Sun, 02/21/2016 - 15:28

Los Alamitos shifts Los Angeles Stakes to April 16

Los Alamitos has amended the date of the $100,000 Los Angeles Stakes for sprinters, moving the race forward by one day to April 16.

The April 16 program, the first Saturday of the 12-day meeting, will now have two stakes, including the $100,000 Bertrando Stakes for California-breds at a mile. Because of the change, there are no stakes scheduled for April 17.

The meeting runs from April 14 to May 1.

Sun, 02/21/2016 - 15:25

Jockey David Lopez hopes to resume riding in March

ARCADIA, Calif. - Apprentice jockey David Lopez is unlikely to ride until early March while recovering from the effects of a spill on Feb. 12.

Lopez, 21, has not ridden since he was unseated when his mount, the 3-2 favorite Icona, collided with an injured horse in the final race on Feb. 12. Lopez was named on horses each racing day from Feb. 13 through Sunday, but was taken off his mounts by his agent, J.R. Pegram.

Pegram said on Saturday that Lopez has a target of March 3 to resume riding.

“That’s probably a good guess,” Pegram said. “He’ll take it day-by-day.”

Sun, 02/21/2016 - 15:21

Fast Munny, Ziconic will go two turns next time

Shigeki Kikkawa
Ziconic, with Gary Stevens, will get more distance when he makes his second career start against maidens.

ARCADIA, Calif .- Fast Munny, the upset winner of a maiden race on Saturday that included Ziconic, the second foal out of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, is likely to have his next start around two turns in March, trainer Craig Dollase said on Sunday.

Ziconic will also race around two turns in March, against maidens, trainer John Shirreffs said.

Sun, 02/21/2016 - 15:14

Hollendorfer mulls running Songbird in Santa Ysabel

Emily Shields
Songbird (red cap) wins her fifth straight race in the Las Virgenes Stakes on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif .- Songbird, the undefeated champion 2-year-old filly of 2015, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Santa Anita on Sunday for a potential start in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes on March 5.

Sun, 02/21/2016 - 15:02

Risen Star's top three will point to Louisiana Derby

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
Gun Runner is expected to have three workouts leading up to the Louisiana Derby.

NEW ORLEANS – It was a bunched finish at the Risen Star, and if you’re not totally certain who among the top finishers was the best horse in the race, tune in again March 26, when at least the top three home Saturday at Fair Grounds should be back for the $1 million Louisiana Derby

Gun Runner, first by a half-length over Forevamo, came out of the race “really well,” trainer Steve Asmussen said Sunday morning, and will be pointed for the Louisiana Derby.

Sat, 02/20/2016 - 12:46

Beholder targets Vanity Stakes in June

Debra A. Roma
Beholder won a third Eclipse Award in 2015 as champion older female.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder, the three-time Eclipse Award winner, is tentatively scheduled to have her first start of 2016 in the $400,000 Vanity Stakes at Santa Anita on June 4.

Sat, 02/20/2016 - 12:37

D'Amato to have small string in Kentucky

Shigeki Kikkawa
Phil D'Amato has taken over the stable of Mike Mitchell, who is the all-time leader in wins at Del Mar.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Phil D’Amato, the leading trainer at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, plans to have a small stable of runners in Kentucky this spring.

D’Amato said on Friday he will focus on the Keeneland spring meeting from April 8-29 and the first weeks of the Churchill Downs spring meeting from April 30 to July 2. D’Amato, 39, said he plans to have “10 to 12” runners in Kentucky and will finalize the roster after Keeneland publishes its condition book in the coming weeks.

Fri, 02/19/2016 - 15:58

Siding Spring may run in Rebel

Siding Spring, who ran fifth in the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest last Monday at Oaklawn Park in his first start since the Breeders’ Cup, will be considered for the Rebel Stakes, said trainer Mark Casse. The Grade 2, $900,000 race will be run March 19.

Siding Spring broke from the No. 11 hole in the Southwest, set the pace, and finished 6 1/4 lengths behind the winner, Suddenbreakingnews. For the effort, Siding Spring earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 83.

Fri, 02/19/2016 - 15:40

Dothraki Queen a candidate for Fantasy

Emily Shields
The versatile filly Dothraki Queen may run on dirt and turf this season.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Dothraki Queen showed immediate talent last year at 2, romping in her career debut on turf and winning the Grade 2 Pocahontas one start later at Churchill Downs. She’s now gearing up for her 3-year-old season, and one potential race on her calendar is the Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy at her Oaklawn Park base April 9, said trainer Ken McPeek.

Fri, 02/19/2016 - 15:35

Voodoo Spell a win machine in starter allowance ranks

Voodoo Spell won the eighth race at Fair Grounds on Thursday. Of course he did. The race was a turf sprint written for $5,000 starter-allowance horses or $10,000 claimers, and Voodoo Spell is virtually unbeatable in races like that. On Thursday, he moved to the lead more than a furlong out with the greatest of ease, but, being Voodoo Spell, he decided that his work was done, immediately putting on the brakes before doing just enough to win by a half-length.