ELMONT, N.Y. – Coming off an eye-catching allowance victory here on Thursday, the 3-year-old turf horse Takeover Target likely will be put on a path to the $1.25 million Belmont Derby in July.
Trainer Chad Brown said Takeover Target likely will make his next start in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race here May 30.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Blofeld, a multiple graded stakes-winning 2-year-old last year, worked a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.50 on Friday in company with the 4-year-old Coach Inge, who was credited with the same time. Both are trained by Todd Pletcher.
Blofeld is being pointed to the Grade 2, $500,000 Woody Stephens at seven furlongs, while Coach Inge is targeting the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational at 1 1/2 miles, both on the June 6 card.
ELMONT, N.Y. – A five-furlong workout timed in 1:03.97 isn’t normally anything to get excited about. But Effinex was visually impressive in his Friday morning workout, his first since his victory in the Grade 3 Excelsior on April 25.
Effinex is training toward the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational at Belmont on the undercard of the June 6 Belmont Stakes.
ELMONT, N.Y. – At a farm one day to look at horses for a prospective client, Wesley Ward fell in love with a filly owned by someone he had never trained for.
When put in touch with the owner, Michael Dubb, Ward inquired about possibly training the Artie Schiller 2-year-old filly, feeling she might have what it takes to run at Royal Ascot.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Moreno, the winner of the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on April 18, will start in the $200,000 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita on May 30, trainer Eric Guillot said on Friday.
Guillot said he is planning a summer campaign in California for Moreno, who has won 4 of 26 starts and earned $2,926,940 for Southern Equine Racing Stable. The $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 27 is an early-summer goal.
“I think I’ll stay here and be a contender,” he said.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Decked Out will have her stakes debut in the $125,000 Landaluce Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita on June 21 after an impressive win in her debut in a maiden race Thursday.
Decked Out ($7.20) closed from the back of the field along the rail to win by 3 1/2 lengths, finishing 4 1/2 furlongs in 51.59 seconds.
“That will get you dreaming,” trainer Keith Desormeaux said while leaving the winner’s circle.
Decked Out was ridden by Keith’s brother Kent, who described the winner as having an “incredible stride.”
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – According to jockey Ryan Pacheco, Quatre Cat came out of her 8 1/2-length romp in the $50,000 Ross McLeod Stakes last Sunday in excellent shape.
He should know. Pacheco is not only her rider, but, unheard of in this day and age, he also is her groom.
Pacheco said the arrangement has led to a strong bond between horse and jockey. Apparently, it all came to fruition in an impressive performance in the 6 1/2-furlong McLeod, in which Quatre Cat dominated the race while posting a fast final time of 1:16.88.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Queen’s Plate winter-book favorite Ami’s Flatter has not raced since finishing third in the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 28 and likely will make his next start in the Grade 3 Marine Stakes at Woodbine next Saturday, trainer Josie Carroll said.
