Mon, 04/07/2014 - 14:50

Oaklawn Park: Sugar Shock headed to Churchill Downs for Kentucky Oaks

Coady Photography
Sugar Shock and jockey Channing Hill win the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes by a half-length Saturday.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Plans are being made to send Sugar Shock, the winner of Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park, to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks, trainer Doug Anderson said Monday. Sugar Shock was a half-length winner of the Fantasy, wiring the field from her rail post and earning a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 92.

Mon, 04/07/2014 - 14:27

Aqueduct: Sahara Sky eyes Met Mile repeat

Benoit & Associates
Sahara Sky, shown here winning the San Carlos in March at Santa Anita, will target a repeat win in the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Sahara Sky finished second in last year’s Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct and returned to New York to win the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer hopes the same pattern holds true after Sahara Sky finished second to Dads Caps in Saturday’s Carter. Hollendorfer said Monday that Sahara Sky will return for the Met Mile on June 7 at Belmont Park.

Mon, 04/07/2014 - 14:15

Aqueduct: Pletcher’s Oaks fillies headed to Kentucky

John Bambury
My Miss Sophia won the Gazelle Stakes by 7 1/4 lengths on Saturday at Aqueduct.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Princess of Sylmar was one of four horses trainer Todd Pletcher ran in last year’s Kentucky Oaks. This year, Pletcher looks to have three contenders for the $1 million Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

On Monday, Pletcher shipped Gazelle one-two finishers My Miss Sophia and Got Lucky to Louisville where they will be joined in a few weeks by In Tune, winner of the Gulfstream Oaks on March 29.

Mon, 04/07/2014 - 13:54

Aqueduct: Princess of Sylmar’s 2014 schedule doesn’t include Breeders’ Cup

Barbara D. Livingston
Princess of Sylmar won the Cat Cay Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths on Sunday at Aqueduct in her 2014 debut.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The connections of Princess of Sylmar laid out a blueprint of the schedule they would like to keep this year for their 4-year-old filly, who made a successful return to the races Sunday with a 3 1/2-length victory in the Cat Cay Stakes at Aqueduct.

The schedule includes the $1 million Ogden Phipps on June 7 at Belmont Park, the $750,000 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park on July 12, the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga in August, and the Grade 1 Beldame on Sept. 27 at Belmont Park.

Mon, 04/07/2014 - 13:44

Keeneland: Pletcher out to boost Derby numbers with Blue Grass

Tom Keyser
Vinceremos, under Edgar Prado, scores a 12-1 upset in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Todd Pletcher confirmed Monday that he will have three starters in the Blue Grass Stakes as he tries to increase his numbers for the Kentucky Derby.

The Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes, the annual spring meet highlight at Keeneland, is expected to have a full field of 14 for its 90th running Saturday. Entries will be drawn Wednesday morning at a media breakfast that will be televised live on TVG from 11:30 a.m. to noon Eastern.

Mon, 04/07/2014 - 12:52

Tampa Bay Downs: Sneaking Uponyou puts exclamation point on Florida Cup card

OLDSMAR, Fla. – When Sneaking Uponyou powered away from the field through the stretch en route to a smashing 6 1/4-length victory in the Hilton Garden Inn/Hampton Inn and Suites Sprint Stakes, it put an exclamation point on the 12th Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs on a Saturday program that saw locally based runners take four of the six $75,000 stakes for Florida-breds.

Mon, 04/07/2014 - 09:52

Oaklawn Park: Tapiture has final Arkansas Derby tune-up

Coady Photography
Southwest winner Tapiture will face at least seven rivals in Saturday's Arkansas Derby.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Tapiture breezed for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Monday, going a half-mile in 50.80 seconds in the second set of workers at Oaklawn Park. He is one of the favorites for the mile and an eighth race that closes out the meet Saturday.

The track Monday was rated sloppy, and was sealed. It was a clear but damp morning, and temperatures were in the high 40s.

Mon, 04/07/2014 - 08:49

Fonner Park jockey Jake Olesiak wins six races again

GRAND ISLAND,Neb. -  Leading rider Jake Olesiak was at it again Sunday at Fonner Park as he posted a six-win day for the second time this season.

Olesiak has dominated the jockey colony this year, and with 10 racing days left in the meeting owns a commanding lead with 55 wins through 21 days of racing. Mike Ziegler is second in the standings with 28 and Olesiak's older brother Jordan has 22 to hold third.

Sun, 04/06/2014 - 16:25

Santa Anita: Game On Dude tunes up for Charles Town Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Game On Dude remains on target in his quest to win the $1 million Charles Town Classic for the second time.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Game On Dude is on schedule for a start in the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic in West Virginia on April 19 after working six furlongs in 1:13 at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Game On Dude won the Santa Anita Handicap on March 8 for a record third time in his most recent start. Mike Smith rode Game On Dude in the Santa Anita Handicap and was aboard for Sunday’s workout.

“I haven’t worked him a lot,” said Smith, Game On Dude’s rider since December 2012. “I’ve been on him six, seven,  or eight times, and that was the best he worked. It felt like he was flying.”

Sun, 04/06/2014 - 15:56

Kentucky Derby: Candy Boy may be outside looking in

Shigeki Kikkawa
Candy Boy will be pointed to the Feb.8 Robert Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The third-place finish by Candy Boy in Saturday’s $1 million Santa Anita Derby may not assure the colt a starting berth in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3.