ARCADIA, Calif. – Stellar Wind, fourth in the Kentucky Oaks, is expected to start favored Saturday in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks. Her confirmed rivals include Tara’s Tango, stretching out from a good sprint, and the Southwest-based Scat Means Go, third last out in the Grade 3 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs.
Henry Dominguez trains Scat Means Go, who arrived in California on Sunday and is being handled by local trainer Caesar Dominguez, Henry’s brother.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Even trainer Richard Mandella was fooled by Bal a Bali, the South American star who finished last of five in the Shoemaker Mile here last Saturday. Early this week, Mandella did not have a concrete alibi. “No good excuse,” he said.
Bal a Bali had trained sensationally after a sharp U.S. debut, a win in the May 9 American Stakes, his 12th victory from 13 starts. In the Shoemaker post parade, no horse looked better than Bal a Bali, whose perfect trip positioned third behind the pacesetter went unrewarded. He was flat late.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The improving California-bred stakes winner Motown Men has joined the small field expected for the 1 1/4-mile, Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 27.
“That’s where we’re pointing if all goes well,” trainer Ted H. West said.
Motown Men, claimed four starts back for $40,000 and a stakes winner last out, worked six furlongs Sunday in 1:11.40 and finished with a rush, the final eighth in 11.40 seconds on West’s watch.
Tom McClay said he was horrified when he saw his 3-year-old colt Amplified in front through early fractions of 21.69 and 44.47 seconds in last Friday’s six-furlong Danzig Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds at Penn National. McClay said he wondered what jockey Angel Rodriguez was doing by setting such a fast pace with a horse who had rated in his career debut.
McClay said he was even more stunned when Amplified kept on going without faltering and finished six lengths in front of New York shipper Instructor Kunu while completing the distance in 1:09.35.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Triple Crown winner American Pharoah enjoyed another quiet morning of training early Tuesday at Churchill Downs as his connections get ready to take him home to Southern California.
Exercise rider Jorge Alvarez was aboard for another routine gallop of nearly 1 1/2 miles on a warm morning. American Pharoah stepped onto a fast racetrack shortly after 6:20 a.m. and went through his familiar paces without incident, getting it all done in about eight minutes.
“He’s happy, we’re happy,” said Alvarez.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – River Seven kicked off his 2015 campaign with a game third-place finish in the Grade 2 Connaught Cup Stakes on May 30 and will be looking to build off of that effort in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 King Edward Stakes.
With the scratches of Something Extra and Chart Topper in the Connaught Cup, River Seven wound up battling on the lead early with Excaper. Excaper took the advantage at the top of the stretch, and River Seven battled back along the rail under Jesse Campbell, but couldn’t hold off Lockout and Phil’s Dream in the end.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Prince of Wales Stakes winner Coltimus Prime returned to trainer Justin Nixon’s barn at Woodbine on Saturday morning.
Coltimus Prime had moved to trainer Christophe Clement over the winter, with an eye on a dirt campaign after he recorded a career-best 93 Beyer Speed Figure on dirt in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie last July. But he failed to hit the board in two starts on dirt and another on turf on the New York circuit.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Clearly Now, who finished sixth in the Grade 2 True North Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day, underwent a minor throat procedure known as a myectomy June 7 to correct a breathing problem, trainer Brian Lynch said.
“He displaced and he was having trouble correcting himself,” Lynch said.
Lynch said that Clearly Now did not lose much training time and that he could be pointed to the Grade 3, $400,000 Belmont Sprint Championship on July 4. Clearly Now won that race last year by 6 1/4 lengths, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 113.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – After setting a track record in her Woodbine Oaks victory on Sunday, Academic will be pointed toward the $1 million Queen’s Plate on July 5 for her next start, trainer Reade Baker said.
Academic was supplemented to the Oaks at a cost of $12,500 after her maiden win to start the season on May 15.
Baker said he and owner Danny Dion thought Academic’s maiden win was good enough to give her a shot in the Oaks.
The Oaks, Baker said, looked like it was “falling apart.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown worked his usual arsenal of turf horses Sunday morning at Belmont Park, but Lady Eli was not among them. Believing the turf course was too firm for Lady Eli’s liking, Brown had her work a half-mile on dirt, covering the distance in 48.87 seconds in company with Strict Compliance, winner of the Penn Oaks.
