Mon, 09/23/2013 - 13:29

Indiana Downs: Crown Ambassador, Indiana Stallion attract big fields

Indiana-sired 2-year-olds take center stage Wednesday with a pair of six-furlong, $85,000 stakes at Indiana Downs. My Crafty Friend tries to remain perfect in the Crown Ambassador for either sex, while Express Model heads a field of 12 in the Indiana Stallion for fillies.

Mon, 09/23/2013 - 12:05

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint: Puype says Mizdirection will be ready

Benoit & Associates
Mizdirection will make her next start April 13 at either Santa Anita or Keeneland.

The biggest development over the weekend surrounding the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint did not concern a potential prep race. It had to do with a workout, specifically the half-mile breeze Friday in 48.40 seconds around the dogs on the Santa Anita turf course by Mizdirection, the winner of last year’s Turf Sprint.

Mon, 09/23/2013 - 11:23

Breeders' Cup Distaff: Beldame, Zenyatta critical preps

Barbara D. Livingston
Princess of Sylmar is coming off of wins in the Kentucky Oaks and Coaching Club American Oaks.

Grade 1 races Saturday at Belmont Park and Santa Anita will define a Breeders’ Cup Distaff field currently led by the reigning division queen. The $2 million Distaff will be held Nov. 2 at Santa Anita.

The Beldame Stakes at Belmont will include Royal Delta, two-time Distaff winner. She faces 3-year-old filly Princess of Sylmar. Plans call for Royal Delta to stay in her division and seek her third Distaff win, though the BC Classic has not been ruled out.

Sun, 09/22/2013 - 21:21

Barretts at Fairplex: Blueskiesnrainbows wins Ralph M. Hinds Handicap

Benoit & Associates
Blueskiesnrainbows, ridden by Martin Pedroza, wins the Ralph M. Hinds Handicap by four lengths Sunday.

POMONA, Calif. – The 4-year-old colt Blueskiesnrainbows and 48-year-old jockey Martin Pedroza both returned to top form this fall at the Los Angeles County Fair race meet.

Pedroza guided Blueskiesnrainbows ($7.60) to a four-length win Sunday in the $100,000 Ralph M. Hinds Handicap on closing day of the 13-day meet at Barretts at Fairplex, where Pedroza regained his status as top jockey.

Sun, 09/22/2013 - 20:06

Zia Park: Juarez rides 2,000th career Thoroughbred winner

Coady Photography
Alfredo Juarez Jr., aboard Chuchuluco, wins the 2,000th Thoroughbred race of his career Sunday at Zia Park.

Jockey Alfredo Juarez Jr. won the 2,000th Thoroughbred race of his career Sunday at Zia Park in Hobbs, N.M., in the eighth race aboard Chuchuluco. He guided the horse to a 1 1/2-length win in the $25,000 optional-claiming race run over five furlongs. Chuchuluco ($4.60) is owned by West Texas Racing Partners and trained by Todd Fincher.

Juarez, 37, is tied for the leading Thoroughbred rider at the meet at Zia, which also features races for Quarter Horses. He is a Mexico City native who launched his career in 1992 at Hipodromo de las Americas, according to a release from Zia.

Sun, 09/22/2013 - 17:02

Woodbine: Phil's Dream by a neck in Overskate Stakes

Michael Burns
Phil's Dream, with Justin Stein aboard, wins the Overskate Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Phil’s Dream ($9.70) barely held off the charging favorite, Ultimate Destiny, to capture the $125,000 Overskate Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

With Justin Stein up, Phil’s Dream vied up front along the inside through slow splits in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired runners. He opened up on the field early in the stretch and then saw his lead dwindle before prevailing by a neck in a quick 1:21.31. After helping to set the pace, Pender Harbour weakened to finish third in the eight-horse field.

Sun, 09/22/2013 - 15:55

Marquis Downs sees higher average daily handle

Marquis Downs showed an increase of almost 20 percent in average daily handle on its live product, averaging $43,370 for a total of $1,040,849 on its 24-day meeting, which ended Saturday.

Last year, the total handle for a 30-day meeting was $1,087,612, an average of $36,253.

Almost all of the handle is ontrack since the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, racetrack does not export its signal. Wagering on Marquis Downs is available on its website through Woodbine’s HorsePlayer Interactive.

Sun, 09/22/2013 - 13:26

Churchill Downs: Fort Larned to face six in Homecoming Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Fort Larned, most recently fifth as the favorite in the Aug. 3 Whitney, is pointing to the Sept. 28 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Fort Larned was assigned post 5 in a field of seven older horses for the inaugural running of the $175,000 Homecoming Classic, a 1 1/8-mile race to be run Saturday night on a Downs After Dark card at Churchill Downs.

Fort Larned, the winner of the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic, figures to be a heavy favorite in the Homecoming as he makes his final start before returning to Santa Anita for the 2013 renewal of the $5 million BC Classic on Nov. 2.

Sun, 09/22/2013 - 11:46

Barretts at Fairplex: Quinonez avoids serious injury in fall Saturday, agent says

POMONA, Calif. – Jockey Alonso Quinonez is believed to have sustained a hairline fracture of his tailbone after he went down in a spill Saturday at Barretts at Fairplex, agent Jerry Palermo said.

Preliminary reports Saturday suggested that Quinonez sustained head trauma. However, indications Sunday morning were more optimistic. The rider’s helmet was cracked, but it appears that he did not sustain serious head injury.

Sat, 09/21/2013 - 23:09

Charles Town: So Many Ways smoothly deals with slop, tight turns in Charles Town Oaks

Coady Photography
Kentucky shipper So Many Ways, under Miguel Mena, connects as the favorite in the Charles Town Oaks.

Tom Amoss said he felt confident his filly So Many Ways would handle the tight turns at Charles Town after watching her train well at the Churchill Downs training center’s six-furlong track. Amoss was right.

So Many Ways, racing on a wet track for the first time, blew past speedy Florida shipper R Free Roll in deep stretch to capture Saturday night’s $400,000 Charles Town Oaks.