NEW ORLEANS – The best-looking horse seen working Monday at Fair Grounds was, appropriately, the highest-profile horse seen working during a quiet training session in balmy New Orleans.
Midnight Bourbon, trying to punch his ticket to the Kentucky Derby when he starts Saturday in the $1 million Louisiana Derby, breezed an easy half-mile in 49.20 seconds. The colt looked good when he won the Lecomte Stakes in January and looks even better now.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Greatest Honour isn’t the only promising 3-year-old in Shug McGaughey’s arsenal. On Saturday, the Hall of Fame horseman sent out Bears Watching to an easy 7 3/4-length maiden win going seven furlongs. He received an 83 Beyer Speed Figure while winning geared down under jockey Jose Ortiz.
Bears Watching, a half-brother to Code of Honor, finished third, a half-length in front of Collaborate, when both made their career debuts Feb. 6.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Shedaresthedevil and Letruska put on a show together when finishing a head apart in the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri on Saturday at Oaklawn. Now, they are headed in separate directions.
Shedaresthedevil, the 2020 Kentucky Oaks heroine who was winning her seasonal debut in the Azeri, is scheduled to return to Churchill Downs for that track’s Grade 1, $500,000 La Troienne on April 30, trainer Brad Cox said Sunday.
Hector Diaz Jr. was expected back in action Wednesday at Tampa Bay Downs after missing his weekend mounts because of a spill in Friday’s fifth race.
Diaz “was banged up pretty good,” said his agent, Shawn Klotz, after the jockey was thrown at the break when his mount, Himelstein, stumbled badly.
“The horse stepped on him around his abdomen area,” Klotz said. “We really had no choice but to give it a few days. He’ll definitely be back Wednesday.”
ARCADIA, Calif. - Through Sunday, there have been nine turf sprint stakes at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting. Trainer Phil D’Amato won seven of those races, including two stakes over the weekend with Gregorian Chant and Leggs Galore.
But the other stables can rest assured that one of them will win Sunday’s $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes for California-breds at six furlongs on turf. D’Amato does not have any runners nominated, nor any plans for a supplemental entry.
Last Friday, the 3-year-old filly Missy P. won her debut by 9 1/2 lengths at 2-5 in a maiden special weight race at 5 1/2 furlongs.
The following day, Triple Tap, a 3-year-old half-brother to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, won his first start in a maiden special weight race at seven furlongs.
The pair may be too far behind their age-group contemporaries to be part of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on April 30 and May 1, but they performed in a manner that suggests they are not far from stake appearances.
NEW ORLEANS – Owner Tom Durant paid $475,000 to acquire a colt who would be named Run Classic at a 2-year-old in training sale during March 2020. The price could’ve been higher, said trainer Bret Calhoun, who was working with Durant on sales scouting.
“We thought he was the standout of the whole sale," Calhoun said. "I think in the end the pedigree scared some people away.”
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Jeffrey Englehart on Monday began a 10-day suspension (lasting through March 24) for the finding of Phenylbutazone (Bute) in the post-race sample of Runningwscissors, following his third-place finish in the Say Florida Sandy Stakes at Aqueduct on Jan. 9.
Englehart was also fined $1,000.
Runningwscissors was disqualified from third and ordered unplaced and Englehart, who is also the owner of the horse, had to forfeit the $12,000 in purse money earned.
Englehart has four wins from 26 starters at the meet.
