Wed, 04/02/2025 - 16:51

With a deluge expected, Keeneland moves Friday/Saturday cards to Monday and Tuesday

Coady Photography

The opening-day Ashland Stakes card will now be held Monday. The Saturday Blue Grass program has been moved to Tuesday. Keeneland hopes to be able to race as scheduled on Sunday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - With a dire forecast for the rest of the week in Kentucky prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency, Keeneland has shifted the first two cards of its spring meet on Friday and Saturday back three days each.

In a release issued Wednesday evening, Keeneland said it will monitor track conditions but plans to run Sunday's card as scheduled. That program will now serve as opening day of the 15-day spring meet, with the Grade 2, $400,000 Beaumont and the $300,000 Palisades as the co-features.

Wed, 04/02/2025 - 14:06

Upcoming meets at Santa Anita, Los Alamitos get purse increases

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Purses for the upcoming meets at Santa Anita in the spring and Los Alamitos in the summer will get increases, returning to some previous levels.

Overnight purses will increase at the forthcoming Santa Anita spring and Los Alamitos summer meetings.

Santa Anita’s spring meeting runs from April 18 to June 15. The Los Alamitos summer meeting begins a three-week season on June 20. Both tracks will have higher prize money than the corresponding meetings in 2024.

Wed, 04/02/2025 - 13:14

Weather threatening to put damper on Keeneland opening weekend

By Nicole Russo

Coady Media

Heavy rains are predicted this week at Keeneland, which will cause races to be taken off the grass and turn the main track into a sea of slop.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The sun will not be shining bright on the old Kentucky home as Keeneland opens its spring meet Friday. The early focus will still be on the sophomores looking to run through April showers to May flowers.

Wed, 04/02/2025 - 12:54

Maryland Jockey Club announces condition changes

By Patrick Moquin

Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

Maryland Jockey Club president Bill Knauf is intent on trying new things.

The Maryland Jockey Club announced changes to its condition book that will take effect in May. Among the changes, a new state-restricted maiden special weight condition will be added to Laurel cards, while prices for various claiming conditions will be adjusted.

“We’re of the position that we’re going to try things,” Bill Knauf, president and general manager of TMJC, said Tuesday. “If they don’t work, then they don’t work, but we’d rather try it than not try it and see how it progresses.”

Wed, 04/02/2025 - 12:50

Riders prevent catastrophe after loose horse runs wrong way

By Patrick Moquin

Barbara D. Livingston

Frankie Pennington an a pair of exercise riders were instrumental in preventing injuries during an on-track incident.

The eighth race on Monday at Parx Racing was declared a no contest when a loose horse running in the wrong direction had to be caught in the stretch. Thanks to the heroics of outriders Filemon Gonzalez and Facundo Vaio, as well as jockey Frankie Pennington, no one was seriously harmed in the incident.

Turning for home with a short lead, Pennington’s first thought was that his horse, Showtime Matinee, had plenty left for the stretch run. That thought was immediately interrupted by blaring sirens, flashing lights, and the sight of three horses barreling toward him.

Wed, 04/02/2025 - 12:47

Post Time ‘not quite ready' for 2025 debut

By Patrick Moquin

Barbara D. Livingston

After a pair of commanding stakes victories at Laurel Park to kick off his 2024 campaign, Post Time spent most of the remaining season in graded stakes in New York.

Post Time recorded his first timed workout of the 2025 season on Saturday, running three furlongs in 37 seconds flat at Fair Hill Training Center. The graded stakes winner is nominated for several races in April, but trainer Brittany Russell said that he’s still working his way back.

“He’s not quite ready, and we’re at the stage where we’re going to nominate everywhere,” Russell said. “When I find myself ready to nail down a start, we will.”

Tue, 04/01/2025 - 16:35

Blue Grass: Jockeys playing musical chairs; weather forecast looks dire

By Marcus Hersh

River Thames trains at Palm Beach Downs in March 2025

Susie Raisher

Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride River Thames for the first time in the Blue Grass Stakes. He had been the regular rider of Tampa Bay Derby winner Owen Almighty, who is also entered in Saturday's race.

Seven 3-year-olds, including Grade 1 winners Chancer McPatrick and East Avenue, were entered Tuesday for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

The entire field for the 1 1/8-mile contest, from the rail out and with riders, is River Thames (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Render Judgment (Sheldon Russell), Burnham Square (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Owen Almighty (Jose Ortiz), East Avenue (Luan Machado), Chancer McPatrick (Flavien Prat), and Admiral Dennis (Luis Saez).

Tue, 04/01/2025 - 13:55

Wood Memorial: Dutrow puts finishing touches on Captain Cook in half-mile work

By David Grening

Chelsea Durand/NYRA

Captain Cook has worked seven times on the Belmont training track since winning the Withers on Feb. 1 for trainer Rick Dutrow.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Captain Cook, among the favorites for Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, worked a half-mile in 48.22 seconds Tuesday morning over the Belmont Park training track.

Under jockey Manny Franco, Captain Cook went in splits of 12.15 seconds, 23.90, and came home his final quarter in 24.32 over a track rated good. With the Wood four days away, Captain Cook was not asked to gallop out.

“Looked like he was just galloping along,” trainer Rick Dutrow said. ”[Franco] said he’s ready.”

Mon, 03/31/2025 - 14:05

Woodbine releases 2025 stakes schedule

By Ron Gierkink

Julie Wright

The $500,000 Woodbine Oaks will be held July 20.

Woodbine’s 2025 stakes schedule, released on Monday, revealed that the Grade 1 Canadian International will return from a hiatus and will be switched to the inner turf along with three Grade 1 stakes while the main course undergoes extensive renovations beginning in late summer.

Mon, 03/31/2025 - 13:52

Eight entered for Ashland as Keeneland spring meet begins

By Nicole Russo

Coady Media

La Cara is among eight fillies who will vie for Kentucky Oaks points in the Ashland.

A field of eight fillies was entered Monday for the Grade 1, $750,000 Ashland Stakes, the opening-day feature on Friday at Keeneland and one of the final major Kentucky Oaks prep races.

From the rail out, the field for the Ashland is Look Forward, La Cara, Supa Speed, Muhimma, Running Away, Take Charge Milady, Amarth, and Admit. They are chasing points toward a spot in the May 2 Kentucky Oaks on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale.

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