Tue, 06/17/2014 - 12:31

Conquest Titan will undergo surgery

Tom Keyser
Conquest Titan was scheduled to undergo surgery this week in Ocala, Fla., trainer Mark Casse said Tuesday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Conquest Titan was diagnosed with a displaced chip in his left knee following a distant sixth-place finish Saturday night in the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs and was scheduled to undergo surgery this week in Ocala, Fla., trainer Mark Casse said Tuesday.

“We were dumbfounded that he didn’t run any better because he’d trained so well into the race, so this injury explains it,” Casse said. “It’s not all that significant, so hopefully we can have him back healthy and racing at Gulfstream this winter.”

Tue, 06/17/2014 - 12:05

Commanding Curve pointing to Travers Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Commanding Curve will point to the Travers Stakes on Aug. 23 at Saratoga, but he also remains eligible for a first-level allowance, and trainer Dallas Stewart did not rule out entering the colt in such a race.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Commanding Curve will be pointed to the Travers Stakes while perhaps dipping back into the allowance ranks after the colt emerged from his disappointing performance in the Belmont Stakes in good shape.

The runner-up in the May 3 Kentucky Derby at 37-1, Commanding Curve finished ninth of 11 in his only subsequent start, the June 7 Belmont.

Mon, 06/16/2014 - 15:43

Calder's Summit of Speed canceled for 2014

Coady Photography
Calder's Summit of Speed will not be run this year but might be run at Gulfstream Park next year.

MIAMI – Calder’s rich Summit of Speed, a series of sprint stakes that includes the prestigious Princess Rooney and Smile Sprint handicaps, has been canceled this season due to the pending dates agreement between Calder and Gulfstream Park. The Summit of Speed was scheduled for July 5.

Mon, 06/16/2014 - 15:15

Rice caps big week with five-win weekend

Barbara D. Livingston
Linda Rice went 9 for 16 over a 10-day span.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Linda Rice won five races over the weekend at Belmont Park – including three on Sunday – putting the finishing touches on an incredible 10-day run in which she won 9 of 16 races.

From June 6 through Sunday, Rice had nine winners and three seconds from the 20 horses whom she started in 16 races. The streak included wins in the Grade 2 True North with Palace and the $150,000 Easy Goer with Kid Cruz.

Mon, 06/16/2014 - 15:12

Tremont Stakes to be run Friday

ELMONT, N.Y. – After failing to fill for Sunday, the $100,000 Tremont Stakes for 2-year-olds went with five and will be run Friday.

Helping the race fill were two first-time starters: Jamaalaree, a filly by Congaree entered by Wesley Ward, and King Rontos, a son of Unbridled’s Song entered by Rudy Rodriguez. Last weekend, Fashion Alert, a first-time starter trained by Todd Pletcher, won the $100,000 Astoria Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.

Mon, 06/16/2014 - 15:11

Last Gunfighter works for Suburban

B & D Photography
Last Gunfighter started his season with a win in the Mountainview Handicap at Penn National on May 31.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Last Gunfighter, the winner of the Mountainview Handicap at Penn National in his seasonal debut May 31, returned to the work tab over the weekend as he prepares for the Grade 2, $500,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on July 5.

Last Gunfighter worked a half-mile in 48.32 seconds Sunday over the Belmont main track in company with the streaking New York-bred Zivo, the recent winner of the Commentator Stakes.

Mon, 06/16/2014 - 13:49

We Miss Artie runs himself into Plate favoritism

Michael Burns
We Miss Artie (left) wins the Plate Trial over Majestic Sunset on Saturday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Even though he ran about a second slower in the Plate Trial Saturday than Lexie Lou’s good clocking of 1:49.77 in the Woodbine Oaks the same day, the Todd Pletcher-trained We Miss Artie should go favored in the Queen’s Plate. The winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland last year, We Miss Artie is 3 for 3 on Polytrack.

Mon, 06/16/2014 - 13:43

Casse sending four to Queen's Plate

Michael Burns
This victory in the Woodbine Oaks will propel Lexie Lou into the Queen's Plate.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Following Sunday’s key preps at Woodbine, trainer Mark Casse said he plans on running Lexie Lou, Majestic Sunset, Matador, and recent maiden winner East Side in the $1 million Queen’s Plate here July 6.

Sun, 06/15/2014 - 15:51

Can the Man to resume training Monday after grabbing quarter

Benoit & Associates
Can the Man, ridden by Martin Garcia, wins the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths Saturday.

Can the Man grabbed a quarter when he won the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds June 7 but was scheduled to resume racetrack training on Monday, trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday.

“I haven’t taken him to the track yet,” Baffert said. “He stumbled leaving there, and that’s when he grabbed it. With those quarters, the longer you keep them away from the track, the quicker they grow. I wanted to make sure that he was all right.”

Sun, 06/15/2014 - 15:45

Beholder showing progress after pastern injury

Emily Shields
Beholder (second from left) makes a bid in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park on Saturday. She finished fourth and came out of the race with a cut on her pastern.

Beholder, the Eclipse Award winner for her age group in 2012 and 2013, has shown progress from a pastern injury sustained June 7 in the $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that Beholder “is getting better” and that the pastern has responded to treatment in the last week. He said the 4-year-old Beholder likely will be out of training for another month.

Mandella theorizes that Beholder was struck by the hoof of a rival in the Phipps Stakes.