Thu, 12/19/2013 - 14:23

Hollywood Park: Hollendorfer can break Whittingham's stakes record

Tom Keyser
A win by Swiss Lake Yodeler in Saturday's Soviet Problem would give trainer Jerry Hollendorfer his seventh stakes victory of the current meet, breaking a tie with the late Charlie Whittingham.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer may set an unbreakable record at Betfair Hollywood Park this weekend.

Going into Saturday’s program, Hollendorfer is tied with the late Charles Whittingham for most stakes wins at a Hollywood Park autumn meeting, with six. Saturday, Hollendorfer starts Swiss Lake Yodeler in the $200,000 Soviet Problem Stakes. Sunday, he will run Pray Hard, and perhaps Life is a Joy, in the $200,000 King Glorious Stakes.

Wed, 12/18/2013 - 15:29

Gulfstream Park notes: Ocala beckons to My Pal Chrisy

Coglianese/Lauren King
My Pal Chrisy wins the $100,000 Musical Romance Stakes at Gulfstream Park by two lengths.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Marty Wolfson sent out one of his top filly and mare sprinters, My Pal Chrisy, to breeze an easy half-mile in 49.65 seconds here early Wednesday morning. The work was the first for My Pal Chrisy since her third-place finish in the Grade 2 Go for Wand at Aqueduct on Nov. 29. My Pal Chrisy had won all three of her starts, all stakes, since being purchased privately by Farnsworth Stables and turned over to Wolfson this summer.

Wed, 12/18/2013 - 15:01

Gulfstream Park: Honor Code has big shoes to fill

Barbara D. Livingston
Honor Code is spending the winter at Payson Park and will start his 3-year-old season at Gulfstream - just like Orb did last year.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Can lightning strike again here this season for Shug McGaughey?

A year ago, McGaughey spent a perfect winter in south Florida with Orb, who won all three of his starts at Gulfstream Park, including both the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Florida Derby as stepping-stones to his victory in the 2013 Kentucky Derby. He’ll try to duplicate the feat again this winter with his top 3-year-old prospect Honor Code.

Wed, 12/18/2013 - 14:57

Mid-South notes: Sale of Springboard Mile winner Louies Flower under way

Dustin Orona Photography
Louies Flower, under Luis Quinonez, will head to Oaklawn Park after winning the Springboard Mile.

There is an agreement in place to sell majority interest in Louies Flower, winner of the $250,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park on Sunday, to James Covello, trainer Bret Calhoun said Wednesday. The deal is pending a physical and veterinary inspection, and the contract is expected to be completed over the weekend, according to Calhoun.

Wed, 12/18/2013 - 14:42

Southern California: Baze, Valenzuela getting ready for Santa Anita

Barbara D. Livingston
Patrick Valenzuela worked horses Wednesday for the first time since November.

Jockeys Tyler Baze and Patrick Valenzuela, who have missed time this year because of suspension and illness, respectively, are exercising horses at Santa Anita in preparation for a return to riding at the winter-spring meeting.

Baze, 31, was suspended for four months in June for failing a breath test for alcohol. He underwent 60 days of in-house counseling from mid-August to mid-October and continues to attend counseling session for alcoholism. Hollywood Park stewards issued a ruling Dec. 13 allowing Baze to immediately begin exercising horses and return to riding on Jan. 1.

Wed, 12/18/2013 - 14:41

Fair Grounds notes: Scherer’s homecoming more emotional amid health issues

Alexander Barkoff/Hodges Photography
Mr. Vegas, trained by New Orleans native Richie Scherer, will start in Saturday’s $75,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial on turf.

NEW ORLEANS – A New Orleans native who has a home in the French Quarter and roots for the Saints, veteran Fair Grounds trainer Richie Scherer looks forward to coming to his hometown track.

Because of health concerns, his homecoming this season has been more emotional than usual.

Wed, 12/18/2013 - 14:08

Southern California: Miller hoping to go from strength to strength

Shigeki Kikkawa
Heir of Storm is being pointed to the Grade 1 Malibu at Santa Anita by trainer Peter Miller.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Time almost certainly has run out for Peter Miller to win the training title at the final meeting at Betfair Hollywood Park.

With three days of racing remaining before the end of the meeting on Sunday, Miller trails leader Bob Baffert by four wins, 16-12, and was in pursuit of Doug O’Neill and John Sadler, who had 13 wins each.

Wed, 12/18/2013 - 12:58

Los Alamitos: De La Torre’s future with Last to Fire, Foose Cash Sr uncertain

CYPRESS, Calif. – Last to Fire’s win in Saturday’s $750,000 Champion of Champions followed by Foose Cash Sr’s victory in Sunday’s $1,989,525 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity was the highlight of the year for Quarter Horse trainer Jose De La Torre.

Whether De La Torre is the trainer of Last to Fire and Foose Cash Sr when they resume racing in 2014 is unclear.

In recent months, De La Torre has had two horses test positive for the bronchodilator clenbuterol, resulting in the redistribution of purses.

Tue, 12/17/2013 - 15:39

Fair Grounds: String King points to Colonel Bradley

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
Sunbean wins the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic at Fair Grounds.

Most of the stakes horses of note from Saturday's Louisiana Champions Day card will continue to take advantage of their Louisiana-bred status. One exception is String King, who finished second by about an inch in the $150,000 Champions Day Classic, a stinging loss for owner-breeder-trainer Charlie Smith, who chose that spot over the $100,000 Turf, in which String King, a more proven grass horse, would have been heavily favored.