Tue, 05/14/2013 - 14:22

Hollywood Park: Warren's Flasher looks to impress again on turf

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Trainer Jorge Gutierrez was confident that dirt filly Warren’s Flasher would perform better on turf, though he underestimated the extent of her improvement.

Having trained her full sister – maiden turf specialist Warren’s Cracker – Gutierrez was dealing on pedigree information when he moved up Warren’s Flasher from a maiden-claiming dirt sprint to a starter-allowance turf route.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 14:11

Hollywood Park: Jeranimo headed to Shoemaker Mile

Benoit & Associates
Jeranimo won the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile in 2012.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Jeranimo, a six-time stakes winner who was seventh in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 4, has returned to trainer Mike Pender’s California stable and is being pointed to the $300,000 Shoemaker Mile at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 30.

Jeranimo won the Grade 1 Shoemaker in 2012, his only win at that level.

“We’ll try to defend his title in the Shoemaker,” Pender said.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 14:09

Louisiana Downs: Watch My Smoke to make rare grass start in Thursday allowance

Lynn Roberts/Hodges Photography
Lee's Spirit (outside), who won the Costa Rising Stakes at Fair Grounds last out in March, returns Thursday in an allowance at Louisiana Downs.

The distance of Thursday’s fifth race at Louisiana Downs, as well as the current profile of the track’s turf course, are among the reasons Watch My Smoke will make a rare start on grass in an allowance for 3-year-olds and up at about a mile. He is part of an eight-horse field that includes stakes winners Lee’s Spirit and Heavenville.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 13:30

Preakness: O'Neill alters training for Goldencents to what worked earlier

Barbara D. Livingston
Goldencents gallops a mile Tuesday at Pimlico with regular rider Kevin Krigger aboard.

BALTIMORE – Orb’s triumph in the Kentucky Derby was viewed by some as a victory for the old-school training methods of Shug McGaughey.

When it comes to Goldencents, trainer Doug O’Neill – who won last year’s Derby and Preakness with I’ll Have Another – is employing some old-school methods of his own. As in two months old.

Tue, 05/14/2013 - 13:26

Calder: Gold happy to have Jackson Bend back in barn

Laura Villasana/Coady Photography
Grade 1 winner Jackson Bend is back in trainer Stanley Gold's barn after a brief stint as a stallion and is targeting the June 8 Ponche Handicap at Calder.

MIAMI – Trainer Stanley Gold doesn’t know all the particulars regarding Jackson Bend’s mishap last summer at Saratoga, which led to his premature retirement in October, or what exactly transpired during his brief visit to the breeding shed, which ultimately resulted in the Grade 1 winner being put back into training this spring. And he’s not asking, either.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 20:14

Presque Isle Downs: Dan the Tin Man powers home to win Tom Ridge

Coady Photography
Dan the Tin Man, with Scott Spieth riding, wins the Tom Ridge by two lengths.

Dan the Tin Man stayed just off the early pace while on the outside in the $100,000 Tom Ridge on Monday night before exploding into the stretch to win the six-furlong event at Presque Isle Downs.

Jockey Scott Spieth had a good hold on the Ricky Griffith-trained 3-year-old going down the backstretch. Spieth asked Dan the Tin Man on the turn, and he responded, drawing clear by two lengths in the stretch.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 17:31

Arlington Park: Fordubai targets Arlington Classic

Four-Footed Fotos
Street Spice might run in the Matt Winn Stakes next month at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Greg Geier is making plans for his pair of talented Jim Tafel homebred 3-year-olds, Fordubai and Street Spice, both of whom were being considered for the Preakness in recent weeks.

Fordubai, second in the Illinois Derby, might have gone to the Triple Crown’s second leg had he not developed a cough that forced Geier to skip a scheduled workout two weekends ago. But Fordubai worked an easy five-eighths last weekend and is on track, Geier said, to start on turf in the Arlington Classic on May 25.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 17:15

Belmont Park notes: Retreive eyes Woody Stephens

Barbara D. Livingston
Retreive earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 93 for his allowance win last Friday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Retreive, who won a first-level allowance race by 3 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park on Friday, will likely point to the Grade 2, $400,000 Woody Stephens Stakes here on Belmont Stakes Day, trainer Jeremiah Englehart said.

Retreive, who was favored against Verrazano when Verrazano won his debut at Gulfstream on New Year’s Day, won Friday’s race by 3 3/4 lengths and covered six furlongs in 1:08.87. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 93.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 17:04

Belmont Park: Vyjack may try turf

Barbara D. Livingston
Vyjack’s owner said all options are open for the horse – including the Belmont Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Vyjack, the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes winner and 18th-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, was withdrawn from consideration from Saturday’s Preakness Stakes for a summer campaign that could include the turf, owner David Wilkenfeld said.

Wilkenfeld said that Vyjack lost some weight out of the Derby, which is why he and trainer Rudy Rodriguez opted to skip the Preakness.

Wilkenfeld said all options are open for Vyjack – including the Belmont Stakes – but he also indicated that he would like to try the gelding on the grass at some point.

Mon, 05/13/2013 - 16:57

Belmont Park: Rydilluc puts in mile workout ahead of Penn Mile

Barbara D. Livingston
Rydilluc is 3 for 3 on the turf, including a victory in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Rydilluc, fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes in attempting to make a last-ditch effort to crack the Kentucky Derby field, worked a mile in 1:43.76 over the Belmont main track Monday.

Rydilluc alternated on the lead with a workmate, Old School, before finishing well ahead of that one at the wire. Rydilluc went off a slow five-eighths in 1:06.88 while finishing the move in a respectable 36.88.

Trainer Gary Contessa said last week that he is pointing Rydilluc to the $500,000 Penn Mile, a one-mile turf race at Penn National on June 1.