Sun, 03/11/2018 - 13:48

McKinzie, Bolt d'Oro eye rematch in Santa Anita Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Bolt d'Oro (left) and McKinzie battle to the wire in the San Felipe Stakes on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The controversial disqualification of McKinzie in favor of Bolt d’Oro in the San Felipe Stakes on Saturday was still on the minds of the participants on Sunday morning at Santa Anita, but the fact that both 3-year-olds furthered their Kentucky Derby aspirations, came out of the race well, and likely will meet again in the Santa Anita Derby had many looking forward to Round 2 in their budding rivalry.

Sun, 03/11/2018 - 12:14

Wood Memorial likely next for Gotham winner Enticed

Debra A. Roma
Enticed earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby with a 2 3/4-length win in Saturday's Grade 3 Gotham.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – New York’s reconstructed winter road to the Kentucky Derby has been smooth sailing for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing.

Five weeks after winning the Grade 3 Withers with Avery Island, the trainer-owner tandem struck again Saturday with Enticed, who won the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct.

Now, McLaughlin and Godolphin will set their sights on the Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 7, the “most likely” next target for Enticed, McLaughlin said Sunday.

Sun, 03/11/2018 - 10:49

Quip's stakes victory a major milestone for trainer Brisset

Tom Keyser
Quip returned $40.20 for his upset win in Saturday's Tampa Bay Derby.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Tears of unbridled joy are easy to spot in the aftermath of the Kentucky Derby, but not necessarily after one of its prep races eight weeks out.

Yet there was Brooke Baker crying her eyes out as Quip made his return to the Tampa Bay Downs winner’s circle early Saturday evening. Baker and Rodolphe Brisset, the trainer of Quip, were married about a year ago, and the colt’s upset triumph in the Tampa Bay Derby meant the world to them.

Fri, 03/09/2018 - 15:10

Foyt's Colonelsdarktemper returns

Coady Photography
Colonelsdarktemper wins the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer last year.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The retired race car driver A.J. Foyt Jr. will be racing on two fronts Sunday. Colonelsdarktemper, his West Virginia Derby winner, launches his 4-year-old season in the eighth race at Oaklawn Park. The same day, Foyt’s race cars will see action, said Jinks Fires, who trains Colonelsdarktemper.

“He’s got two cars racing that he owns Sunday in Florida,” Fires said.

Fri, 03/09/2018 - 15:10

Cooptado seems ready to rebound

Hodges Photography/Amanda Hodges Weir
Cooptado (inside) prevailed by a nose at the wire in Saturday's Tenacious Stakes at Fair Grounds.

Cooptado was born in Argentina, has raced extensively in Dubai and Singapore, and has an English trainer and jockey in his corner. He’s an 8-year-old gelding with a rich history – and a chance to win the featured seventh race Sunday at Fair Grounds.

Cooptado is one of nine entrants in a one mile and 70-yard dirt race with multiple high-end allowance conditions and an $80,000 claiming option. Cooptado won the Tenacious Stakes by a nose in December at Fair Grounds, and Sunday’s race looks at least as challenging as the Tenacious.

Fri, 03/09/2018 - 15:10

Forever Unbridled continues steady training for Dubai World Cup

Barbara D. Livingston
Forever Unbridled wins the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Nov. 3 to secure an Eclipse Award.

Forever Unbridled took another step toward her intended start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31 at Meydan Racecourse when she worked what trainer Dallas Stewart called a “strong” five furlongs Friday morning at Fair Grounds.

Working by herself, as usual, Forever Unbridled got an official clocking of 1:00.60. Stewart said the mare then galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.20 and seven furlongs in about 1:27.

Fri, 03/09/2018 - 15:06

Solomini could go favored in Rebel Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Solomini (outside) trains with Restoring Hope at Santa Anita on Feb. 24.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The fields for next Saturday’s Grade 2 Rebel, Grade 2 Azeri, and $300,000 Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park are just starting to take shape.

There is a working list of 11-12 for the Rebel, a points race for the Kentucky Derby, while Group 1 winner Blue Prize was to ship out of Florida on Friday for the Azeri.

Entries for the rich program will be drawn Wednesday. A flight bringing horses from Southern California is scheduled to arrive a handful of days out from the races, said Pat Pope, racing secretary for Oaklawn.

Fri, 03/09/2018 - 13:56

Roy H tops Miller's team headed to Dubai

Barbara D. Livingston
Roy H will point toward the Dubai World Cup on March 31.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Roy H, the 2017 champion sprinter, will lead trainer Peter Miller’s team bound for Dubai’s Meydan Racecourse and seven-figure stakes on the Dubai World Cup program March 31.

Miller considered Roy H for Saturday’s Grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita, but opted not to run the 6-year-old gelding twice in March.

Fri, 03/09/2018 - 13:46

Weather will decide Sensational Star surface

Benoit & Associates
Anatolian Heat will run if the Sensational Star stays on turf.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The weather will dictate the field for Sunday’s $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes for California-bred sprinters at Santa Anita.

The race is scheduled for about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, but there is a chance of rain late Saturday and early Sunday that could put the race on the main track.

Peter Miller trains four of the 14 horses entered in a race that will have a maximum of 11 if run on the hillside turf course. Miller does not plan to start all four.

Fri, 03/09/2018 - 13:36

Inside Information coming up light

Annette Jasko/Coglianese Photos
Jordan's Henny (left) and Rich Mommy (right) finish first and third, respectively, in the Hurricane Bertie Stakes.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Only 11 fillies and mares were nominated to next Saturday’s $200,000 Inside Information, the final graded race on the local stakes schedule until Florida Derby Day, March 31.

The list is led by Grade 3 winners Jordan’s Henny and Rich Mommy, the first and third finishers in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie earlier in the meet.

Curlin’s Approval, the Hurricane Bertie runner-up who finished off the board as the odds-on favorite in the 2017 Inside Information, was conspicuous by her absence on the nomination sheet.