Sat, 05/31/2014 - 10:14

General a Rod to run in Belmont Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
General a Rod is owned in part by Starlight Partners and Skychai Racing.

General a Rod will join the field for the June 7 Belmont Stakes, his co-owner, Jack Wolf, said Saturday morning following a five-furlong workout in 1:00.20 at the Trackside training center in Louisville, Ky.

General a Rod will join California Chrome and Ride On Curlin as the only horses to compete in all three legs of the Triple Crown this year. He had compromised trips in both the Kentucky Derby, in which he was 11th, and the Preakness, in which he was fourth.

“I thought he worked very well,” Wolf said by phone.

Sat, 05/31/2014 - 08:05

California Chrome sharp in workout for Belmont Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
California Chrome works a half-mile in 47.47 seconds at Belmont Park on Saturday, his only breeze between the Preakness and Belmont Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. – After watching California Chrome gallop over Belmont Park’s main track for 10 straight mornings, the connections of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner said their horse was ready for a workout.

On Saturday, on a gorgeous spring morning in front a few hundred early-rising fans here for “Breakfast at Belmont,” California Chrome showed just how ready he was with an eye-catching half-mile move in 47.47 seconds over Belmont’s main track, according to Daily Racing Form’s Mike Welsch.

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 17:13

Hudson Landing hopes to benefit from new surroundings

Victor Fierros/Vassar Photography
Hudson Landing is using a six-furlong allowance sprint on Friday as a prep for a repeat attempt at the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile.

After a series of near misses against some of the top handicap horses in Northern California, Hudson Landing could well benefit from new surroundings when he makes his next start at Emerald Downs.

Wright said Hudson Landing would compete next at Emerald, though not necessarily June 15 in the one-mile Budweiser Handicap. Wright said he’ll look for a race that can return Hudson Landing to the winner’s circle and help restore his confidence. In the 19 months since he captured the Grade 3 All American on the Tapeta at Golden Gate, Hudson Landing has lost 12 consecutive starts.

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 17:07

Uncle Sigh will skip Mike Lee Stakes

Tom Keyser
Uncle Sigh will skip the Mike Lee Stakes, according to his trainer, Gary Contessa, and will instead be pointed to one of several more-lucrative spots on the schedule.

Trainer Gary Contessa said he will scratch Uncle Sigh from Saturday’s Mike Lee Stakes to await one of several more-lucrative spots against open company on the schedule in the weeks ahead. Uncle Sigh, idle since finishing 14th after setting the early pace in the Kentucky Derby, would have been the odds-on favorite to defeat six other New York-breds in the seven-furlong Mike Lee.

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 17:05

Espinoza accepts New York mounts ahead of Belmont Stakes

Shigeki Kikkawa
Victor Espinoza has the mount on Kentucky Derby favorite California Chrome.

Jockey Victor Espinoza, who did a superlative job guiding California Chrome to victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, will remain in New York and accept mounts throughout the week, according to his agent, Bryan Beach. Espinoza flew Friday to New York and was scheduled to breeze California Chrome four furlongs Saturday morning.

He is named to ride Miz Owell for trainer Mike Maker later that afternoon in the Kingston Stakes, two horses on Sunday’s card, and has taken calls later in the week, including Ever Rider in Friday’s Brooklyn.

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 17:03

Discreet Marq works five furlongs

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Discreet Marq takes the Pebbles, the Columbus Day feature at Belmont, under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Discreet Marq, who has a win and three seconds in four Grade 1 attempts, worked five furlongs in 1:00.62 over Belmont’s main track Friday morning in preparation for the Grade 1, $750,000 Just a Game Stakes here next Saturday.

Discreet Marq won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks last July but has since finished second in the Garden City, Matriarch, and, in her first start this year, the Jenny Wiley at Keeneland.

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 16:02

Beholder set to battle rivals in Ogden Phipps Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Beholder romped in the Santa Lucia last Sunday in her first start of the year.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Beholder, the 3-year-old champion filly of 2013, arrived in New York Thursday from Southern California for her showdown with divisional rivals Princess of Sylmar and Close Hatches in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park.

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 16:00

Game On Dude tunes up for Gold Cup

Coady Photography
Game On Dude, shown galloping at Charles Town last month, worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 Thursday at Santa Anita.

Game On Dude moved closer to a start in the $500,000 Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 29 with a five-furlong workout in 1:00.60 at Santa Anita on Thursday.

Game On Dude worked in company with a stablemate, starting two lengths behind. He moved alongside the stablemate on the outside on the turn and finished in front under jockey Martin Garcia. The final time equaled the 12th fastest of 39 recorded works at the distance.

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 15:44

City by the Bay 'ready to run' in Seattle Handicap

AUBURN, Wash. – It’s almost as if City by the Bay took a wrong turn on a California freeway and ended up hundreds of miles from home in unfamiliar surroundings. An undefeated stakes winner in her home state but with no connections to the Pacific Northwest, City by the Bay will make her 2014 debut Sunday at Emerald Downs, as a prohibitive favorite in the $50,000 Seattle Handicap for 3-year-old fillies.

Fri, 05/30/2014 - 15:32

Hollendorfer mulls options for Sahara Sky

Tom Keyser
Sahara Sky could run in next Saturday's Met Mile at Belmont Park or await the Triple Bend at Santa Anita on June 28.

Sahara Sky, the winner of the 2013 Metropolitan Handicap, worked five furlongs in 1:02.20 on Friday, leaving co-owner and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer to make a decision this weekend on the next start for the multiple stakes winner.

Hollendorfer said he is deciding between the $1.25 million Met Mile at Belmont Park next Saturday, or waiting for the $300,000 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita on June 28.

“I’m still on the fence,” Hollendorfer said. “I don’t have an answer yet.”