LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Michael McCarthy maybe could’ve run Independence Hall and Rushie back home in California, but nah. They’ll both run Saturday at Churchill Downs.
“We’re set up pretty good there in Kentucky, and Rushie has done some of his best work over that track,” McCarthy said early this week from his Santa Anita base. “We figured, why not?”
The undefeated 2-year-old colt Joker Boy will have his graded stakes debut in Friday’s Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.
The decision was finalized after Joker Boy worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita on Saturday. Trainer Brian Koriner said the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes was selected for Joker Boy instead of waiting for the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile for statebreds on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.
Led by the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes, Los Alamitos has scheduled five stakes for a two-week meeting from Dec. 3-12.
The $300,000 Starlet Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 4 is the first of four stakes for 2-year-olds in the brief stand, which will include the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity, a $200,000 race at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 11.
There are two $100,000 races at a mile for statebred 2-year-olds – the Soviet Problem Stakes for fillies on Dec. 11 and the King Glorious Stakes on Dec. 12.
Trainer Mark Glatt is eager to try Beer Can Man in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar after the colt’s second-place finish in the Grade 3 Turf Monster Stakes on Saturday at Parx Racing.
That is, if Beer Can Man can earn a berth in what is likely to be a crowded field.
The BC Turf Sprint is run at five furlongs. Beer Can Man won an allowance race at five furlongs on turf on Aug. 13 at Del Mar in his first start since February and was beaten 1 1/4 lengths by the longshot Hollywood Talent in the $300,000 Turf Monster Stakes, also at five furlongs.
Smooth Like Strait, already assured of a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6, will have a final prep race in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita next Saturday.
Trainer Michael McCarthy watched Smooth Like Strait work five furlongs in 59 seconds at Santa Anita on Saturday in a manner that left him confident the 4-year-old can give a peak effort over the weekend and be ready for the BC Mile.
“We’re going to give it a long, hard look,” McCarthy said.
The last time Express Train ran 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita he won the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes in January.
In five subsequent starts, Express Train has one win – the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar in July. Express Train is back in a race at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita in Saturday’s Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes.
This time, the stakes are more valuable than in January.
Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said that Chance It suffered a soft-tissue injury during the running of Saturday’s Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park, placing his racing future in doubt. Jockey Manny Franco pulled up Chance It down the backstretch of the Kelso.
Joseph said the injury was similar to the one that forced Chance It to the sidelines for 14 months following the 2020 Tampa Bay Derby.
ELMONT, N.Y. - When Maxfield runs in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward at Belmont Park, he will likely do so in blinkers, equipment he has yet to wear in a race.
On a beautiful Saturday morning at Belmont Park, Maxfield worked a half-mile in 49.59 seconds over the main track, wearing a small set of blinkers, commonly referred to as cheaters. Jockey Jose Ortiz was aboard for the move, which Daily Racing Form timed in 24.88 seconds for the quarter, 49.59 for the half, with a five-furlong gallop-out in 1:02.31 and up six furlongs in 1:14.95.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Baby Yoda, who earned a whopping 114 Beyer Speed Figure for winning a first-level allowance race Sept. 4 at Saratoga, is under consideration for the Grade 2, $250,000 Vosburgh Stakes on Oct. 9, trainer Bill Mott said.
