Tue, 06/04/2013 - 13:54

Golden Gate notes: Iron mare Two Thirds Victory to make start No. 85

Shigeki Kikkawa
Surfcup's victory in the Snow Chief will make him a heavy favorite in the Silky Sullivan on Sunday.

The Grande Dame of Northern California racing will make start No. 85 in Friday’s first race at Golden Gate Fields, a $20,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Two Thirds Victory, an 8-year-old mare by Peteski’s Charm, has 10 wins, 18 seconds, and 10 thirds while earning $276,835. She ran nine times as a 2-year-old, and with the exception of 2009 when she went to the sidelines for 14 months because of a broken left ankle, she has double-digit starts in every year. Friday’s start is her eighth of this year.

Tue, 06/04/2013 - 12:50

Belmont Stakes workouts: Giant Finish, Vyjack put in final works

Barbara D. Livingston
Giant Finish, most recently 10th in the Kentucky Derby, breezed a half-mile in 49.02 seconds Tuesday at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. – After having their works postponed 24 hours by heavy showers here Monday, Vyjack and Giant Finish became the last two members of this year’s bulky Belmont Stakes field to turn in their final official trials following the renovation break Tuesday.

New York Racing Association officials would have loved to be able to bottle up Tuesday’s weather and save it for Saturday, with sunny skies, no humidity, and temperatures hovering around 60 degrees when training began at 5:30 a.m.

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 18:02

Belmont Park notes: Services scheduled for Charles W. Camac

There will be two memorial services held in Florida for Charles W. Camac, a longtime starter in New Jersey and south Florida, who died May 24 at the age of 78 because of Alzheimer’s Disease.

On June 13, a service will be held at Calder Race Course. A second service will be held June 15 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company in Ocala.

Chris Camac, a son of Charles, is assistant racing secretary for the New York Racing Association.

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 17:58

Belmont Park: Eblouissante nears local appearance

Shigeki Kikkawa
Both of Eblouissante’s victories came at 1 1/16 miles.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Zenyatta’s undefeated baby sister Eblouissante moved another step closer to her much-anticipated local debut after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.43 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.12 here at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Eblouissante opened her career with two popular victories, the first a 4 1/4-length maiden win at Hollywood Park last November, the second a 1 1/4-length entry-level allowance race in her only 4-year-old appearance on Jan. 17 at Santa Anita. Both victories came at 1 1/16 miles.

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 17:52

Belmont Park: McGaughey ready to regroup

Barbara D. Livingston
In the True North, Reload will be seeking his third straight win.

ELMONT, N.Y. - It’s not just in the Belmont Stakes where trainer Shug McGaughey will try and reload. In addition to sending out Kentucky Derby winner Orb, the beaten favorite in the Preakness, McGaughey on Saturday will run Point of Entry in the Manhattan, Hungry Island in the Just a Game, and the vastly improved sprinter Reload in the True North.

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 17:37

Belmont Park: Parisi enjoying ride with Lovely Syn

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Lovely Syn ran her record to 4 for 4 with a 10 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Bouwerie Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - When it comes to his undefeated New York-bred filly Lovely Syn, owner Michael Parisi said he’s just “enjoying the ride.”

Lovely Syn made it 4 for 4 with a devastatingly easy 10 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Bouwerie Stakes for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies.

Despite being eased late by jockey Javier Castellano, Lovely Syn ran seven furlongs in 1:21.58, a full second faster than the 4-year-old filly Clear Pasaj did winning the Dancin Renee and .06 of a second faster than Amberjack ran winning the Mike Lee for 3-year-old males, both on the same card.

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 17:30

Belmont Park: Saginaw targets Saratoga

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
The race trainer David Jacobson has Saginaw pointed for is the John A. Morrissey Stakes for New York-breds on Aug. 1.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Saginaw emerged from his half-length victory in Saturday’s Affirmed Success Stakes here at Belmont Park “excellent,” according to trainer David Jacobson, who is now looking ahead to running the game 7-year-old gelding at Saratoga this summer.

“The race before took more out of him than this race,” said Jacobson, referring to a starter allowance race Saginaw won by a nose carrying 130 pounds on May 12.

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 17:21

Belmont Park: Declan’s Warrior to enter Woody Stephens

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Declan’s Warrior is 4 for 5 overall and 2 for 2 at Belmont.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Nick Zito is taking it day by day with his talented sprinter Declan’s Warrior, and as of Monday he was planning to enter the 3-year-old in Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Woody Stephens.

After Declan’s Warrior ran very hard and very fast in winning the Gygistar Stakes on May 22, Zito said he might skip the Woody Stephens because it came back in just 17 days and he might considering stretching Declan’s Warrior, a son of Majestic Warrior, out in the Dwyer on July 6.

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 16:56

Woodbine notes: Casse, Contreras have big weekend in stakes

Michael Burns
Laugh Track and jockey Luis Contreras win Sunday's Grade 3 Vigil Stakes by a half-length over Essence Hit Man.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Casse was in Ocala, Fla., last weekend, but his Woodbine forces were in full flight as Laugh Track and Delightful Mary gave the stable a sweep of the weekend stakes.

Delightful Mary got the ball rolling Saturday with a one-length victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Hendrie for fillies and mares. Laugh Track, not to be outdone, captured Sunday’s Grade 3, $156,000 Vigil by a half-length over two-time reigning Canadian sprint champion and odds-on favorite Esssence Hit Man. Luis Contreras rode both winners.

Mon, 06/03/2013 - 16:45

Belmont Stakes: Pletcher will have five runners

Barbara D. Livingston
Todd Pletcher (right), with assistant Mike McCarthy (left) and WinStar’s Elliott Walden, watches his five Belmont Stakes probables work Sunday. The Belmont could have a field of 15 runners.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Todd Pletcher had five horses in the Kentucky Derby and was shut out, and he bypassed the Preakness Stakes altogether, but he is mounting another assault on the final leg of the Triple Crown, the 145th Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park. Pletcher has five runners in what, as of Monday, was shaping up as a 15-horse field.