Mon, 09/28/2015 - 15:28

Flutterby possible for BC Filly and Mare Sprint

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Flutterby wins the Gold Mover on Aug. 22 at Gulfstream.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Another Gulfstream horse eyeing the Breeders’ Cup is Flutterby, following her victory over Grade 1-placed Kiss to Remember in Sunday’s Added Elegance Stakes. Flutterby missed out on an expenses-paid trip to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint this summer when finishing second in the Princess Rooney, a Win and You’re In qualifier. That loss was her only setback in her last four starts.

Owner-trainer-breeder Jerry Bozzo, who will turn 95 in October, said he would have to map out the logistics of making the trip before rendering a final decision.

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 15:24

Sheer Drama works toward Breeders' Cup Distaff

Barbara D. Livingston
Sheer Drama wins the Personal Ensign on Aug. 29 at Saratoga.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sheer Drama, the leading Breeders’ Cup candidate on the Gulfstream Park grounds, continues to work forwardly for her role as one of the favorites in the BC Distaff, breezing five furlongs in 1:00.73 on Sunday, with her final half-mile in a dazzling 46.40 seconds. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.79.

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 15:11

Jess’s Dream sidelined for year

Barbara D. Livingston
Jess's Dream is sidelined with a problem in his right hind leg.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Jess’s Dream, the first foal out of Rachel Alexandra who was dynamic in rallying from far back to win his debut at Saratoga, is sidelined for the remainder of the year, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin said Jess’s Dream developed a problem in his right hind leg and is nearly halfway through a 60-day break at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, Ky. McLaughlin said that in 30 days, Jess’s Dream will move to Stonestreet’s farm in Ocala, Fla., where he will stay for an undetermined period of time before moving back to McLaughlin at Palm Meadows in Florida.

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 15:11

Effinex ready to go for Gold Cup

Barbara D. Livingston
Effinex will try for his third stakes win going 1 1/4 miles this year in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Effinex has won a pair of graded stakes at 1 1/4 miles already this year, and he is ready for his try at the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, also at 1 1/4 miles, after breezing seven furlongs in 1:28.60 on Sunday over Belmont’s training track.

Effinex won the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct in April and the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont in June, both at 1 1/4 miles. In between, he was pulled up and eased in the Grade 2 Brooklyn, seemingly bothered by the bit he wore, which prompted him to bear out.

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 15:11

Brown foursome preps in Flower Bowl

Barbara D. Livingston
Stephanie's Kitten will try to defend her title in the Flower Bowl on Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown finished one-two in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Dayatthespa and Stephanie’s Kitten. On Saturday, he will try to finalize his lineup for this year’s Filly and Mare Turf when he sends out four runners in the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl Stakes at Belmont Park.

Brown’s Flower Bowl roster comprises Stephanie’s Kitten, last year’s Flower Bowl winner; Watsdachances, elevated to first in the Grade 1 Beverly D.; Dacita, the winner of the Grade 2 Ballston Spa in her 2015 and U.S. debut; and Rosalind.

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 15:06

Rispoli savors return to Florida

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Matthew Rispoli reacts after winning the Mr. Steele Stakes with Lochte on Sunday at Gulfstream.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Clerk of scales Victor Sanchez said jockey Matthew Rispoli came into the jocks’ room Sunday morning voicing his desire to buy pizza for everyone to celebrate his three victories the previous afternoon.

“I told him where they made the best pizza in the area,” Sanchez said. “It’s about five miles away, and not only did he buy, he even went and picked them up himself.”

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 14:41

Masochistic finally making news for his racing

Benoit & Associates
Masochistic shot to the top of the Southern California sprint division with this victory in the Triple Bend.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Masochistic’s reputation has evolved since his career began in the spring of 2014.

Initially, he was at the center of a medication scandal when he tested for an overage of a common tranquilizer after his debut, a fifth-place finish at Santa Anita in March last year. Through 2014, he was considered a morning rogue, prone to running off during exercise. Still, he won three of his first five starts.

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 14:35

Ivan Fallunovalot connections make plans for BC Sprint

Dustin Orona Photography
Ivan Fallunovalot wins the Remington Park Sprint Cup on Sunday in his final prep before the Breeders' Cup.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Ivan Fallunovalot is back in triple-digit Beyer Speed Figure territory following his win Sunday in the $150,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup, earning a 101 in his final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. It is the fifth triple-digit Beyer in six starts this year for Ivan Fallunovalot.

In the Sprint Cup, Ivan Fallunovalot settled into a stalking position before going on to a 2 1/2-length win. He covered six furlongs in a quick 1:08.42 while collecting his third stakes win of the year.

“What a great horse,” said trainer Tom Howard. “He answers it every time.”

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 13:42

Monmouth handle up slightly

Coady Photography
Jockey Paco Lopez was the leading jockey at the recently concluded Monmouth meet with 74 wins.

Buoyed by a record-setting Haskell Invitational Day program that attracted Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, the 58-day Monmouth Park meeting that concluded Sunday showed a slight increase in daily average all-sources handle.

Haskell Day handled a Monmouth Park-record $20,024,509, eclipsing the former mark, excluding the 2007 Breeders’ Cup, of $17,642,736 set on Haskell Day in 2008.

The announced Haskell Day crowd of 60,983 also was a record, bettering the 53,638 who turned out for the 2003 Haskell.

Mon, 09/28/2015 - 13:41

Keeneland: This year, FallStars Weekend has added meaning

LEXINGTON, Ky. – There’s always a sense of anticipation at Keeneland as summer comes to an end and the fall meet looms. But this year is different, as the first Breeders’ Cup in track history will follow the 17-day fall meet that starts Friday with the three-day FallStars Weekend.

“I’m not going to say it’s the same as before the Kentucky Derby, but there’s a real electricity in the air,” said Rogers Beasley, Keeneland vice president of racing. “Everybody is excited about the Breeders’ Cup.”