Tue, 11/18/2014 - 15:40

Jackpot a rebound spot for Wake Up Nick

Benoit & Associates
Wake Up Nick, here winning the Barretts Juvenile, comes into the Delta Jackpot off the first loss of his career.

Wake Up Nick will find himself in an unfamiliar situation on Saturday when he starts in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot. He will be looking to get back into the win column after suffering his first loss in six career starts earlier this month at Santa Anita.

Wake Up Nick ran second in the $196,000 Golden State Juvenile on the Breeders’ Cup undercard Nov. 1. He was beaten
1 1/4 lengths after having to go around horses when unable to advance along the inside at a key point in the race, said his trainer, Leandro Mora.

Tue, 11/18/2014 - 13:51

Shared Belief has easy drill at Golden Gate

Barbara D. Livingston
Shared Belief could run once more this season in the Dec. 26 Malibu at Santa Anita.

A three-furlong workout by Shared Belief on Tuesday at Golden Gate was a maintenance move, nothing more. Still, it was meaningful – the work confirmed the gelding's condition after his tough-trip fourth as the Breeder’ Cup Classic favorite on Nov. 1.

“He’s doing very well," trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. "It was his first breeze out of the race and he did it very nicely. Russell Baze was on him like usual, and he did real well.”

Shared Belief was timed in 36.80 seconds.

Tue, 11/18/2014 - 13:12

California Chrome eager in work

Barbara D. Livingston
On Monday, California Chrome had his first work since finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Classic.

California Chrome is ready for more.

Trainer Art Sherman called the Kentucky Derby winner a “sharp horse” on Tuesday, a day after an energetic half-mile Monday work at Los Alamitos that keeps him on target for his first start on turf, which comes Nov. 29 in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar.

Victor Espinoza was aboard California Chrome, whose time for the Monday workout was 47.80 seconds. It was his first recorded work since a close third-place finish Nov. 1 in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Espinoza had his hands full on Monday, according to Sherman.

Tue, 11/18/2014 - 12:15

Churchill Downs cancels Wednesday card

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning canceled its 10-race Wednesday card because of unseasonably cold conditions and a frozen racetrack.

About three inches of snow fell early Monday in the Louisville area, and despite the Churchill maintenance crew harrowing the track around the clock since last Thursday, they could not prevent it from freezing. Training was canceled Tuesday morning and was expected to be canceled Wednesday, too, following an overnight low in the mid-teens.

Mon, 11/17/2014 - 15:09

Casse has three for Jackpot Day

Michael Burns
Conquest Tsunami wins the Colin Stakes on July 26 at Woodbine.

Trainer Mark Casse has long been a Jackpot Day participant at Delta Downs, and he could have three runners among the eight stakes Saturday on this year’s card: Conquest Tsunami in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot, Miss Mandate in the Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Downs Princess, and Spring in the Air in the $200,000 Treasure Chest.

Mon, 11/17/2014 - 13:57

Orseno happy with Happy My Way

Tom Keyser
The usually speedy Happy My Way rallied from fourth to second in the De Francis Dash at Laurel.

MIAMI - Happy My Way has come a long way since defeating Speechify under allowance conditions at Gulfstream last December, winning 3 of 7 subsequent starts, including the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap at Pimlico. He was also second in the Grade 1 Vanderbilt at Saratoga.

Happy My Way is on his way back to south Florida following Saturday’s second-place finish behind upset winner Zee Bros in the De Francis Memorial at Laurel Park, a performance his trainer Joe Orseno was excited about even in defeat.

Mon, 11/17/2014 - 13:48

Bayern passing on Clark

Emily Shields
Bayern (right) defeats Toast of New York (center) and California Chrome in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Nominations have been released for the four graded stakes that conclude the fall meet on Thanksgiving weekend, with easily the most notable name for the Nov. 28 Clark Handicap being Bayern. However, Churchill officials believe trainer Bob Baffert will be starting only Hoppertunity in the Grade 1 Clark, while Baffert said Monday by text: “Bayern not coming.”

The other stakes for closing weekend, all Grade 2 races, are the Falls City on Nov. 27 and the twin 2-year-old stakes, the Kentucky Jockey Club and Golden Rod, on Nov. 29.

Mon, 11/17/2014 - 13:44

Midwest Thoroughbreds continues to roll

Nikki Sherman
Work All Week earned a career-best 105 Beyer Speed Figure for his win in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The expanding dominance of Midwest Thoroughbreds came to the fore again Sunday when a 2-year-old filly named Scadadle ran off to a 6 1/2-length victory in what had looked like a contentious maiden race on paper.

Trained by Chris Richard, Scadadle, by Scat Daddy, earned a 78 Beyer Speed Figure.

Midwest, based in Chicago and operated by Richard and Karen Papiese, is well on its way of being the North American wins leader for the fifth straight year. The stable won its first Breeders’ Cup race when Work All Week captured the Nov. 1 BC Sprint.

Mon, 11/17/2014 - 13:40

Napravnik gets misty during ceremony

Barbara D. Livingston
Jockey Rosie Napravnik announced that she's pregnant and was retiring after winning the Breeders' Cup Distaff aboard Untapable on Oct. 31.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Rosie Napravnik was temporarily overcome with emotion when addressing an appreciative crowd Saturday while being honored by Churchill Downs for her numerous feats as a jockey.

In halting words, Napravnik, who is expecting a baby in June and stopped competitive riding as of Nov. 1, said: “I want to thank the guys that are down here – most of the jockeys – for helping me become a better rider in a great colony.”

Mon, 11/17/2014 - 13:34

Leparoux picks it up with stakes sweep

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Julien Leparoux guides Heart to Heart to victory Saturday in the Commonwealth Turf.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It hasn’t been the best of years for jockey Julien Leparoux, but things could be a lot worse.

In fact, you won’t hear Leparoux complaining one bit after what he accomplished Saturday at Churchill Downs in sweeping twin turf stakes for 3-year-olds – the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere on the filly Sparkling Review and the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf on Heart to Heart.