The Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita on Monday will have a late and much-needed addition to the field with the supplemental entry of the multiple stakes winner Say the Word.
Trainer Phil D’Amato said Wednesday that several factors have led to the decision to pay the $4,000 supplemental fee when entries are taken on Friday.
“I thought small field, sharp horse, and Win and You’re In,” he said. “I can get Flavien Prat. All those were pros. All that makes it worth a shot.”
ELMONT, N.Y. – For the third time in eight days, Rebel’s Romance recorded an official workout at Belmont Park in preparation for a start in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 5. Wednesday morning was his most serious and, to listen to his connections, the best Rebel’s Romance has gone since he arrived in New York from overseas nearly four weeks ago.
A total of 45 horses were entered Tuesday in six races on the first card of Monmouth Park’s 2021 race meet, which commences Friday.
As noteworthy as the names of the horses entered are the names of the jockeys riding them. The opening of the Monmouth meet has unfolded in controversy with the track set to conduct racing under the most stringent rules in North America regarding use of the whip.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Mind Control, who won Grade 1 stakes at 2 and 3 for trainer Gregg Sacco, has been moved to Todd Pletcher.
Mind Control, a 5-year-old son of Stay Thirsty, has lost his last eight races, including a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on May 1. On Saturday, Mind Control worked a half-mile in 48.30 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.
Pletcher said that Mind Control would be pointed to the Grade 2, $250,000 John Nerud Stakes here on July 4.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Both Mr. Buff and jockey Junior Alvarado escaped injury after the 11-time stakes winner unseated Alvarado following a Sunday morning workout at Belmont Park. Mr. Buff remains on schedule for a start in the $200,000 Commentator Stakes for New York-breds on Monday.
Alvarado rode two winners from five mounts on Sunday’s card.
ELMONT, N.Y. – In addition to running potential favorite Essential Quality in the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on June 5, trainer Brad Cox will have a select group of runners for some of the other 16 stakes to be run from June 3 through June 5 at Belmont Park.
Chief among them is Knicks Go, who has been rerouted from Monday’s Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star to the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on June 5.
“No Charlatan,” Cox texted when asked why the change of plans.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Any thought that Noble Drama might be losing or step or two as a 6-year-old was quickly erased after the Florida-bred dug down deep to win Saturday’s sixth race, a $60,000 open overnight handicap decided at a mile on the main track.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – These are very busy but happy times for veteran trainer Greg Foley, who sent out Sconsin to a rousing triumph Saturday evening in the Grade 3 Winning Colors and was considering Monday whether to run O Besos in the Grade 3, $150,000 Matt Winn this coming Saturday.
“Maybe,” said Foley. “Either the Matt Winn or one of these other 3-year-old races coming up.”
O Besos, most recently fifth in the Kentucky Derby, breezed a solo half-mile in 49 seconds before daybreak Monday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Steve Asmussen was still riding a wave of emotion Monday morning on the Churchill Downs backside, and it had nothing to do with horse racing.
Asmussen had returned to Louisville the previous evening from Austin, Texas, where on Sunday the oldest of his three sons, Keith, had taken part in graduation ceremonies from the University of Texas. Keith Asmussen now has a bachelor’s degree in finance.
“I attended my first-ever college graduation,” said his beaming father. “It was so great, so nice, so exciting.”
Nimbostratus had an active morning with trainer Leonard Powell on Sunday, a day after she was claimed for a Santa Anita record $150,000.
Shortly before 9 a.m., Powell ponied Nimbostratus on the training track and gave her a brief walk through the stable area before returning to the barn.
“I like to do a little something with them the day after a race and let them stretch out,” Powell said.
