Centre Court exited her fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile with a bruised foot that will keep her out of action until this summer, said trainer Rusty Arnold.
Centre Court was never a factor as the 7-5 favorite in the Derby Day fixture May 3. The 5-year-old mare is a multiple graded stakes winner and an earner of $928,548.
Palace Malice, arguably the top older male in training this year, figures to be a short-priced favorite in Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Westchester Stakes at Belmont Park.
Only three horses were entered against Palace Malice, the winner of the Gulfstream Park and New Orleans handicaps this year, prompting NYRA officials to card this as the third race.
Mark Casse, fresh off capturing the training title at the prestigious Keeneland spring meet, has a lot on his plate as the Woodbine meet gears up. He said the upwardly mobile turf expert Kaigun might start June 7 in the Grade 1 Manhattan Invitational at Belmont rather than returning home for the Grade 2 Connaught Cup over seven furlongs May 31. Kaigun finished second and fourth behind Wise Dan in his last two outings, both in Grade 1 races in Kentucky.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – The Monmouth Park meet opens Saturday for what promises to be another transitional racing season on the Jersey Shore.
The meet kicks off with a 12-race card starting at 12:50 p.m. Eastern. The $75,000 Decathlon Stakes for sprinters tops the first of 57 programs through Sept. 28.
Monmouth will race Saturday and Sunday in May, as well as Memorial Day. The schedule expands to Friday through Sunday in June.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Owner Ole Nielsen of Canmor Farms was understandably excited after his Ole’s Miss upset Arabella’s Muse in a thrilling renewal of the $50,000 Ross McLeod at Hastings last Saturday. Nielsen may have been a bit overexuberant when he compared her with another horse he owns, Monashee, though. After all, Monashee won 14 stakes, including the Grade 3 British Columbia Oaks and the Grade 3 Ballerina twice.
Social Inclusion arrived in Baltimore on Thursday morning after a van ride of almost 19 hours from south Florida. The Preakness will mark the fourth career start for Social Inclusion, who won his first two races before finishing third in the Wood Memorial.
Manny Azpurua, 85, the trainer of Social Inclusion, would become the oldest trainer to win the Preakness if his colt prevails. Art Sherman, 77, became the oldest trainer to win the Derby with California Chrome’s victory.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine Oaks prospect Lexie Lou makes her first start for owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse in the $150,000 Fury Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Woodbine.
Lexie Lou was one of the leading 2-year-old fillies in the country last year. She was a charging fourth in her season opener, the six-furlong Star Shoot Stakes, after which she was sold by owner-trainer John Ross to Barber.
Casse is eyeing the June 15 Oaks but also is keen on trying Lexie Lou on grass, over which she’s yet to compete.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In his second day back training after winning the 140th Kentucky Derby last Saturday, California Chrome galloped 1 1/2 miles at Churchill Downs on Thursday as he prepares for the May 17 Preakness at Pimlico.
His gallop under regular exercise rider Willie Delgado was routine and much like those he turned in before the Kentucky Derby. Settled for the first mile or so, he picked up his pace over the final half-mile.
