Fri, 03/06/2026 - 14:41

Touchuponastar likely for New Orleans Classic with Star Guitar as backup

Hodges Photography

Touchuponastar was a romping winner last out in the Louisiana Premier Night Championship at Delta Downs.

Touchuponastar, who put up the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figure in a two-turn race last month at Delta Downs, is on pace to make his next start closing weekend at Fair Grounds, according to his owner, Jake Delhomme.

Touchuponastar earned a Beyer of 106 for his 11 1/2-length win in the Louisiana Premier Night Championship on Feb. 7. He won under his regular rider, Timothy Thornton, who also often works Touchuponastar for trainer Jeff Delhomme. Touchuponastar has since been breezing at his base of Copper Crowne Training Center in Opelousas, La.

Fri, 03/06/2026 - 14:40

Full Serrano headed to Oaklawn Mile after solid workout

By Steve Andersen

Debra A. Roma

Full Serrano, winner of the 2024 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, finished third last out in the Pegasus World Cup.

Full Serrano, a well-beaten third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24, is scheduled to start in the Grade 3 Oaklawn Mile at Oaklawn Park on March 28, trainer John Sadler said.

On Friday at Santa Anita, Full Serrano worked five furlongs in one minute, his first workout since going a half-mile in 47 seconds on Feb. 23.

“He worked well today,” trainer Sadler said.

Full Serrano missed a workout last week.

“He had a little foot issue we were working on,” Sadler said.

Fri, 03/06/2026 - 14:22

D'Angelo, Fawkes still a go for Dubai World Cup night

By Mike Welsch

Barbara D. Livingston

Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Bentornato worked five furlongs for trainer Jose D’Angelo on Friday for the Dubai Golden Shaheen.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – While the current crisis in the Middle East is a concern for everyone, a couple of locally based trainers, Jose D’Angelo and David Fawkes, are paying closer attention to the situation than most. Both are currently planning to run horses on the Dubai World Cup program on March 28 at Meydan Racecourse.

Fri, 03/06/2026 - 14:17

Baffert pondering next start for Explora with Fantasy a possibility

By Mary Rampellini

Coady Media

Trainer Bob Baffert says the Fantasy is a possibility for Honeybee winner Explora's next start.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Mike Pegram and the “car boys” arguably have the early favorite for the Kentucky Oaks after Explora won the Grade 3, $750,000 Honeybee last week at Oaklawn Park.

She went over $1 million in earnings with the victory, and now leads all fillies in points for the Kentucky Oaks with 95.

Fri, 03/06/2026 - 12:36

Undefeated Bella Ballerina works for Fair Grounds Oaks

By Marcus Hersh

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography

Black Hornet may switch from turf to synthetic and make his next start in the Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 21 at Turfway Park.

Bella Ballerina remains right on target for the Fair Grounds Oaks on March 21, and her trainer, Brendan Walsh, will be in other 3-year-old stakes action that day, too.

Walsh said there’s a good chance that Black Hornet, a closing 1 3/4-length winner of the Black Gold on Feb. 28, will switch from turf to synthetic and make his next start in the Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 21 at Turfway Park. The Calumet Farm homebred lost his first four races before landing a Fair Grounds turf maiden race and winning the Black Gold with an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

Fri, 03/06/2026 - 12:30

Asmussen readies deep stable for springtime stakes

By Marcus Hersh

Louis Hodges Jr.

Hall of Fame (#4) is back in Steve Asmussen's stable after a one-race detour with Michael McCarthy.

Magnitude exited his facile Feb. 28 victory in the Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park in good order and is scheduled to breeze this weekend at Fair Grounds. He remains on course for the Dubai World Cup on March 28 at Meydan Racecourse, trainer Steve Asmussen said Thursday.

Thu, 03/05/2026 - 15:07

There Goes Harvard officially retired

By Steve Andersen

Benoit Photo

There Goes Harvard won five of 21 starts, including the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup in 2022. He won the San Marcos in the final start of his career as a 7-year-old in February 2025.

There Goes Harvard, winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup in 2022, was recently retired, trainer Michael McCarthy said earlier this week.

There Goes Harvard won his final start in the Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita in February 2025. He was in training last summer and fall before the decision was made to end his career.

An 8-year-old horse by Will Take Charge, There Goes Harvard won five of 21 starts and earned $764,590 in a career that began in early 2021.

Thu, 03/05/2026 - 15:01

With eligibility conditions changed, Oceanside is now a listed stakes

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

The Oceanside was previously restricted to 3-year-olds who were non-winners of a first-place purse of $50,000 or more to the winner at a mile or more in the calendar year in which it was run. It is now an open stakes.

The revamped Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf will be run as a listed stakes at Del Mar in July.

The race was previously restricted to non-winners of a first-place purse of $50,000 or more to the winner at a mile or more in the calendar year in which it was run. The eligibility restriction often prevented two-turn stakes winners in the first six months of the year from starting in the Oceanside.

Last month, Del Mar announced that the Oceanside would be run without restricted eligibility and would be worth $150,000, an increase of $50,000 from past year.

Thu, 03/05/2026 - 14:56

Santa Anita adds racing program on April 2

By Steve Andersen

Barbara D. Livingston

Santa Anita has had seven weather related cancellations at the current meet.

Santa Anita has added Thursday, April 2 as a racing day to its current winter-spring meeting, the track announced recently.

The April 2 races will be part of a four-day racing week that includes the Santa Anita Derby program on April 4, one of the most highly anticipated days of the season. The April 4 program includes four other stakes, including the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.

Wed, 03/04/2026 - 16:55

Canaletto draws outside post in field of nine for Tampa Bay Derby

By David Grening

Ryan Thompson / Coglianese Photo

With just a maiden victory under his belt, Canaletto is a main contender in Saturday's Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Canaletto had the outside post when he won his maiden going a one-turn mile in an eight-horse field at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25. Saturday, he will again break from the outside post in a nine-horse field drawn Wednesday afternoon for the Grade 3, $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs.

The Tampa Bay Derby, the 11th of 12 races Saturday at Tampa, offers its top five finishers qualifying points (50-25-15-10-5) to the May 2 Kentucky Derby.

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