ELMONT, N.Y. – In the coming months, Javier Castellano may have a difficult decision to make, whom to ride between Kentucky Derby winner Mage and Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo, should they show up in the same race such as the Travers Stakes on Aug. 26 at Saratoga.
Two summers ago, a struggling Castellano had an even more difficult decision to make – continue riding or retire.
ELMONT, N.Y – Equine fatalities took a backseat to the air-quality index in the days leading up to the Belmont Stakes. Just when it looked like two sensational days of racing were going to be completed without incident, there was a fatality in the 13th and final race on Saturday’s Belmont Park program.
ELMONT, N.Y. – From juvenile champion, to Florida Derby winner, to being scratched as the favorite on Kentucky Derby morning, the roller-coaster ride that Forte has been on during the opening half of his 3-year-old campaign didn’t quite end on the high note that trainer Todd Pletcher and his owners – Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola – had hoped for with his second-place finish in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes.
ELMONT, N.Y. – There may have been a little more pep in her step Friday morning, as trainer Linda Rice walked from her barn on the Belmont Park backstretch to the training track to oversee her horses’ preparations for upcoming races.
On Thursday, Rice received word that an Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court recommended that a three-year suspension of her license handed down by the New York State Gaming Commission in May 2021 for “conduct detrimental to the best interests of racing” should be thrown out.
ELMONT, N.Y. – When owner Jon Ebbert bought a son of Arrogate at the 2021 Keeneland yearling sale, he said his vision was to have a horse for the 2024 Breeders’ Cup. How he would get there and would he even be good enough to get there were unknowns.
That son of Arrogate, now named Arcangelo, seems to have charted a different path for himself, Ebbert, and trainer Jena Antonucci. In his fourth career start – and his stakes debut – Arcangelo won the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes, a victory that literally helped pay his way to Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario -- Graded stakes winners Kalik and Mission of Joy, along with the reigning Canadian champion male 2-year-old Philip My Dear, are among the 70 Canadian-bred 3-year-olds that remain eligible for the $1 million King’s Plate following an interim payment due June 7.
Trained by Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, Kalik burst into Plate contention June 3 with a front-running score in Grade 2 Pennine Ridge on the grass at Belmont, for which he got a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Red Carpet Ready would have been the favorite and horse to beat in the $150,000 Jersey Girl Stakes had racing not been canceled Thursday at Belmont Park due to unhealthy air quality. But in light of those circumstances, trainer Rusty Arnold opted not to re-enter her when the six-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies was redrawn Thursday to be run as part of Sunday’s 11-race program.
Nest, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2022, will now target the Grade 2, $200,000 Shuvee Stakes on July 23 at Saratoga for her 3-year-old debut, trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday.
Nest, who has not raced since finishing fourth in the in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, was initially being pointed to the Doubledogdare at Keeneland in April for her return. When she wasn’t ready to make that, the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, run Saturday, was the next goal.
First Mission, who was scratched from the Preakness due to an issue with his left hind leg, was diagnosed with a minor case of bone bruising and is getting 60 days off, trainer Brad Cox said.
“It was very minor, didn’t expect it to be much,” said Cox, who added First Mission is on the farm in Kentucky.
First Mission had won two of three starts including the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes. He was made the 5-2 second choice on the morning-line for the Preakness behind Kentucky Derby winner Mage before he was scratched the day before the race.
ELMONT, N.Y. -- Horsemen with runners in Saturday’s $1.5 million Belmont Stakes did not seem overly upset they were unable to train their horses Thursday at Belmont Park.
Due to the poor air quality conditions in the New York area stemming from the wind-blown smoke from the Canadian wildfires, the New York Racing Association announced Wednesday evening that it had canceled training for Thursday at both Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.
