Fri, 12/26/2014 - 20:11

No one hits pick six on opening day

ARCADIA, Calif. - At the first opportunity, there is a pick six carryover at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.

There were no winning tickets in the pick six on Friday’s opening-day program, leading to a carryover of $146,352 for Saturday’s nine-race program. The pick six covers the fourth through ninth races on a program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

Going into Friday’s final race, half of the 12 2-year-old maiden fillies in the one-mile turf race were not covered on pick six tickets. Dea ($21) caused the carryover with her come-from-behind win.

Fri, 12/26/2014 - 14:16

Prado hopes to return soon from cuts sustained in spill

Barbara D. Livingston
Edgar Prado has five mounts at Gulfstream on Sunday.

Jockey Edgar Prado took off all his mounts at Gulfsteam Park on Friday, with his status remaining day to day, according to his agent Bob Klesaris, in the wake of the frightening spill he was involved in here in Tuesday’s seventh race.

Prado was aboard Equilibrium, who clipped heels after pacesetter Royal Squeeze ducked out sharply and suddenly in the vicinity of the six-furlong pole.

Fri, 12/26/2014 - 13:51

Wildcat Red breezes towards Sunshine Millons Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Wildcat Red. shown working at Saratoga last summer, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.66 Friday at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Every horse on the grounds got the morning off from training with the track closed here at Gulfstream Park on Christmas Day. As a result, fewer than a handful turned in recorded breezes when getting back to work on Friday.

Fri, 12/26/2014 - 12:09

Belmont Stakes week gets boost

A bulked up Belmont Stakes week, another change to Memorial Day, and an addition to the Stars and Stripes Festival highlight the 2015 Belmont Park spring-summer meet, which includes 60 stakes worth a total of $18.55 million.

The 59-day Belmont season runs from April 29 through July 19.

In 2014, the New York Racing Association put its primary focus on Belmont Stakes Day, carding 10 stakes on that program. In 2015, NYRA also will try to emphasize the days leading up to the Belmont by putting two stakes on the Thursday card and five on the Friday program of Belmont week.

Fri, 12/26/2014 - 12:03

Cassatt's stakes tune-up a romp

Hodges Photography/Lynn Roberts
Cassatt romped to a 5 3/4-length victory Sunday in the Tiffany Lass Stakes at Fair Grounds in her tune-up for the Houston Ladies Classic.

Jockey Kerwin Clark barely moved on the 3-year-old filly Cassatt as she dictated the pace and pulled away to a 5 3/4-length romp in the Tiffany Lass Stakes last Sunday. Trainer Larry Jones had chosen that $50,000 race as a tune-up for the $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic.

“It was kind of what we were hoping for,” Jones said. “It turned out perfect for us. It shouldn’t empty her out.”

Fri, 12/26/2014 - 11:57

Rocket Time finally firing for Stall

With a front-running 2 1/2-length victory under Calvin Borel in the overnight Tenacious Stakes last Sunday, Rocket Time has trainer Al Stall Jr. looking for a logical next stakes race for the gelding.

After being set back by physical issues, Rocket Time, a 3-year-old son of Tiz Wonderful, finally is firing.

Fri, 12/26/2014 - 11:21

Another Lemon Drop to make stakes debut in Lecomte

NEW ORLEANS – After routing nonwinners-of-two optional-claiming company at a mile Dec. 19, the 2-year-old colt Another Lemon Drop is headed to the Lecomte for his stakes debut, trainer Phil Bauer said.

The Lecomte, a Grade 3 race Jan. 17 at a mile and 70 yards, is the first stakes prep for the Louisiana Derby.

“The timing’s perfect,” said Bauer, who trains Another Lemon Drop for Richard and Tammy Rigney’s Rigney Racing. “We’re excited about this horse.”

Mon, 12/22/2014 - 15:49

Laurel Park changes post time, betting menu

Beginning Jan. 1, Laurel Park will change its first-race post time from 12:35 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“It was done to get away from Gulfstream, which starts at 12:35,” said Sal Sinatra, general manager of the Maryland Jockey Club.

The Laurel betting menu also will offer new options, including more superfectas and rolling daily doubles and pick threes. A third pick four will also be added and begin on race 4.

Mon, 12/22/2014 - 15:34

Emerald gets purse boost for 2015

Daily purse distribution at Emerald Downs will increase approximately 20 percent for the 2015 season, according to a release from the track. Pending approval by the Washington Horse Racing Commission, the meeting will run April 18 through Sept. 27.

The increase is made possible by ongoing purseenhancements from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, which has provided Emerald Downs with $11,954,825 in purse supplements since 2004, the release said.

Mon, 12/22/2014 - 14:35

Charles Town ties bonuses to Classic

Coady Photography
Claimed for $50,000, Imperative won the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in April.

In an attempt to attract the best older horses in the nation to its signature event, Charles Town will tie a number of bonuses to its Grade 2 Classic in 2015. The announcement of the bonus system comes two weeks after the racino announced that the Charles Town Classic card on April 18 will be run during the day for the first time next year.