Martha Claussen has spent 29 years championing racing at Sam Houston Race Park since the track brought her on as publicity director in 1997. On Saturday, her efforts will be lauded during the Texas Champions Day card in Houston.
Claussen is being honored after the fourth race. It’s the first time in a long while she’s not actively promoting the program. Claussen stepped away from her duties this meet for two reasons.
Goodall emerged from the $150,000 Purple Martin on Saturday at Oaklawn Park with the year’s co-highest Beyer Speed Figure for a 3-year-old filly. She earned a 94, the same number Grade 3 winner Mythical put up Saturday taking the Any Limit at Gulfstream Park.
The Purple Martin was one of two sprint stakes on the Oaklawn card, which also featured the Grade 3, $250,000 Whitmore for 4-year-olds and up. Goodall zipped six furlongs in 1:08.78, as she powered to a 4 1/2-length win. It was one of the fastest times for the distance this meet at Oaklawn.
Trainer Brittany Russell was left with a deepened respect for Dazzling Dame when the front-running filly held second in the $250,000 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs last Saturday. She might not have been a match for Bob Baffert-trained filly Bottle of Rouge, but the local talent still has sky-high prospects early in her 3-year-old campaign.
In the final furlong of the $500,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs last Saturday, one might have thought that Incredibolt joined the race late. With an incredible burst on the rail, the 3-year-old colt sprinted far ahead of a tangled mess of horses on the way to a four-length victory.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Rusty Arnold registered his 2,000th career victory Saturday when his promising 3-year-old Unsearchable won a maiden race in impressive fashion.
Arnold, who turns 71 later this month, celebrated the milestone in the winner’s circle with his wife, Sarah, who has served as his long-time assistant.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Irad Ortiz Jr. is scheduled to resume riding here Thursday after recuperating from injuries suffered in a spill last week. But his agent, Steve Rushing, said that Ortiz’s return could be a game-time decision and is likely to be determined on a day-to-day basis as the week progresses.
Ortiz is named on five horses Thursday. He is scheduled to be at Turfway Park on Saturday to handle a full slate of mounts that includes Fulleffort for Cox in the Jeff Ruby Steaks.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Although 28 3-year-olds have been nominated to the $1 million Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream Park, the starting lineup for the key Kentucky Derby prep figures to be small with three of the top four ranked members of the division pointing to the race – Chief Wallabee, Commandment, and Nearly.
Churchill Downs in Louisville has raised the purses for 16 of its stakes races scheduled for this year’s spring meeting. That includes a $500,000 boost for the Turf Classic, bringing the purse of the Grade 1 race to $1.5 million, according to a stakes schedule released on Monday.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Stakes-winning sisters Bernietakescharge and Bernieandtherose both were on the work tab Sunday at Belmont Park as the pair of New York-bred females prepare for their upcoming engagements.
Scottish Lassie, the two-time Grade 1-winning filly, was scheduled to arrive in New York mid-week to continue preparations for her 4-year-old season that likely won’t get started until late spring. Meanwhile, her Jorge Abreu-trained stablemate Jody’s Pride worked at Belmont Park on Sunday morning as she eyes a return to turf in the Plenty of Grace Stakes on April 4 at Aqueduct.
