Trainer Shug McGaughey said he is eyeing a February return for his top Kentucky Derby prospect Honor Code, who will make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 22.
McGaughey said Honor Code has done well since arriving at Payson Park shortly after he closed out his 2-year-old campaign with a game victory over Cairo Prince in the Grade 2 Remsen.
[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]
ARCADIA, Calif. – Whether it’s a Grade 1 race or an $8,000 claimer, Jerry Hollendorfer likes to be in action. The Hall of Fame trainer competes at all levels, one of the reasons he is tied for the lead in the standings at Santa Anita with 11 wins.
Hollendorfer will look to keep his hot streak rolling this weekend at Santa Anita, where he’ll send out leading contenders in the two biggest races of the week.
Emerald Downs will present 75 days of live racing in 2014, the suburban Seattle track announced Monday. Opening day is April 12, a Saturday, and the meeting ends Sept. 28.
Anticipating a possible horse shortage early in the meeting, Emerald officials eliminated Friday racing in April and will offer two cards per week for the first three weeks of the season before adding Friday racing on May 2. There will be three cards a week for the balance of the meeting.
Post times are 6:45 p.m. on Fridays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Long Face will make her first start since being transferred to trainer Christophe Clement’s barn last fall when going postward as the likely favorite in Wednesday’s $54,500 allowance feature, carded at a mile on turf under high-priced optional-claiming conditions.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Revolutionary likely punched his ticket to the Grade 1 Donn Handicap on Feb. 9 with his hard-fought half-length victory over Falling Sky going a mile under allowance conditions here Saturday. The outing was the first for the multiple graded stakes winner since his fifth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes. He received a 93 Beyer for his 4-year-old debut.
Saratoga Snacks, who was scratched from the Alex M. Robb Stakes on Dec. 28 due to chronic foot issues, was one of eight horses entered Monday for Saturday’s $100,000 Evening Attire Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.
Saratoga Snacks, owned by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells, drew post 3 and has newly turned journeyman jockey Manuel Franco to ride.
The Evening Attire field includes Long River, Percussion, Cease, and Queens County Stakes winner Jonesy Boy.
On Monday, Saratoga Snacks worked four furlongs in 50.20 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Todd Pletcher unveiled the newest member of his potential Kentucky Derby arsenal, Constitution, here Saturday. Constitution, a son of Tapit, overcame a very slow start to win his debut in game fashion, edging clear near the wire from the more experienced Juba following a furious stretch duel. Despite the tardy beginning, Constitution ran seven furlongs in 1:23.36 and was given a Beyer Speed Figure of 84.
Sweet Reason, last year’s Grade 1 Spinaway winner, breezed three furlongs in 37.71 seconds Monday morning over the Belmont training track. It was her second timed breeze since returning to trainer Leah Gyarmati’s barn in late December. Sweet Reason galloped out four furlongs in 52.41.
The work was done over a track rated fast but one that was gaining moisture as the morning went on due to increasing temperatures.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Baratti proved to be a pleasant surprise winning a maiden race here last week for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who now may have another 3-year-old prospect for the Triple Crown trail.
After finishing fifth in his debut sprinting here in December, the well-bred Baratti recorded a front-running, six-length victory going two turns over Aqueduct’s inner track last Friday. Baratti, a Darley stable homebred son of Medaglia d’Oro, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.97 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92.
