Mon, 11/08/2021 - 09:46

2021 Breeders' Cup: Baird, Geroux fined $5,000 for whip violations

DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockeys E.T. Baird and Florent Geroux were fined $5,000 each by Del Mar stewards Grant Baker, Luis Jauregui, and Kim Sawyer over the weekend for excessive use of the whip in Breeders’ Cup races on Friday.

The fines are the heaviest financial penalties for single violations since tougher whip rules were enacted by the California Horse Racing Board in October 2020. Since then, riders competing in California have been limited to six underhand strikes in a race and are allowed two strikes before pausing to allow their mounts to respond.

Sun, 11/07/2021 - 16:30

Frosted Over may top Sovereign Award contenders

Julie Wright
Frosted Over returned $19.40 with the victory in the Ontario Derby on Sunday at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Canadian male 3-year-old division has been in disarray this year, without a leader. Frosted Over is the fastest sophomore in the country on Beyer Speed Figures, and his recent victory in the Grade 3 Ontario Derby may have put him at the top of the heap among Sovereign Award contenders.

Sat, 11/06/2021 - 14:16

2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf: Modern Games will point to 2000 Guineas; Albahr has superficial cuts

Susie Raisher
Modern Games ran a remarkable race from post 1 considering all the commotion his stablemate, Albahr, caused in the adjacent stall in the starting gate.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Modern Games, the colt at the center of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf firestorm Friday evening, managed to keep his cool before delivering a winning performance and came out of his race in great condition, trainer Charlie Appleby reported Saturday morning.

Modern Games won the Juvenile Turf by 1 1/2 lengths and earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure for running one mile on a firm course in 1:34.72.

Fri, 11/05/2021 - 23:27

2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf: Confusion among vets led to betting scratch of Modern Games

Justin N. Lane
Jockey Frankie Dettori runs to get clear after Albahr flipped in the gate before the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Modern Games was prematurely scratched from Friday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar after attending veterinarians present at the starting gate thought the colt may have sustained an injury when he acted up before the start.

Fri, 11/05/2021 - 22:53

2021 Breeders' Cup: Despite Juvenile Turf debacle, Friday handle up markedly

Susie Raisher
Pick four, pick five, and pick six players alive going to the final race who used Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games were not rewarded after he ran for purse money only. Wagers on him in other pools were refunded, hurting handle on the race.

Total handle for the five Breeders’ Cup races run on Friday was $42.31 million, according to charts of the races, up 12.7 percent over the five Breeders’ Cup races held at Keeneland Racecourse in Kentucky last year, despite a last-race incident that will potentially cost the game far more than the $5 million bump in wagering.

Fri, 11/05/2021 - 12:46

2021 Breeders' Cup Classic: Knicks Go, once a flop, now a freak

Debra A. Roma
Knicks Go takes in the sights at Del Mar on Wednesday morning. He has won 7 of 9 starts the past two seasons for trainer Brad Cox.

Knicks Go was cut out to be a good horse. As a 2-year-old in the fall of 2018, he won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity and finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

At 3, however, his performances ranged from decent to dismal. Eight starts netted zero wins.

Fri, 11/05/2021 - 12:10

Mariah's Princess sparkles in return

Coady Photography
Mariah's Princess wins a first-level allowance Nov. 4 at Churchill under Martin Garcia.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mariah’s Princess earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure for an eye-catching victory Thursday at Churchill in her return from an eight-month layoff. Ridden by Martin Garcia, the 3-year-old Ghostzapper filly won a first-level allowance sprint by 6 1/4 lengths, going seven furlongs in 1:22.46.

Fri, 11/05/2021 - 12:06

Stall giving Carribean Caper a vacation

Coady Photography
Carribean Caper wins the Dogwood Stakes Sept. 25 at Churchill.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The unbeaten Carribean Caper has been turned out in South Carolina for the rest of the year, along with the other top horses in the Al Stall Jr. barn.

Stall said he considered the upcoming Dream Supreme or Chilukki at Churchill Downs for Carribean Caper before recently sending her out with his two best turf runners, Dalika and In Good Spirits. They all have joined the 3-year-old Masqueparade, another one of Stall’s most productive performers this year, who already was at the Camden, S.C., training center of Frank Wooten.

“Old school,” said Stall.

Fri, 11/05/2021 - 11:31

Darrel McHargue finally gets Hall of Fame plaque

Barbara D. Livingston
Darrel McHargue holds his long-awaited Hall of Fame plaque at Del Mar on Wednesday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – At long last, Darrel McHargue this week received his plaque for induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

McHargue was voted in by the Historic Review Committee, and was set to be honored in 2020. But the entire ceremony was canceled owing to COVID-19.

Then this year, when the Hall of Fame ceremony acknowledged both the classes of 2020 and 2021, McHargue was unable to attend.

Fri, 11/05/2021 - 11:24

English newcomer Maglev pointing for Cecil B. DeMille Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – The 2-year-old colt Maglev, fifth in the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury Racecourse in England on Sept. 18, was purchased last month for approximately $415,000 at auction and is bound for the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 28.

By Galileo Gold, Maglev is scheduled to arrive in the middle of the month and will be trained by Mark Glatt. New co-owner Tim Cohen said a 2022 campaign is a long-term focus.

“We’ll see how things go when he comes over,” Cohen said. “He has a great body and has run against good horses over there.”