Wed, 03/26/2025 - 19:16

Gaffalione breaks ankle; Smith to pick up Florida Derby mount

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos

Gaffalione was booked to ride all 14 races on Saturday’s Gulfstream Park card.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be out indefinitely after he suffered a broken left ankle as a result of an incident prior to the start of Wednesday’s fourth race at Gulfstream Park, his agent Matt Muzikar said.

Gaffalione, the second-leading rider at the Gulfstream winter meet, was booked to ride all 14 races on Saturday’s Gulfstream Park card, including Madaket Road in the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby. Mike Smith will instead ride Madaket Road in that race for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, according to Muzikar.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 15:47

Woodbine, Ontario HBPA agree on 2-year deal

By Ron Gierkink

Julie Wright

Woodbine will opens its 128-date meet on April 26.

Woodbine Entertainment and the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario announced Wednesday that they have reached an agreement in principle on a new two-year deal that boosts purses by $5.7 million. The new agreement commits $64.7 million in purses in 2025 and $65 million in 2026, both with 128-day race meets.

The 2025 meet begins Saturday, April 26, and concludes on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 15:41

S S Sinatra is Hohlbein's best hope for first stakes win

By Patrick Moquin

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club

After a career as a jockey and exercise rider, Hohlbein began training in 2022.

Kerry Hohlbein, a former rider now working as a trainer at Laurel Park, missed out on her first stakes victory by a nose earlier this month when S S Sinatra lost a photo finish in the $75,000 Not For Love Stakes. She’s confident that more opportunities will come, however.

“He ran a great race and I’m not upset that he just got beat like that,” Hohlbein said of the 5-year-old gelding. “It would have been nice to win, but he ran great.”

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 15:17

Eurton to maintain national presence

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Normally based in California, trainer Peter Eurton will continue to race horses in the Midwest.

When Peter Eurton walked into the winner’s circle after Spun Not Stirred won a $32,000 claiming race for maidens last Sunday, it was the stable’s fourth win in a little more than a week at Santa Anita.

Eurton missed most of it. He spent time in mid-March overseeing his Midwest stable, which has grown lately to include runners at Turfway Park in Kentucky and Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 15:17

Roll On Big Joe headed to Oaklawn for next start

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

Roll On Big Joe will start next in the Lake Hamilton at Oaklawn Park.

The stakes-winning sprinter Roll On Big Joe was deliberately held out of Saturday’s San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita in favor of a stakes in Arkansas later this spring, trainer Bob Hess, Jr. said.

Hess wrote in a text message on Wednesday that Roll On Big Joe is scheduled to have his next start in the $200,000 Lake Hamilton Stakes at six furlongs at Oaklawn Park on May 2.

Roll On Big Joe is unbeaten in two starts this year at Santa Anita – an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 3, and a four-length win in the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs on Feb. 15.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 14:11

McPeek working Thorpedo Anna, Mystik Dan at Oaklawn

By Mary Rampellini

Coady Media

Thorpedo Anna will likely start next in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn.

Thorpedo Anna, the reigning Horse of the Year, and Mystik Dan, the winner of last year’s Kentucky Derby, will be spending the next several weeks at Oaklawn, trainer Kenny McPeek said Tuesday. The horses had been based at Fair Grounds, which wrapped up its meet Sunday.

Thorpedo Anna is being pointed for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Apple Blossom Handicap at 1 1/16 miles April 12 at Oaklawn. Mystik Dan is owned by a partnership based in Arkansas.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 14:10

Bestfriend Rocket has chance to fulfill Fletcher's Arkansas Derby dream

By Mary Rampellini

Coady Media

Bestfriend Rocket has won back-to-back races at 1 1/16 miles.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Frank Fletcher will be chasing a more than 25 year old dream Saturday when he runs Bestfriend Rocket in the Grade 1, $1.5 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

Bestfriend Rocket is a three-time winner who will be making his stakes debut off a gusty allowance win for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas on March 2. Fletcher purchased the horse as a 2-year-old in training last April, giving $575,000 for the son of Curlin who is from the female family of Tapit.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 13:46

Ness, Russell neck-and-neck heading into final weekend

By Patrick Moquin

Barbara D. Livingston

Trainer Brittany Russell has posted a phenomenal 39 percent strike rate during the Laurel meet.

Trainers Jamie Ness and Brittany Russell are separated by one victory entering the final weekend of the winter meet at Laurel Park, ensuring a tight finish in the race for the training title. Ness entered 14 horses for the final three days and has an obvious edge, but Russell has made the most of her starters all meet and has a chance to run the table with her four entrants.

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 13:38

Young Hazlewood rides again after impressive debut

By Patrick Moquin

Yedsit Hazlewood, a 17-year-old apprentice jockey, is settling into Laurel Park with the help of trainer Jose Corrales. Last weekend, the young rider earned his first five mounts from Corrales and finished third in his debut on Friday, March 21.

Hazlewood has been riding horses in Panama since he was 12 and has always dreamed of becoming a jockey. His brother, Angel A. Rodriguez, also is a jockey and has made nearly 2,000 starts in the United States.

“My brother is an idol to me,” Hazlewood said through Corrales. “Ever since I was little, I’ve loved the horses.”

Wed, 03/26/2025 - 13:22

Kentucky Derby 2025: Render Judgment pointed to Blue Grass

By Mary Rampellini

Coady Media

Render Judgment will seek to bolster his Kentucky Derby points total in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

Render Judgment is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Blue Grass on April 5 at Keeneland, trainer Kenny McPeek said.

The son of Blame is one of two prospects McPeek currently has in play for the Kentucky Derby, a race he won last year with Mystik Dan. The other is Maximum Promise, who was third in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks last Saturday at Turfway Park.

“I think that’s about where we’re at,” McPeek said.

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