OZONE PARK, N.Y. – From the inner dirt to the desert?
Salutos Amigos, who ended his 2014 campaign with three stakes wins in his last four starts, is under consideration for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen, a dirt race at about six furlongs on the undercard of the Dubai World Cup on March 28 at Meydan, according to trainer and part-owner David Jacobson.
As of Sunday, there were 12 probable starters for next Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Monrovia Stakes for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course. The two Grade 2, $200,000 stakes on Saturday - the Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over 6 1/2 furlongs, and the San Gabriel Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf - are expected to attract seven and eight runners, respectively.
After 13 starts, Distinctiv Passion may be a changing colt for trainer Jeff Bonde.
Saturday, Distinctiv Passion won his first graded stakes in the $100,500 Midnight Lute Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs. Distinctiv Passion led throughout, and set a quick pace, but Bonde noticed a different style of racing on the lead from the 4-year-old.
“The horse, in the last six weeks, in the mornings, he has learned to wait a little bit,” Bonde said. “That was the most patient I’ve seen him in a race.
“He ran his best race.”
ARCADIA, Calif.- Bolo is likely to make his main track debut in the $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds on Feb. 7 after winning his stakes debut in Saturday’s Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds on turf.
Trainer Carla Gaines said she would like to try Bolo on the main track to gauge the colt’s ability on the surface as the Triple Crown races grow closer. She said there are advantages to trying the Grade 3 Lewis Stakes, which is run over 1 1/16 miles.
“I think it works in the sense of timing,” she said. “I think I’ll have to try it.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - El Kabeir completed preparations for his 3-year-old debut in Saturday’s Grade 3 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct by working a half-mile with a strong six-furlong gallop-out Sunday morning at Belmont Park.
Following a few morning showers and breezing after the second renovation break, El Kabeir breezed a half-mile in 48.46 seconds with a final quarter in 23.47. El Kabeir then proceeded to gallop out five furlongs in 1:00.92 and six furlongs in 1:13.03 under exercise rider Simon Harris.
It is safe to expect big things from Micks Miracle, the winner of a maiden special-weight race for 2-year-olds Friday. Recent history is on his side.
A maiden special-weight race for 2-year-olds has been part of the opening-day program of the winter-spring meeting in four of the last five years. Three of those four winners went on to win stakes – Concord Point, The Factor, and Midnight Transfer. The Factor won five stakes, including the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in 2011.
ARCADIA, Calif. – With a successful comeback accomplished in Friday’s Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita, Shared Belief is expected to make his 2015 debut Feb. 7 in the $500,000 San Antonio Stakes, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Saturday.
Shared Belief ($3) won the $301,000 Malibu Stakes over seven furlongs by a neck over the 72-1 longshot Conquest Two Step. The Malibu was Shared Belief’s sixth stakes win and his eighth win in nine career starts. His only loss was a troubled fourth behind Bayern in the Breeders’ Cup Classic here Nov. 1.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Tom’s Tribute, the winner of the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes in July and two other stakes this year, worked five furlongs on turf in 1:06.80 at Santa Anita on Saturday, preparing for a start in the $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf here on Jan. 3. Tom’s Tribute was third in the Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 28 in his last start.
CYPRESS, Calif.- California Chrome was fitted with blinkers for a five-furlong workout at Los Alamitos on Saturday, trainer Art Sherman going to the headgear in an effort to get a more aggressive workout on the popular 3-year-old.
The plan worked – a little too well.
