Fri, 02/12/2016 - 14:25

Gulfstream: Monday card full of starter allowances

Barbara D. Livingston
Manchurian High is slated to start in a starter allowance on Monday at Gulfstream Park.

This side of the Claiming Crown, the Monday card at Gulfstream is a rather unusual one.

All 12 races are starter allowances that roughly equate to mini-stakes, with each worth $50,000 or $60,000. As the races were being made Friday, racing officials were prepared to split one or more of the overfilled races to replace any that might not have drawn a sufficient number of entries.

Fri, 02/12/2016 - 14:06

Few willing to face Nyquist in San Vicente

Coady Photography
Exaggerator, winner of the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes, is among three confirmed challengers for 2-year-old champion Nyquist in the seven-furlong San Vicente.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Nyquist, the undefeated champion 2-year-old male of 2015, is expected to have few rivals in Monday’s $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita.

The Grade 2 San Vicente had five probable starters as of Friday morning, before entries were finalized. The opposition was expected to include Denman’s Call, Electrifying, Exaggerator, and Sheikh of Sheikhs.

Doug O’Neill trains Nyquist, who has not raced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland last October, and Denman’s Call, a maiden-race winner in his debut Jan. 9.

Fri, 02/12/2016 - 14:00

Mohaymen impresses in latest workout for Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston
Mohaymen is on track for a start in the Fountain of Youth on Feb. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mohaymen had his first workout since his romp in the Jan. 30 Holy Bull Stakes when breezing a half-mile in 47.60 seconds Friday at the Palm Meadows training center just north of Gulfstream Park.

“It didn’t look like he went that fast,” said Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Mohaymen for Shadwell Stable. “He’s just doing that well.”

Fri, 02/12/2016 - 13:56

Rosie Higgins gets first win as rider

ARCADIA, Calif. – Apprentice jockey Rosie Higgins, the wife of Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, won for the first time on Thursday at Santa Anita. Riding her fourth race, Higgins won aboard Blue Law ($4.40) in the second race.

Blue Law won a $20,000 claiming race for maidens by three lengths. Higgins had Blue Law on the inside, stayed on the rail on the turn, and they pulled away to win comfortably.

“It was awesome,” she said in the winner’s circle. “I gave him his head, and he exploded.”

Fri, 02/12/2016 - 13:50

Prospect Park starts drive to Santa Anita Handicap

Benoit & Associates
Prospect Park vanquished several of his Sunday rivals in this La Jolla victory last month.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Prospect Park was fourth in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby last April, the track’s top race for 3-year-olds. This year, trainer Clifford Sise wants to start Prospect Park in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 12, the track’s top race for older horses.

To reach that goal, Prospect Park will start in an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on dirt Sunday, and not in Saturday’s $200,000 Arcadia Stakes at a mile on turf. Prospect Park was entered in both races.

Wed, 02/10/2016 - 16:02

Oaklawn: Whitmore will get Mike Smith for Southwest

Coady Photography
Whitmore will make his next start in Monday's Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Trainer Ron Moquett said Oaklawn optional-claiming winner Whitmore has emerged from his Monday work in good order and is set for a start in the Southwest at Oaklawn. He said Mike Smith will have the mount Monday.

“We wanted Mike Smith because we won the race last year with him,” said Moquett.

Smith, who is based in Southern California, came in to ride Far Right in the Southwest last year.

Wed, 02/10/2016 - 15:58

Oaklawn: Bullet work from Noble Bird

Barbara D. Livingston
Noble Bird could make his next start in the Grade 3 Razorback Handicap on March 19 at Oaklawn Park.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Noble Bird, the winner of the Grade 1 Stephen Foster, worked five furlongs in company from the gate Wednesday at Oaklawn. He went after the renovation break in a bullet 1:00.80.

Oaklawn head clocker Jim Hamilton had a half-mile split of 48.40 seconds and a six-furlong gallop-out in 1:13.40.

Trainer Mark Casse said Wednesday that potential objectives for the horse are the Grade 3, $300,000 Razorback Handicap on March 19 and the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 16.

Noble Bird last raced in August.

Wed, 02/10/2016 - 15:50

Gordy Florida set for Southwest Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Gordy Florida’s performance in last month’s $150,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park was one of the gutsiest in the field. He dueled with the Grade 1-placed shipper Toews On Ice and, after shaking off that rival, fought on to finish second by a neck to Discreetness.

Wed, 02/10/2016 - 15:06

Tom's Ready may have trouble making Risen Star field

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Stageplay is among just four 3-year-old fillies listed as probable for the Rachel Alexandra on Feb. 20.

A rule that nearly excluded the talented 3-year-old Tom’s Ready from the Lecomte Stakes, in which he finished second and earned qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, could come into play again at Fair Grounds when entries are taken for the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes on Friday.

Wed, 02/10/2016 - 14:50

Luzzi to ride Green Gratto in General George

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Green Gratto, winning the Gravesend, finished third in the Toboggan last Saturday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Mike Luzzi will ride Green Gratto in Monday’s Grade 3, $250,000 General George Stakes at Laurel Park, trainer and part-owner Gaston Grant said Wednesday.

Luzzi, a three-time winner of the General George, will replace Kendrick Carmouche, who has elected to stick with Majestic Affair for the seven-furlong General George. Luzzi, after a slow start to the winter meet, has won with four of his last 20 mounts.

“He’s riding good, he’s won that race a couple of times, and he knows that track,” Grant said of Luzzi.