Sun, 02/23/2014 - 09:36

Fonner Park: Olesiak wins six Saturday

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. – Jockey Jake Olesiak made the second day of Fonner Park's young season one to remember by scoring six winners on the 10-race card Saturday.

Olesiak matched his best riding day of 2013, having also won six races April 13 on his way to his first riding title here. He is the eighth rider to win six or more races on a single card at Fonner Park. Ken Shino and Perry Compton are the only two riders to better the six-win mark here. Shino tied a national record with eight wins on a card in 2000, and Compton scored a seven-win day the same year.

Sun, 02/23/2014 - 09:26

Gulfstream Park: Wildcat Red targets Florida Derby after Fountain of Youth win

Tom Keyser
Wildcat Red (right) and jockey Luis Saez win the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes by a head over General a Rod and jockey Javier Castellano on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The top three finishers from the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday were all reported to be in good condition Sunday morning, but a potential rematch between Wildcat Red, General a Rod, and Top Billing in the Florida Derby on March 29 isn’t certain since only Wildcat Red is definitely intended for that race at this point.

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 16:45

Suffolk Downs: Horsemen, track settle some issues on upcoming meet

The New England Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Suffolk Downs reached agreement Saturday on several conditions for the upcoming 2014 meet, although the amount of purses to be paid, the number of days of live racing, and other issues remain unsettled due to the uncertainty of whether the track’s gaming partner will be awarded a casino license.

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 15:32

Gulfstream Park: Cairo Prince breezes towards Florida Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Cairo Prince earned a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure for his 5 3/4-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes.

Cairo Prince had his second work since winning the Holy Bull last month when he went a half-mile in 49.90 seconds at Palm Meadows on Saturday.

Cairo Prince is awaiting next month’s Florida Derby. His trainer, Kiaran McLaughlin, said he believed Cairo Prince put forth a big effort in the Holy Bull, and wanted to give him plenty of time until his next start.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 15:26

Gulfstream Park: Normandy Invasion easy winner in comeback

Barbara D. Livingston
Normandy Invasion, making his first start since the 2013 Kentucky Derby, cruises to a 7 3/4-length victory under Javier Castellano.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Normandy Invasion rewarded trainer Chad Brown and owner Rick Porter for their patience by launching his 2014 campaign with an easy 7 3/4-length victory in an entry-level optional $25,000 claiming race here Saturday.

Normandy Invasion covered the mile in 1:33.13, breaking the mark of 1:33.71 set by Commentator in 2008.

The start was the first for Normandy Invasion since his fourth-place finish in the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 15:06

Gulfstream Park: Mucho Macho Man tunes up for Santa Anita Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
Mucho Macho Man, with Nick Petro aboard, breezes five furlongs Saturday before departing for Southern California.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mucho Macho Man completed his local preparations for Santa Anita’s Big Cap on March 8 by going an easy five furlongs in 1:02.56 over a lightning-fast track here at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Mucho Macho Man was scheduled to fly to Southern California on Sunday.

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 13:35

Santa Anita: California Chrome sharp in San Felipe drill

Scott Martinez
California Chrome, with Victor Espinoza aboard, preps for the San Felipe by working at Los Alamitos on Saturday morning.

CYPRESS, Calif. – California Chrome worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 at Los Alamitos on Saturday, his final major workout for the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 8. The Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, a key prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 5, will play a defining role in how California Chrome is campaigned this spring.

“We’ll learn where he fits with those horses,” trainer Art Sherman said. “It will be a good test for him.”

Fri, 02/21/2014 - 16:33

Fair Grounds: Unknown Road starting back after surgery

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
Unknown Road, a fast maiden race winner, had undescended testicles removed.

NEW ORLEANS - Unknown Road has returned to regular galloping after being gelded in late January. Unknown Road scored one of the best maiden victories of the Fair Grounds meet when he won a Dec. 19 sprint race by almost 12 lengths, but he could only finish a distant fourth as the heavy favorite in a two-turn first-level allowance race here Jan. 24.

Fri, 02/21/2014 - 16:28

Fair Grounds: Unbridled Forever keeps eyes on Oaks

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Unbridled Forever is passing the Rachel Alexandra and will go directly into the Fair Grounds Oaks.

NEW ORLEANS – Unbridled Forever probably would have been favored had she lined up in the starting gate for the Rachel Alexandra Stakes here Saturday, but when the Rachel Alexandra was run, Unbridled Forever was to be chilling in her stall.

Fri, 02/21/2014 - 15:54

Gulstream Park: Havana probable for Swale Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Havana is considered a likely starter for next Saturday's Swale Stakes.

Harpoon, In Trouble, and Surfing U S A all were nominated to the Grade 2, $200,000 Swale Stakes, a seven-furlong race to be run at Gulfstream Park next Saturday. Trainer Todd Pletcher on Friday said that Havana was scheduled for his first start of the year in the Swale, but that a final decision on where he, Harpoon, and Surfing U S A all race would be made following workouts Sunday morning.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]