OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Early Voting and Un Ojo, the first- and second-place finishers from the Grade 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct on Feb. 5, both returned to the work tab on Monday at Belmont Park as they prepare for their next assignments.
While there has been no decision yet on where Early Voting will start next, Un Ojo was entered Monday for Saturday’s Grade 2, $1 million Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The up-and-coming Florida-bred 3-year-old fillies Hot Peppers and Spirit Wind turned in big performances here last week and could be on a collision course to meet in the $110,000 Sophomore Fillies at Tampa Bay Downs on March 27.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Six potential starters for the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 5 worked here over the weekend, led by Simplification, runner-up in the Grade 3 Holy Bull, who zipped five furlongs in 58.53 shortly after the renovation break on Saturday.
Kazushi Kimura, by far the leading jockey at Woodbine in 2021, is scheduled to have his first mount of the year when he rides Halo of Fire in the last race Wednesday at Tampa for trainer Wesley Ward.
Ward said Kimura, 22, has been exercising horses for him in recent weeks at both Palm Meadows and Turfway Park after spending time in his native Japan after the Woodbine meet ended in early December.
Belgrade may have run himself into the Tampa Bay Derby by winning the Saturday opener, a first-level allowance at seven furlongs. The 3-year-old Hard Spun colt was making his second career start and his first for trainer Graham Motion after having been purchased last month at Keeneland for $700,000 by retired Visa executive Carl Pascarella and his wife, Yurie.
Belgrade earned a 72 Beyer when up in the final jumps under Hector Diaz Jr. He was following up on a Dec. 18 debut score at Fair Grounds for prior connections that equated to a 79 Beyer.
Kerri Raven likes doing things her own way. So, too, does her stable star Chess Master, who gave the 49-year-old Ontario native her first stakes victory in a 10-year training career when speeding to a 2 1/2-length victory Saturday in the $91,250 Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs.
“I was so elated when he won that I felt like a little kid,” Raven said Monday from the Oldsmar, Fla., track. “I’m just so proud of him.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Lacking so much as an allowance race, a nine-race Thursday card will have the Rainbow 6 (races 4-9) and a gross pool guarantee of at least $1.25 million as a primary attraction for horseplayers. A forceout of the Rainbow 6 is tentatively planned for Saturday.
Although turf racing was forced Sunday to the Tapeta because of weekend rain, much drier conditions are in the South Florida forecast for the coming week, so both Thursday turf races (4 and 9) can be expected to go as scheduled.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It’s not very often a trainer wins a 20-way shake less than a year after he or she has won a 21-way shake.
Then again, it’s not very often a horse will win nine races in a row when it is entered for a claiming tag.
Cavalry Charge, if all goes well, will try to validate his 35-1 upset of the Grade 3, $150,000 Fair Grounds Stakes in the $300,000 Muniz Memorial on March 26.
Cavalry Charge led all the way Saturday on a slow pace under Brian Hernandez to post his first stakes win in his second try.
“He’s got the makings of a top turf horse,” trainer Dallas Stewart said.
Epicenter could face much different rivals in the Louisiana Derby on March 26 than those he easily defeated Saturday in the Risen Star Stakes.
Epicenter, under Joel Rosario, coasted to a front-running 2 3/4-length win in the Risen Star, getting 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.03, which produced a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure. Epicenter on Sunday looked well, trainer Steve Asmussen said, and would walk the next two days before resuming racecourse training toward the $1 million Louisiana Derby on March 26.
