Wed, 02/12/2014 - 16:02

Gulfstream Park: Honor Code targeting Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn

Barbara D. Livingston
Honor Code breezed three furlongs in 35.67 seconds Wednesday ahead of a likely start in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 15.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Honor Code, one of the leading contenders for the 140th Kentucky Derby, had his first breeze since he missed about a week of training when going three furlongs on a warm Wednesday morning at Gulfstream Park.

As Honor Code was cooling out, trainer Shug McGaughey confirmed that the son of A.P. Indy most likely will make the first start of his 3-year-old season in the March 15 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, “mostly because of the timing. That way, there’s seven weeks until the [May 3] Derby, and we can get a second prep in there somewhere.”

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 15:56

Aqueduct: Noble Moon gets back to work with eye towards Wood Memorial

Michael Amoruso
Noble Moon will skip the Gotham and prepare for the Wood Memorial in April.

Noble Moon returned to the work tab Wednesday morning for the first time since he won the Jerome Stakes on Jan. 4, breezing three furlongs in 38.95 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

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

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 15:47

Fair Grounds: Stidham eyes allowance victories Friday

Trainer Mike Stidham appears to have live runners in the two allowance races carded Friday at Fair Grounds.

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 15:29

Oaklawn Park: Southwest first step toward Kentucky for Tapiture

Barbara D. Livingston
Tapiture will make his 3-year-old debut in Monday's Grade 3 Southwest Stakes.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tapiture will be a regular on Oaklawn Park’s road to the Kentucky Derby this spring, with the Grade  2 winner to launch his season Monday in the Southwest Stakes. The Grade 3, $300,000 race is the second stakes in the local series that continues with the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel on March 15 and the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 12.

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 15:22

Fair Grounds: Baffert could invade with Streaming, Hoppertunity

Benoit & Associates
Streaming won the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes last Saturday to remain unbeaten in two starts.

Trainer Bob Baffert is considering jumping into the Louisiana Preview Day card on Feb. 22 at Fair Grounds and could have horses for both the Risen Star Stakes and the Rachel Alexandra Stakes, he said Wednesday.

Baffert could send Grade 1 winner Streaming for the Grade 3, $200,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes, while Hoppertunity, a maiden winner, could start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes.

“It’s not etched in stone yet, but I’m looking at it seriously,” Baffert said.

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 15:07

Santa Anita notes: Nashoba's Gold eyes Providencia

Coady Photography
Fiftyshadesofhay and jockey Martin Garcia won the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks by 3 1/2 lengths.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Nashoba’s Gold, winner of a maiden race over 1 1/8 miles on turf in her debut last Saturday, will be pointed to the $150,000 Providencia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on April 5, with a possible prep race in the interim, trainer Carla Gaines said Wednesday.

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 15:02

Aqueduct: Dee Dee's Comet would relish muddy track in Friday feature

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Her versatile running style and the ability to handle a wet surface may give Dee Dee’s Comet an advantage in Friday’s featured second-level optional $30,000 claimer for New York-breds at Aqueduct.

Racing is scheduled to resume Friday after three dark days, but a winter storm that was to begin early Thursday morning and last until early Friday morning is likely to create a wet surface for Friday’s card, which include a $25,766 pick six carryover.

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 14:59

Santa Anita: Pedroza injured, out for two months

Benoit & Associates
Martin Pedroza, 48, fractured his left shin and will be sidelined for about two months.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Martin Pedroza is expected to miss two months of racing after suffering a leg injury when he was unseated in a race Feb. 7, according to his agent, Richie Silverstein.

Pedroza remained hospitalized at nearby Arcadia Methodist Hospital on Wednesday, Silverstein said.

“They are waiting for the swelling to go down so they can re-X-ray the leg,” Silverstein said. “He’s just resting. He’s in pain.

“They’ve started the therapy with him walking with crutches. The prognosis remains eight weeks, give or take two.”

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 12:53

Santa Anita: Indianapolis will miss San Vicente after coughing, scoping for mucus

Benoit & Associates
Indianapolis showed he is a 3-year-old to follow in this 4 1/4-length San Pedro victory.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The undefeated 3-year-old Indianapolis will miss his scheduled graded-stakes debut in Sunday’s $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita after he coughed Wednesday and then was found to have mucus in his airway, trainer Bob Baffert said.

“I was going to work him and he coughed,” Baffert said. “He just came up with it. He coughed and we scoped him.

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

Wed, 02/12/2014 - 11:30

Nebraska owner-breeder Don Everett dies

LINCOLN, Neb. – Successful restaurateur, owner and breeder Don Everett died Tuesday in Lincoln at the age of 70 after dealing with Alzheimer’s disease for a number of years.