Sat, 06/15/2013 - 14:07

Delaware Park: Relay Bill should find conditions suitable Monday

B&D Photography
Relay Bill is scheduled to return to the turf for the first time since upsetting the Capital City Stakes at Penn National at 22-1 last August in Monday's sixth race at Delaware Park.

In the last five years, Penn National-based trainer Tim Kreiser has won with only one horse making the switch from a dirt sprint to a turf route. That horse happens to be Relay Bill, who upset the $100,000 Capital City Stakes at odds of 22-1 last August. The now-4-year-old Relay Bill is scheduled to make his first start on grass since that victory in Monday’s sixth race at Delaware Park.

Sat, 06/15/2013 - 11:10

Prairie Meadows: Shane Laviolette wins No. 2,000

ALTOONA, Iowa - Jockey Shane Laviolette, aboard A Wish for My Lady, achieved his 2,000th career win Friday evening at Prairie Meadows.

Laviolette guided A Wish for My Lady, the 4-5 favorite, to the front in a five-furlong maiden-claiming event for Iowa-bred fillies, and they were never challenged over a sloppy surface for an 8 1/4 length win.

Sat, 06/15/2013 - 11:00

Woodbine: Barnful of horses test negative for herpesvirus, can resume training

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The 64 horses in Woodbine’s Barn 3 all have tested negative for the equine herpesvirus  and will be allowed to resume training after being under quarantine since Tuesday.

Barn 1, where the virus first surfaced with the death of a 2-year-old filly on Monday, remains under full quarantine. All horses in both barns will be retested on Monday.

No horses will be allowed to exit Woodbine without Ontario Racing Commission approval until at least June 19.

Sat, 06/15/2013 - 10:44

Churchill Downs: Wise Dan works 'some kind of good'

Tom Keyser
Wise Dan earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for his victory in the Woodford Reserve.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Wise Dan had another sizzling breeze Saturday morning at Keeneland while trainer Charlie LoPresti continued to mull the future possibilities for the 2012 Horse of the Year.

Wise Dan went five furlongs in 58.80 seconds over the Polytrack surface at the Lexington, Ky., track and still is tentatively pointing to the Grade 2 Firecracker at Churchill Downs on the night of June 29, said LoPresti, although that itinerary is subject to change, dependent on what transpired Saturday night in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill.

Fri, 06/14/2013 - 21:46

Marquis Downs cancels opening-day card due to heavy rain

Heavy rains created potentially unsafe track conditions and resulted in the cancellation of live racing at Marquis Downs on Friday evening, the scheduled opening day of a 26-day meeting.

A decision on Saturday's card is pending.

Fri, 06/14/2013 - 20:16

Hollywood Park: Paynter wins comeback with ease

Benoit & Associates
Paynter, under Rafael Bejarano, wins by 4 1/2 lengths in his first race since taking the Haskell last summer.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Paynter, one of the top 3-year-olds of 2012 who was seriously ill last summer and fall with colitis and laminitis, scored an emphatic victory in his comeback race at Betfair Hollywood Park on Friday.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Paynter led throughout a seven-furlong allowance race, pulling away from seven overmatched rivals to win by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:21.86. The allowance race was Paynter’s first start since winning the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park last July.

Fri, 06/14/2013 - 18:33

Belmont Park: Velazquez rides 5,000th winner

ELMONT, N.Y. - John Velazquez expressed more relief than joy when he guided Galloping Giraffe from last to first to win Belmont's sixth race Friday, giving the jockey his 5,000th career win in North America.

"Well, finally we get it done, right? Jeez, it took four weeks to do it," Velazquez said. "Great. Put it behind me. Let's move on to the next one."

Velazquez, 41, became the 28th jockey to reach the 5,000-win plateau and the third one this year. Calvin Borel won his 5,000th in March and T.D. Houghton in May.

Fri, 06/14/2013 - 17:36

Churchill Downs notes: Arroyo drops appeal, will serve days

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Jockey Norberto Arroyo Jr. has dropped his appeal of a suspension and will begin serving the penalty Sunday. Arroyo originally was given a three-day suspension because of a careless riding incident at Churchill Downs on May 25, but he will now serve four days, in accordance with the discretion granted to stewards by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in dealing with dropped appeals. He will be eligible to return June 23.

Arroyo has seen his business improve at Churchill after an 0-for-35 start to the spring meet. Into Friday, he had won with 7 of 79 mounts.

Fri, 06/14/2013 - 17:31

Churchill Downs: Blueeyesintherein eyes Saratoga

Tom Keyser
Blueeyesintherein has won 4 of 5 career starts.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Blueeyesintherein earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure in a 4 3/4-length romp Thursday in a third-level allowance at Churchill Downs and probably goes next in the Grade 1 $300,000 Prioress Stakes, a six-furlong race on July 27 at Saratoga, said trainer Garry Simms.

“We’re definitely thinking Saratoga, although I’m not all that crazy about running back later in the Test” because of the longer distance, said Simms. The Grade 1, $500,000 Test Stakes will be run on Aug. 24 at seven furlongs.

Fri, 06/14/2013 - 17:24

Churchill Downs: On Fire Baby doing well

Barbara D. Livingston
On Fire Baby, winner of the Apple Blossom, spiked a fever high enough to warrant observation at a veterinary clinic.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Gary “Red Dog” Hartlage reported early Friday that staff members at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., have informed him that they have been unable to precisely determine what caused On Fire Baby to spike a high fever earlier this week, but that the filly’s condition is satisfactory and that she likely will be released from the clinic by Sunday.