Wed, 10/18/2017 - 16:10

Breeders' Cup Mile: Will Ribchester run on short rest?

Emily Shields
World Approval wins the Woodbine Mile on Saturday.

Trainer Richard Fahey has been saying for weeks that it wouldn’t be possible to commit Ribchester to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 4 before the horse ran in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Saturday at Ascot. This week, Fahey opened the door to a fall campaign that could have Ribchester headed to Japan instead of California.

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 16:06

Race-caller Stone not returning to NYRA

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Travis Stone will announce the West Virginia Breeders' Classics on Oct. 10 at Charles Town.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Travis Stone, who has split the race-calling duties at Aqueduct the last three winters with John Imbriale, will not be returning to the New York Racing Association this winter.

Stone, the regular race-caller at Churchill Downs, said he doesn’t want to move around so frequently.

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 16:06

Horses try out new Aqueduct turf course

ELMONT, N.Y. – When Aqueduct opens its fall meet on Nov. 3, it will unveil a new turf course. On Wednesday, horses were permitted on the course for the first time, with trainer Rudy Rodriguez sending out four horses to gallop over it.

“There were some parts on the [clubhouse] turn where the grass came back up, but most of it looked pretty good,” said Rodriguez, who was on one of the horses himself. “It looks like it’s holding up really good. Of course, it’ll be different when you breeze over it or when they start racing on it.”

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 16:06

Brown has strong hand for New York Showcase Day

Barbara D. Livingston
Despite conceding significant weight and racing wide on the far turn, Twisted Tom wins the Albany Stakes under Javier Castellano on Friday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Even on New York Showcase Day, trainer Chad Brown looks tough to beat.

Brown will have runners in just three of the eight stakes for New York-breds on Saturday, but he will be live in all three.

In the $300,000 Empire Classic, the richest race on the 11-race program, Brown will send out the multiple-stakes-winning 3-year-old Twisted Tom in a nine-horse field. Twisted Tom has won five of his last six starts, the lone defeat being a sixth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 15:26

Hole-in-one realized, Van Dyke eyes another first

Barbara D. Livingston
Cotillion winner It Tiz Well is among Drayden Van Dyke's mounts for the Breeders' Cup next month.

ARCADIA, Calif. – When jockey Drayden Van Dyke reached the 15th hole at the Santa Anita Golf Course during a charity tournament on Oct. 10, the round was not going well.

“I played like crap all day long,” he recalled.

Then on the 15th hole, a par 3 at about 175 yards, he recorded his first hole-in-one by knocking in a 4-wood.

“It was the best shot I ever hit,” he said. “It bounced and fell in.”

Van Dyke did not realize he had achieved a hole-in-one until he arrived at the green.

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 15:16

Richard's Boy may be considered for Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint

Barbara D. Livingston
If Richard's Boy (outside) runs well in Saturday's California Flag Handicap, he will be pre-entered in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

ARCADIA, Calif. – This may be a busy autumn for Richard’s Boy, a four-time stakes winner trained by Peter Miller.

Saturday at Santa Anita, Richard’s Boy is scheduled to start in the $100,000 California Flag Handicap for statebreds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. If the gelding runs well, he will be pre-entered on Monday for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 4, Miller said in a text message on Wednesday.

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 15:10

Field size up at Santa Anita autumn meeting

Emily Shields
Santa Anita is reporting average fields of 8.87 starters per race through 11 days of the 2017 autumn meeting.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Average field size has shown growth at the Santa Anita autumn meeting, months after the track canceled four days of racing in the spring because of insufficient entries.

Through Sunday, the 11th day of the 19-day meeting, fields averaged 8.87 starters per race compared with 8.62 starters during a similar period at the 2016 autumn meeting. Fields averaged 8.59 runners for the entire 2016 meeting, which included the Breeders’ Cup races.

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 14:56

Breeders' Cup Juvenile: Rivelli has high expectations for The Tabulator

Churchill Downs/Coady Photography
The Tabulator is 3 for 3 including a win around two turns in the Grade 3 Iroquois.

Two years ago, trainer Larry Rivelli ran Cocked and Loaded in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and the 16-1 shot ran a creditable fifth behind Nyquist, beaten just a length for third.

This year, Rivelli will be back in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and he’s expecting even better things from The Tabulator.

“I think he is a better horse than Cocked and Loaded,” Rivelli said. “Cocked and Loaded was an overachiever. I liked him a lot going into that race. With Nyquist, we had an uphill battle but he put in a good showing. I’m expecting better results from this horse.”

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 14:26

Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf: Not enough spots for all contenders

Michael Amoruso
Lady Eli's victory in the Ballston Spa at Saratoga on Saturday returned $3.40 to bettors.

Even with last weekend’s Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup and Grade 1 E.P. Taylor generating only a few possible starters for the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar, an oversubscribed field is expected when pre-entries are announced next week.

As many as 19 fillies and mares are being considered for the race, according to Breeders’ Cup officials, with seven of those – Dacita, Zipessa, Avenge, War Flag, Birdie Gold, Hydrangea, and Rhododendron – having fees-paid berths by virtue of winning a Breeders’ Cup Challenge race.

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 14:10

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies: Separationofpowers bred for distance

Barbara D. Livingston
Separationofpowers turned in a professional effort winning the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes on Oct. 8 at Belmont Park.

Separationofpowers looked like a star in the making when she dominated her debut at Saratoga – but then looked like a green filly with some holes in her armor when she faded to third in the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes. After bouncing back with a more professional effort to win the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes on Oct. 8 at Belmont, she again looks like a prominent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies contender.