LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Don’t Tell Sophia isn’t officially retired yet, according to trainer and co-owner Phil Sims, but the standout 7-year-old mare has been bred to Medaglia d’Oro and taken out of training.
“She was bred last month, and we’re going to find out soon whether or not she’s in foal,” Sims said Tuesday from his Keeneland base in Lexington, Ky. “If she’s in foal, she’s retired, and if not, we’ve still got plenty of time to bring her back for a fall campaign.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – The second year of a non-Met Mile Memorial Day at Belmont Park was better than the first for the New York Racing Association.
Total all-sources handle Monday at Belmont Park was $10,923,486, a 10.1 percent increase over last year’s total handle figure of $9,913,636. Ontrack handle Monday was $2,008,956, a 9.3 percent increase over last year’s figure of $1,837,245.
Attendance was 6,837, down 109 from last year’s figure of 6,946.
With less than two weeks remaining until American Pharoah attempts to become Thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown winner in 37 years at the Belmont Stakes on June 6, approximately 22,000 grandstand general admission tickets still are available, according to the New York Racing Association.
NYRA officials confirmed that information after issuing a press release Tuesday detailing attempts to facilitate access in and out of Belmont Park this year after traffic and transit nightmares a year ago, when 102,199 fans came to watch California Chrome go for the Triple Crown.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – American Pharoah had his first workout since his seven-length romp May 16 in the Preakness when breezing a half-mile in 48 seconds on a pleasant Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs in a move that left Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert excited about what lies ahead.
War Story, 16th in the Kentucky Derby, will not run in the Belmont Stakes on June 6 against American Pharoah and instead will point to the $500,000 Ohio Derby on June 20 at Thistledown, owner Ron Paolucci said Tuesday.
Last week, Paolucci said that it was intent to run War Story in the Belmont and put him on the lead under jockey Colby Hernandez.
Paolucci said trainer Tom Amoss told him that if he felt that was the only way they could win the race, they should probably run War Story somewhere else.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Richard Mulhall, a trainer who gained prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s as a racing manager for The Thoroughbred Corp., died at his home in Monrovia, Calif. on Monday after a lengthy illness, according to Santa Anita publicity officials.
Mulhall, who had been in declining health in recent years, was 76.
Ocho Ocho Ocho and Papacoolpapacool are en route from Southern California to Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pa., today. Both 3-year-olds will be entered Wednesday for the Grade 3, $500,000 Penn Mile next Saturday.
Ocho Ocho Ocho, trained by Jim Cassidy, will make his turf debut in the Penn Mile. He has worked twice since finishing 14th in the Kentucky Derby. Prior to that, Ocho Ocho Ocho finished third to Carpe Diem in the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland.
ELMONT, N.Y. – As fellow trainer Linda Rice said Monday morning, Mike Hushion was “a sight for sore eyes” at Belmont Park over the weekend.
Hushion, who was found to have leukemia in February, was at the barn Saturday through Monday, taking advantage of off days in his ongoing treatment.
Hushion said he is cancer-free but must continue treatment on an outpatient basis for the next several months.
Hushion said “it feels good” to be around horses again.
“I remember going through a three-year period without a day off, even Christmas,” Hushion said.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Christophe Clement over the weekend became the 15th trainer in North America to surpass the $100 million mark in purse earnings.
Clement had many runners throughout North America over the weekend, highlighted by Red Vine’s victory in the Majestic Light Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Clement, 49, recorded his first North American victory at Belmont Park in October 1991.
“Great owners, fast horses, wonderful staff,” Clement said. “Very grateful. I’m 49 years old. Hopefully, there’s more to come.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – When Untapable worked at Belmont Park on May 18, trainer Steve Asmussen felt she was distracted.
On Monday, when Untapable worked again for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, she was all business. Last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, Untapable worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 with a strong gallop-out of six furlongs in 1:13 and seven-eighths in 1:27.60, according to Daily Racing Form clocker Mike Vesce.
