Tue, 05/12/2015 - 11:31

Imperative transferred to Baltas barn

Barbara D. Livingston
This year's Charles Town Classic runner-up, Imperative, will be trained by Richard Baltas when he resumes training in the coming weeks.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Imperative, second in the $1.45 million Charles Town Classic in his most recent start April 18, is being rested on a local farm and will be trained by Richard Baltas when he resumes racetrack activity in the coming weeks, owner Kenji Morinaga said.

Morinaga said Baltas will replace George Papaprodromou as trainer. Papaprodromou claimed Imperative for Morinaga for $50,000 in December 2013. In 2014, Imperative had one win in 11 starts – the Charles Town Classic – and earned $1,265,700. Imperative is winless in three starts this year, earning $304,250.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 11:31

Bolo resumes training for Belmont Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Bolo will start next in the $1.25 million Belmont Derby on July 4 at Belmont Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bolo, who finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby on May 2, has resumed training in Southern California for a potential start in the $1.25 million Belmont Derby at Belmont Park on July 4.

Trainer Carla Gaines said it is unlikely that Bolo will have a prep race before the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, which is run at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 11:26

McCarthy’s birthday gift: a Preakness mount

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Jockey Trevor McCarthy has been sidelined since being thrown following the finish of a race at Laurel Park on Dec. 20.

Preakness Day is going to be like Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day all rolled into one for jockey Trevor McCarthy, who not only will ride in his first Triple Crown race but also celebrate his 21st birthday.

McCarthy will ride Bodhisattva in the Preakness for owner and trainer Jose Corrales. Bodhisattva, based at Laurel Park, improved over the winter and in his last start scored a front-running win for McCarthy in the Federico Tesio Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Pimlico.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 06:47

Golden Gate post times adjusted

Golden Gate Fields has revised its post times for the remainder of the meeting.

Thursday and Friday race days will begin with a 1:15 p.m. Pacific first post. Weekend and holiday racing on Memorial Day will start at 12:45 p.m. First post will be 11:45 a.m. on Triple Crown dates, Saturday for the Preakness and June 6 for the Belmont.

Mon, 05/11/2015 - 15:05

Palace Malice still on track for Met Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
Palace Malice is still slated for a start in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 6.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Though he finished third, beaten 3 1/2 lengths in Sunday’s $98,000 Diablo Stakes, Palace Malice remains on course for a repeat bid in the Grade 1, $1.25 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 6, trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday.

In his first start since a sixth-place finish in last August’s Grade 1 Whitney Stakes, Palace Malice broke a step slowly, raced three to four wide throughout, and made a mild bid under John Velazquez in the six-furlong Diablo, finishing behind Stallwalkin’ Dude and Clearly Now.

Mon, 05/11/2015 - 15:01

General a Rod could try turf

Tom Keyser
General a Rod is being considered for the Grade 1 Manhattan on turf on June 6 at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – General a Rod, who ran in all three Triple Crown races last year and who is a two-time listed stakes winner on dirt, worked four furlongs in 48.80 seconds Sunday morning over the Belmont Park turf course.

It was a solid work, which was done around a trio of orange traffic cones set up to keep workers off the part of the inner turf course where the races are run. John Velazquez was aboard for the move in which General a Rod smoked home the final quarter in 22 seconds.

Mon, 05/11/2015 - 14:57

Wincoma eyes Mike Lee Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Overshadowed by all the stakes action over the weekend was the performance by the New York-bred Wincoma, who came off a layoff of nearly eight months to win a New York-bred first-level allowance race by 3 1/4 lengths on Saturday.

Wincoma, a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Palace, ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.82 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 91.

Mon, 05/11/2015 - 14:47

Twilight Eclipse could shorten up for Manhattan

Barbara D. Livingston
Twilight Eclipse wins the Man o' War on Saturday at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Twilight Eclipse, who recorded his first Grade 1 victory in Saturday’s $400,000 Man o’ War Stakes at Belmont Park, could make his next start in the Grade 1, $1 million Manhattan Stakes on June 6, trainer Tom Albertrani said Monday.

Following the Man o’ War, Albertrani said that he would likely wait for the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park on July 5. But after talking to Terry Finley, head of the West Point Thoroughbreds syndicate which owns Twilight Eclipse, Albertrani said the Manhattan on the Belmont Stakes undercard is an option.

Mon, 05/11/2015 - 12:55

Southern Barbecue ready after all

Lauren King/Coglianese Photos
Southern Barbecue wins an allowance race Sunday at Gulfstream.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Southern Barbecue, a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Jackson Bend, returned from a seven-month layoff to capture Sunday’s allowance feature at Gulfstream Park for owner-breeder Jacks or Better Farm and trainer Stanley Gold. Southern Barbecue, a 3-year-old son of Hear No Evil, withstood a long pace duel before edging away to a 1 1/4-length decision under leading rider Tyler Gaffalione.

Mon, 05/11/2015 - 12:51

Sheer Drama to stay home for a while

Barbara D. Livingston
Sheer Drama wins the Royal Delta Stakes on March 21 at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Sheer Drama, runner-up behind Molly Morgan in the Grade 1 La Troienne Stakes on May 1 at Churchill Downs, is back home with trainer David Fawkes, and she will continue to train locally for a summer campaign. Sheer Drama had defeated Molly Morgan when winning the Grade 2 Royal Delta here five weeks before the La Troienne.

“We’re disappointed she didn’t win, but I’m thrilled with how she ran, and she came out of the race really well,” said Fawkes, who said he has nothing definite picked out for Sheer Drama’s next start.