LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Garry Simms entered Blueeyesintherein against older mares in the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes last month at Churchill Downs. But upon further review, the trainer scratched the standout 3-year-old filly.
“I think she would’ve run big in it,” Simms said. “But I didn’t want to see her run second or third. I’m trying to keep her on a winning track. I’m just trying to take the easiest route home.”
Two California-bred standouts highlighted last weekend’s Golden Gate Fields racing.
Not surprisingly, Surfcup shined in an odds-on victory in the Silky Sullivan on turf Sunday.
The Bob Baffert-trained son of Unusual Heat scored his second straight Cal-bred stakes victory, having won the Snow Chief at Betfair Hollywood Park in April. He has four wins and a third in seven career starts and is 3 for 3 on the grass.
Heading into his final week as general manager at Golden Gate Fields before assuming a new role with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, Joe Morris is whipping and driving to the finish line like Johnny Longden aboard George Royal in his last race as a jockey.
“It’s been a great meet,” said Morris, who has helped revitalize the track in his two-year stint as general manager. “Field size and handle are up, even though attendance is down a bit.”
The Golden Gate meet began Dec. 26 and ends Sunday.
Go Blue or Go Home took advantage of an early speed duel to win the $100,000 Karl Boyes Memorial at Presque Isle Downs on Monday evening under Paco Lopez.
Dazzled Saint was away quickly from the gate in the 5 1/2-furlong race and set the pace with favorite Sum of the Parts pressing in second early. Those two and Grand Old Game hooked up on the turn while Go Blue or Go Home sat in behind the dueling leaders. Lopez swung his mount out and he accelerated to post a two-length win for Woodbine-based trainer Reade Baker.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – It’s a chicken-versus-egg question, considering why certain trainers do well in certain kinds of races. Are their training methods tailored to help horses succeed in such situations? Or are the horses coming into their program naturally suited to the races?
Trainer Mike Stidham weighed in on the subject years ago, asked, one day, what made him a good turf trainer. “Having turf horses,” came the reply.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Best Gift of All drops in class Wednesday night at Woodbine in the fourth race and should be favored in the nonwinners-of-two allowance for Ontario-sired females, which is scheduled for a mile on the grass.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Nipissing’s connections had dreams of the Queen’s Plate as far back as last fall, when the filly stretched out successfully for the 1 1/16-mile Princess Elizabeth.
Now those hopes are less than a month from becoming a reality after Nipissing captured the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks by three-quarters of a length for trainer Rachel Halden, jockey Steven Bahen, and the Chiefswood Stable of Robert and Mark Krembil.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Orb won the Kentucky Derby but finished behind Oxbow in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, and those two colts both were behind Palace Malice on Saturday in the Belmont, leaving the male 3-year-old title up for grabs nearing the midway point of the year.
Three different horses winning three legs of the Triple Crown has happened often, including just two years ago, but there never was a subsequent showdown in 2011. This year, however, all three are pointing to the Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 24. The routes they take there could differ, though.
On the Key will try to make amends when he makes his second start at Northlands Park in a first-level allowance race for 3-year-olds that will serve as Wednesday’s feature. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint drew seven horses and goes as race 8 on the nine-race card that begins at 6 p.m. Mountain.
The connections of Stephanie’s Kitten will meet in the coming days to discuss their summer options for the horse, who added a win in Saturday’s Grade 1 Just a Game to her résumé.
Stephanie’s Kitten, who improved her record to 7 for 12, flew back to Kentucky on Sunday and will spend a few sessions in the hyperbaric chamber at the Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic in Lexington, said her trainer, Wayne Catalano, who flew back to Chicago on Saturday night.
