Mon, 10/12/2015 - 13:51

Trio of Hollendorfer fillies finds stakes success

Benoit & Associates
Alex Solis guides Stays in Vegas to a 2 1/4-length victory in the one-mile Surfer Girl.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The three fillies trainer Jerry Hollendorfer started Sept. 5 in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante all won stakes at the Santa Anita autumn meeting. They may have greater success on the regional and national scenes in the coming weeks.

On Saturday, Stays in Vegas, fifth in the Debutante, won the $101,500 Surfer Girl Stakes on turf. On Sunday, Surfside Tiara, seventh of 10 in the Debutante, won the $74,000 Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs. And on Sept. 26, Debutante winner Songbird won the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes.

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 13:41

Gaffalione doesn't miss a beat in transition to journeyman

Coglianese Photos
Tyler Gaffalione won four races on Sunday, his first day as a journeyman.

MIAMI – Tyler Gaffalione wasted little time proving that he doesn’t need a five-pound allowance to continue winning races. The newly turned journeyman won the first race he rode without his apprentice allowance, Sunday’s opener aboard Storm Swept, and before the day was out, he added three more victories to erase any doubts that he’ll have difficulty adjusting to life without the bug.

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:40

Ageless's cut to get another look

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Ageless wins the Franklin County Stakes on Friday at Keeneland.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A consultation with attending veterinarian Robert Hunt was planned for early this week to determine whether Ageless can resume training soon enough to make the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, trainer Arnaud Delacour said Monday.

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:37

Salama a go for Breeders' Cup Distaff

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Salama, shown training at Keeneland on Oct. 1, is expected to start in the Breeders' Cup Distaff on Oct. 30.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Salama didn’t win her North American debut Saturday, but trainer Charlie LoPresti was pleased nonetheless with how the 3-year-old filly performed when closing stoutly to be second behind Lavender Chrissie in a 1 1/8-mile optional claimer at Keeneland. Salama earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure and will run next as a longshot in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

“That’s just what we were setting her up for,” said LoPresti.

In June, Salama won a Win and You’re In race in Peru, where she had raced eight times before being sent to LoPresti at Keeneland this summer.

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:36

Surface expert to study main track in wake of breakdowns

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Noted racing-surface specialist Mick Peterson was scheduled to return to Keeneland early this week to reassess the safety of the main track in the wake of four fatal equine breakdowns during the meet as the Breeders’ Cup approaches.

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:31

Danish Dynaformer gets another Grade 1 try in Canadian International

Michael Burns
Danish Dynaformer wins the Breeders’ Stakes by 7 3/4 lengths on Woodbine’s turf Aug. 16.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Breeders’ Stakes winner Danish Dynaformer did not get an ideal setup in his first try against Grade 1 company in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes here Sept. 13, but he’ll get another chance this Sunday in the Grade 1, $1 million Canadian International, said trainer Roger Attfield.

Danish Dynaformer put in a six-furlong breeze in 1:14 last Sunday over Woodbine’s turf training track in preparation for the Canadian International.

“He worked nicely,” Attfield said. “Everything looks to be a go, so that’s the aim.”

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:20

Smack Smack eyes Fayette Stakes

Jack Coady/Coady Photography
Smack Smack is being considered for the Fayette Stakes on Oct. 30 at Keeneland.

Trainer Don Von Hemel is having a bang-up meet at Remington Park, where he won the $175,000 Governor’s Cup with Smack Smack on Aug. 15 and the $75,225 Ricks Memorial with Ghost Locket on Sept. 27. Von Hemel, who through Sunday had an 8-for-21 record at the meet, also won the track’s allowance feature Oct. 7 with Prue. This has all been achieved with an eight-horse stable and in the trainer’s ninth decade.

“At 81, I’m proud to be here,” Von Hemel said. “I don’t mind everyone knowing [my age].”

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:16

Weekend work on tap for Ivan Fallunovalot

Dustin Orona Photography
Ivan Fallunovalot wins the Remington Park Sprint Cup on Sept. 27.

Breeders’ Cup Sprint candidate Ivan Fallunovalot is scheduled to work over the weekend at his Remington Park base, trainer Tom Howard said. It will be the horse’s first breeze since winning the $151,650 Remington Park Sprint Cup on Sept. 27.

Howard said Ivan Fallunovalot’s final work for the Breeders’ Cup will be around Oct. 25. From there, assuming he gets into the Sprint, he will ship to Keeneland for the Oct. 31 race.

“We’ll try to move over, providing everything goes as planned, a day or two after the work,” Howard said. “We might ship the 26th or the 27th.”

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 12:11

Stidham savors QE II win with Her Emmynency

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Her Emmynency wins the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Saturday at Keeneland.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Trainer Mike Stidham said Monday he was unsure whether Her Emmynency will race again this year following her 19-1 upset of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Saturday at Keeneland.

“She might run one more time, or we might just put her up until next spring,” he said. “The filly came out of the race real well.”

Stidham was sure of one thing: This was a race to savor. It was just the third Grade 1 victory of his 36-year training career, following scores with Sutra in the 2006 Frizette and Two Altazano in the 1994 Coaching Club American Oaks.

Mon, 10/12/2015 - 11:57

Sunbean readies for Fair Grounds meet

Lynn Roberts/Hodges Photography
Sunbean, who has earned more than $1 million, is scheduled to make his first start since February at the Fair Grounds meet.

Sunbean, a top class Louisiana-bred who has not raced since February, is set to return to the races during the Fair Grounds meet, said trainer Ron Faucheux. Fair Grounds opens its meet Nov. 19.

Sunbean emerged from a third-place finish in the $200,000 Premier Night Championship on Feb. 7 at Delta Downs with an injury, has since recovered, and is in light training in Kentucky.

Faucheux, who has an operation at Copper Crowne Training Center in Opelousas, La., will be moving horses into his Fair Grounds base Oct. 19.