Stakes on May 19 at Pimlico, trainer Shug McGaughey said.
Fire Away won the Danger’s Hour by 1 1/4 lengths over Projected. The victory was the fourth in as many starts over Aqueduct’s turf course for Fire Away, a 6-year-old son of War Front.
McGaughey said he would look to keep Fire Away in races at a mile to 1 1/16 miles. The Dixie is run at 1 1/16 miles.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After a relatively quiet winter, trainer Chad Brown’s stable has heated up with the beginning of the spring meet and the opening of the turf at Aqueduct.
In three successive days, Brown sent out horses off extended layoffs to win over the Aqueduct turf.
On Wednesday, Ticonderoga, away since last October’s Hill Prince, won a first-level allowance race by a length. He ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:39.95, which is the fastest race at the distance run over the outer turf course, which only opened for business last fall. Ticonderoga earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
