Fri, 04/09/2021 - 13:40

Rock Your World to have at least two works before Kentucky Derby

Benoit Photo
Rock Your World wins the Santa Anita Derby on April 3. He galloped 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita on Friday.

Rock Your World galloped 1 1/2 miles on Friday at Santa Anita, six days after his win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in his main-track debut.

Unbeaten in three starts, Rock Your World is scheduled to have workouts on April 17 and April 24 at Santa Anita in advance of the Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

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Fri, 04/09/2021 - 12:20

Known Agenda satisfies Pletcher with easy workout

Barbara D. Livingston
Known Agenda wore blinkers in his Florida Derby win (above), but he worked a half-mile on Friday without them.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The initial thought when Known Agenda stepped out on the racetrack Friday morning at Palm Beach Downs to work for the first time since his victory in the Grade 1 Florida Derby was the fact he was not equipped with the blinkers that have seemed to take him to the next level in his last two starts. The second impression, after watching Known Agenda breeze a very easy half-mile in 50.37, is that he’s probably not the type of horse who is going to wow anybody, blinkers or not, in the morning.

Fri, 04/09/2021 - 11:00

Maxfield to run in Alysheba on Kentucky Oaks undercard

Emily Shields
Maxfield was beaten for the first time in his career in the Santa Anita Handicap. He will return to action in the Alysheba Stakes.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Maxfield, the Godolphin homebred who was defeated for the first time when third in the March 6 Santa Anita Handicap, will make his next start in the Grade 2, $400,000 Alysheba on the April 30 Kentucky Oaks undercard at Churchill. Jose Ortiz, who rode the colt in his first three starts, has the mount back.

Trained by Brendan Walsh, Maxfield won his first five races, including four stakes. He was ridden by Florent Geroux in his last three starts.

Fri, 04/09/2021 - 11:00

Martin Pedroza wins with first ride in 18 months.

Coady Photography
Always a terrific gate rider, Martin Pedroza skillfully handled Cornbread Hill on the lead Thursday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After 38 years of a standout riding career in the U.S., it appeared Martin Pedroza might have been finished. The 55-year-old Panama native, who booted home more than 3,900 winners and endeared himself through the years to California racing fans, had abruptly stopped riding in October 2019 for personal reasons, and he had no deep-seated desire to ride races any longer.

Fri, 04/09/2021 - 10:56

Simply Ravishing's retirement latest blow to hard-hit division

Barbara D. Livingston
Simply Ravishing, who finished sixth in the Ashland in her 3-year-old debut, has been retired with a breathing problem.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The retirement of Simply Ravishing this week further served to illustrate just how much turnover has occurred in the highest echelons of the current 3-year-old filly division.

With the April 30 Kentucky Oaks just ahead, the division has undergone wholesale changes at the top. The horses who dominated as 2-year-olds of 2020, including Simply Ravishing, have been non-factors since the calendar turned. In that context, all the leading candidates for the Oaks are new faces.

Thu, 04/08/2021 - 16:10

Golden Gate to reopen to limited number of fans on April 16

Shane Micheli/Vassar Photography
Golden Gate Fields has been closed since Nov. 13 because of a coronavirus outbreak on the backstretch.

Golden Gate Fields will reopen to a limited number of fans beginning on Friday, April 16.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, initial attendance will be limited to 400 fans who will be seated in the clubhouse C level. All fans must wear masks and observe social distancing.

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Thu, 04/08/2021 - 14:40

Call Me Love tries for breakthrough win in Plenty of Grace

Debra A. Roma
Call Me Love (right) had several close calls last year, including this second to Starship Jubilee in the Ballston Spa at Saratoga.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Call Me Love went winless in five stakes tries on the New York Racing Association circuit last year. She ran a couple of strong races, finishing second to Rushing Fall in the Grade 3 Beaugay and second to Starship Jubilee in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa.

Sunday, Call Me Love will try another New York stakes when she runs in the $100,000 Plenty of Grace at Aqueduct.

Wed, 04/07/2021 - 19:16

Opening of 2021 Woodbine meet delayed due to stay-at-home order

Michael Burns
No turf races are scheduled for the next condition book, which begins on Nov. 13.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The 2021 Woodbine meet has been postponed from its scheduled April 17 opening due to a province-wide four-week stay-at-home order declared by the Ontario government that goes into effect Thursday. A provincial State of Emergency was initiated because of a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases with variants during the third wave of the pandemic.

Woodbine Entertainment hopes to start the meet after the stay-at-home order is scheduled to be lifted on May 6.

Wed, 04/07/2021 - 14:40

Pletcher's Kentucky Derby quartet meeting up at Churchill Downs

Barbara D. Livingston
Bourbonic (left) and Dynamic One finish one-two in the Wood Memorial. Both are trained by Todd Pletcher, who is sending them to Churchill Downs on Sunday.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bourbonic and Dynamic One, the one-two finishers in last Saturday’s Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial, will ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday to prepare for the May 1 Kentucky Derby, Todd Pletcher, who trains both 3-year-olds, said Wednesday.

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