Thu, 10/16/2014 - 14:18

Bright Thought to rest sore feet, skip BC Turf

Shigeki Kikkawa
Bright Thought wins the John Henry Turf Championship on Sept. 28 at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bright Thought, the winner of the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, will miss the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Thursday that Bright Thought will be rested until the winter-spring meeting at Santa Anita and will be given a break to mend tender feet.

“I’ll give him some time and wait for the end of the year,” he said. “He’s got bad feet, and the time will help him.”

Thu, 10/16/2014 - 14:03

Blue Dancer done for the year

The first two finishers in the $75,000 Ascot Graduation, Blue Dancer and Lord Rosberg, are done for the year.

Blue Dancer, who remained undefeated by edging Lord Rosberg by a nose in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds, will spend the winter in Arizona. Blue Dancer is trained by Northlands Park’s leading trainer, Greg Tracy.

Thu, 10/16/2014 - 14:03

Touching Promise heads home for winter, while Madeira Park retired

Four Footed Fotos
Touching Promise and jockey Mario Gutierrez win the Grade 3 Ballerina Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths Monday.

Touching Promise is heading home for the winter after upsetting Madeira Park in the Grade 3, $100,000 Ballerina last Monday. Considering that she finished third in the 1 1/8-mile race last year as a 3-year-old and was coming off a solid effort in an allowance race Sept. 27, she was a bit of an overlay at greater than 13-1.

Trainer Barbara Heads wasn’t surprised that she ran so well.

Thu, 10/16/2014 - 13:39

Alert Bay exits Premiers win pointing to Zia Park Derby

Four-Footed Fotos
Alert Bay, ridden by Rico Walcott, enables owner Peter Redekop to win the British Columbia Derby for the third straight year.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Anita Bolton said Alert Bay came out of his win over older horses in the Grade 3, $100,000 Premiers at Hastings last Monday in excellent shape and will be heading south, possibly for the $200,000 Zia Park Derby at Zia Park on Nov. 26. Last year, For Cash, another horse coming out of Western Canada, won the 1 1/16-mile race. Trained by Dale Greeenwood, For Cash paid $34.60 for the biggest win of his career.

Wed, 10/15/2014 - 16:10

Casse runners find success

Mark Casse, the leading trainer here in the spring, has not enjoyed such a huge meet this time around, but he has sent out a few head-turning prospects so far.

Conquest Bigluck E, a 2-year-old colt by Lookin At Lucky, remained unbeaten in two starts by winning a 6 1/2-furlong allowance last Friday, earning an 83 Beyer Speed Figure. Casse said he likely will run next in the Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct or the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Wed, 10/15/2014 - 16:09

Euro Charline points to Dubai Duty Free

Four-Footed Fotos
Euro Charline, winner of the Beverly D. Stakes, likely will be among the top contenders Oct. 11 for the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

After she recovers from a recent surgery, Euro Charline will return to trainer Marco Botti in England to prepare for the $6 million Dubai Duty Free in March, it was announced this week by the Team Valor International partnership that owns the filly.

Euro Charline, the winner of the Aug. 16 Beverly D. Stakes over older fillies and mares in her only U.S. start, underwent surgery Tuesday to remove a tiny chip from a hind ankle. Dr. Larry Bramlage performed the operation at nearby Rood & Riddle.

Wed, 10/15/2014 - 15:44

Normandy Invasion recovering from surgery

Barbara D. Livingston
Normandy Invasion underwent surgery to repair a fractured sesamoid.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Normandy Invasion, the multiple stakes-placed runner, is recuperating from surgery to repair a fractured sesamoid and will be evaluated at a later date to determine whether he will be put back in training next year.

Rick Porter, who races under the name Fox Hill Farm, posted the news about Normandy Invasion’s injury on his website Wednesday, though the injury occurred following a workout at Delaware Park on Sept. 17, according to trainer Larry Jones.

Wed, 10/15/2014 - 15:42

V. E. Day works, Wicked Strong rests

Barbara D. Livingston
V. E. Day (4), under Javier Castellano, rallies to overtake stablemate Wicked Strong in deep stretch of the Travers.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Stablemates V. E. Day and Wicked Strong were separated by just a nose in the Travers. Now, they are separated by several hundred miles.

On Tuesday, V. E. Day worked a half-mile in 49.89 seconds at Belmont Park as his connections decide where next to run him. On Wednesday, Wicked Strong shipped by van to Middleburg, Va., where his owner, Centennial Farms, has a farm for its young horses and layups.

Wed, 10/15/2014 - 15:27

Za Approval still a possibility for Breeders' Cup Mile

Nicole DiGiovanni/NYRA
Za Approval's only win this year came in the Real Courage Stakes on Sept. 7.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The defection of Wise Dan could open the floodgates for several horses to run in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Za Approval, second to Wise Dan in last year’s Mile, is being pointed to that race but most likely would have to be chosen by the Breeders’ Cup Selection Committee should the race oversubscribe.

Za Approval’s only victory from five starts this year came in the Real Courage here Sept. 7. He was scratched out of Saturday’s Grade 3 Knickerbocker Stakes because of the soft turf. On Wednesday, he worked four furlongs in 49.12 seconds over the Belmont main track.

Wed, 10/15/2014 - 15:25

Artemis Agrotera nice and relaxed in work

Joe Labozzetta/NYRA
Artemis Agrotera wins the Gallant Bloom on Sept. 20 at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – The way things have been going of late, trainer Mike Hushion was not necessarily looking to see changes in Artemis Agrotera. But the relaxed manner in which the 3-year-old filly breezed Wednesday at Belmont Park was clearly an indication that Artemis Agrotera is changing for the better.