Mon, 08/31/2015 - 11:50

Six stakes on rich Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day

Michael Burns
Pender Harbour, with Luis Contreras aboard, wins the Steady Growth Stakes by three-quarters of a length Saturday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine’s Wednesday night card is filled with stakes action as the track will hold Canadian Millions Sales Stakes Day on a Wednesday for the third consecutive year. The eight-race card offers total purses of $1 million and features six stakes worth $900,000 that are open to graduates of the local yearling sale.

Pender Harbour, a 2009 sale graduate, will be looking to inch closer to the $2 million mark in career earnings as the standout in the $125,000 Elgin Stakes, for colts and geldings ages 3 and up over 1 1/16 miles on Polytrack.

Mon, 08/31/2015 - 10:50

Turf renovation continues at Gulfstream

Gulfstream Park has made significant progress renovating the inside portion of its turf course the past several months, the track announced, as grass racing during the current summer meet continues to be conducted on the outer part of the 180-foot wide course.

The renovation concerns the inside 96 feet of the course. Glenn Ferguson, the track superintendent for Gulfstream, has resurfaced and aerated the course. There will have been no racing on the inside portion of the course for seven months by the time the track opens its championship meet Dec. 5.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 17:33

Sheer Drama will train up to BC Distaff after Personal Ensign win

Barbara D. Livingston
Sheer Drama wins the Personal Ensign Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – About 14 hours after she pulled a minor upset in the Grade 1 $750,000 Personal Ensign Stakes, Sheer Drama was on the road, headed to south Florida, where she will train up to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Oct. 30 at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

“She stays fit. She’s a good work horse. Nine weeks isn’t that long,” trainer David Fawkes said about electing to train up to the Breeders’ Cup.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 17:25

Keen Ice connections ready for rematch with American Pharoah

Barbara D. Livingston
Keen Ice (left) beats American Pharoah by three-quarters of a length Saturday in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s somewhat unusual when the winner of a major sporting event craves a rematch with the just-vanquished opponent. On Sunday, however, the connections of Travers winner Keen Ice said they want to meet Triple Crown winner American Pharoah – whom they defeated by three-quarters of a length Saturday – again in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 16:43

Come to Mischief will invade for Del Mar Debutante

Michael Burns
Sunday's Adirondack Stakes marks Come to Mischief's first start since winning her career debut in the My Dear Stakes.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Come to Mischief was so sharp winning her debut in the My Dear Stakes at Woodbine in late June that she was the subject of a private acquisition by Loooch Racing after the race.

For her second start, new trainer Peter Walder planned a Grade 1 stakes on Labor Day weekend. The question was: on which coast?

After considering the $350,000 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga, Walder has brought Come to Mischief to California for the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante next Saturday.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 16:14

Sharla Rae likely to stay in California for Rodeo Drive

Benoit Photo
Sharla Rae wins the Del Mar Oaks by three-quarters of a length Saturday at Del Mar.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Sharla Rae, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 15, her fourth career stakes win, will race against older fillies and mares for the first time in the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf Sept. 26 at Santa Anita.

Trainer Doug O’Neill said the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive has greater appeal than a start outside of California such as the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 10.

“I think we’ll stay close to home,” O’Neill said.

Sharla Rae won the most prestigious race of her career in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 12:04

Runhappy points to Phoenix Stakes for King's Bishop follow-up

Barbara D. Livingston
Runhappy, with Edgar Prado aboard, wins the Grade 1 King's Bishop by four lengths Saturday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On Sunday morning, Runhappy, the upset winner of the Grade 1 King's Bishop on Saturday at Saratoga, was sent from the stakes barn, which is next door to Siro's restuarant, to McMahon's Farm and turned out in a paddock for a little R&R.

He certainly deserved it after making short work of his 10 opponents in the $500,000 King's Bishop, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 11:30

Zayats search for answers following American Pharoah's Travers loss

Barbara D. Livingston
American Pharoah and trainer Bob Baffert stand together Sunday morning, a day after American Pharoah finished second in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

A long walk back to the hotel followed by a ride to the airport and a cross-country flight to San Diego gave Ahmed Zayat, the owner of American Pharoah, plenty of time to reassess the gut reaction he had Saturday immediately following the Travers Stakes, when he raised the possibility of retiring the Triple Crown winner, but when the plane touched down, he still was leaning the same direction.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 11:09

Flintshire headed back to France after Sword Dancer triumph

Barbara D. Livingston
Flintshire wins the Sword Dancer Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths Saturday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Flintshire came out of his blowout win in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga on Saturday in excellent shape and will be headed back to France to prepare for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Oct. 4.

According to trainer Andre Fabre's traveling team, Flintshire "didn't blow very hard after the race, and he ate everything."

Flintshire is scheduled to van Monday to Belmont Park and fly Tuesday to Belgium as he makes his way back to Fabre's training facility in Chantilly, France.

Sun, 08/30/2015 - 09:56

Apprentice Hernandez out two months with broken wrist

Apprentice Harry Hernandez could be sidelined for two months after being injured in the final race Friday at Gulfstream Park, according to a release from the track. Hernandez was off his mounts Saturday.

Hernandez has been diagnosed with a broken left wrist after being thrown when his mount, Starship Muffy, fell in the 10th race Friday. Hernandez is the second leading rider at the current summer meet at Gulfstream. He took his injury in stride Saturday.

“It's part of the job,” said Hernandez, 18. “I might be out two months.”