ARCADIA, Calif. – Five races were transferred from the turf course to the main track at Santa Anita on Saturday and Sunday after jockeys said they were uncomfortable with the condition of the course on the final turn.
The decision to transfer the races was made after both programs were under way.
The final three turf races on Saturday were moved to the dirt track after Midnight Jostar slipped and fell in early stretch of the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes, the fifth of 12 races.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Kangaroo Court and Bus Buzz have finished first and second in two meetings at Santa Anita this year, including Saturday’s $151,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old sprinters.
Their budding rivalry is on pause, at least briefly.
Kangaroo Court, who beat Bus Buzz in an allowance race March 4, is under consideration for the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, a $500,000 race for 3-year-olds on May 6 at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Steve Knapp said he has not decided on a race for Bus Buzz, but said an allowance race is a possibility.
ARCADIA, Calif. – In most years, the undefeated California-based filly Faiza would be the subject of widespread discussions regarding leading contenders for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 5 at Churchill Downs.
This year, Faiza is staying in California, leaving the Oaks without a key member of the 3-year-old filly division.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Practical Move will head to the Kentucky Derby with the top figures in the field, while the two-three finishers he narrowly defeated Saturday in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby need help to crack the Kentucky Derby lineup at Churchill Downs.
Practical Move earned a 100 Beyer defeating the surprising Japan shipper Mandarin Hero by a nose; Skinner finished a half-length back in third and earned a 99 Beyer.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Lord Miles was on his way back to South Florida on Sunday morning and Hit Show was to depart New York for Kentucky on Monday as the one-two finishers from Saturday’s Grade 2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct point to the Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs.
Lord Miles and Hit Show both survived some bumping in the stretch – and Lord Miles withstood an inquiry and objection – to emerge from their performances unscathed and with enough qualifying points to crack the competitive 20-horse field.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Jose Lezcano suffered a broken bone in his right hand as the result of a spill during the running of Aqueduct’s second race on Saturday, according to Lezcano’s agent Jason Beides.
It is not clear how much time Lezcano may miss.
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Defining Purpose handed Punchbowl her first defeat in winning Friday's Grade 1, $600,000 Ashland Stakes, and also defeated Grade 2 winner Julia Shining and Eclipse Award champion Wonder Wheel. But another Kentucky Oaks candidate was on winning trainer Ken McPeek's mind immediately following the race: Wet Paint, who has beaten Defining Purpose twice this year.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The exciting two-start colt Geaux Rocket Ride is off the Kentucky Derby trail after he spiked a temperature Saturday that necessitated his scratch from the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby.
Richard Mandella trains Geaux Rocket Ride, who followed his debut sprint romp with an outstanding runner-up finish behind Practical Move in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at a mile and a sixteenth. The Santa Anita Derby on Saturday would have been his third start.
Ellis Park will run 18 stakes worth a total of $3.075 million during its meet that runs from July 7 through Aug. 27, the Henderson, Ky., track announced Friday.
The stakes schedule, which includes funds distributed by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund and is pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, is up $1.65 million from last year.
