Mon, 10/05/2020 - 15:26

Sharing forced to skip Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Foto Emily Shields

ELMONT, N.Y. – Sharing, winner of the Grade 2 Edgewood Stakes on Sept. 4, will not make Saturday’s Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland due to a foot issue, said Aron Wellman, head of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which owns the filly with Gainesway Stable.

“We’ve been battling foot issues with her all year,” Wellman said. “She’s on the cusp of being ready for the Queen Elizabeth, but she couldn’t make it. The timing came up a little too quick. Unfortunately, that’s the way it goes.”

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 15:20

Horologist unlikely to run in Breeders' Cup Distaff, but Point of Honor is a go

Barbara D. Livingston
Point of Honor, training last Saturday at Saratoga, was being considered for the Clement Hirsch at Del Mar or the Personal Ensign at Saratoga.

ELMONT, N.Y. – While Beldame Stakes winner Horologist is unlikely to be supplemented to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Beldame runner-up Point of Honor is likely to run in that race on Nov. 7 at Keeneland, Aron Wellman, head of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, which owns the filly, said Monday.

Her presence would give Eclipse a 1-2 punch in the Distaff as it also has Valiance, winner of Sunday’s Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland.

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 15:16

Dayoutoftheoffice returns from planned break for Frizette

Debra A. Roma
Dayoutoftheoffice earned an 82 Beyer Speed Figure for her Schuylerville win.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Dayoutoftheoffice will make her first start since impressively winning the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes at Saratoga in July when she runs in Saturday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Frizette Stakes, trainer Tim Hamm confirmed Monday.

Dayoutoftheoffice was off the work tab for about a month in mid-summer, but Hamm said that was by design.

“She had no major issues,” Hamm said. “We decided to give her a little breather and have her fresh for the end of the year and make a run at the Breeders’ Cup.”

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 15:10

Irad Ortiz returning to saddle just in time for final Breeders' Cup push

Justin N. Lane
Irad Ortiz Jr. has not ridden since March 19.

ELMONT, N.Y. – After missing three weeks of riding due to suspensions and a case of COVID-19, two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is looking forward to getting back to work this week at Belmont Park.

Ortiz is named to ride in eight of the 10 races Thursday at Belmont, marking his first mounts since Sept. 16, when he rode at Kentucky Downs. Ortiz served two five-day suspensions encompassing the first 10 days of the Belmont fall meet for careless riding infractions incurred earlier this summer.

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 14:46

Shedaresthedevil to skip Breeders' Cup, be pointed to Oaklawn stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil's future includes stakes series at Oaklawn Park.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil, who finished third in the Grade 1 Spinster on Sunday at Keeneland in her first try against older horses, will pass on the Breeders’ Cup in favor of arriving at Oaklawn Park as a fresh horse for a winter-spring campaign.

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 14:40

Saez has monster opening weekend, takes a Grade 1 each day

Coady Photography
Luis Saez's Grade 1 victories last weekend included the Spinster aboard Valiance (above).

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Luis Saez enjoyed a stellar opening weekend at Keeneland, winning nine races, including a Grade 1 stakes each day.

Saez, whose agent is former trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, kicked things off by winning a pair of races Friday, including the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes with Simply Ravishing. His three wins on Saturday included the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity aboard Essential Quality and the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes on Leinster.

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 14:40

Empire of Gold to make Keeneland return in Perryville Stakes

Coady Photography
In his first start in a graded stakes, 3-year-old Empire of Gold (right) finished second in the Grade 2 Phoenix to Diamond Oops (left).

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Empire of Gold, a 3-year-old making his graded stakes debut against older horses, was dismissed at 51-1 in the Grade 2 Phoenix Stakes on opening day at Keeneland. After a strong runner-up effort, he is likely to be a much shorter price when he returns to Lexington next month.

Trainer Terry Eoff said he plans to bring Empire of Gold, who is based at Remington Park, back to Keeneland for the $100,000 Perryville against his fellow 3-year-old sprinters on the Breeders’ Cup Saturday undercard on Nov. 7.

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 14:36

In addition to Swiss Skydiver, McPeek fillies sweep Alcibiades exacta

Coady Photography
Simply Ravishing earned a fees-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies by winning the Alcibiades.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It was a big weekend for fillies trained by Ken McPeek. Swiss Skydiver will return to Kentucky a conquering heroine after outdueling Kentucky Derby winner Authentic in the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. Back home, her two young understudies held down the ropes, as Simply Ravishing and Crazy Beautiful swept the exacta in the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes on Friday at Keeneland.

Simply Ravishing earned an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with the victory, and Crazy Beautiful is likely to join her in the starting gate.

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 13:30

Pompay resists call of Breeders' Cup with Cool Arrow

Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photos
Cool Arrow, winning the Smile Sprint on Sept. 5, might ship to Keeneland for an allowance race.

Cool Arrow has won his last three starts, including the Grade 3 Smile Sprint here Sept. 5. And his trainer, Terri Pompay, admitted the temptation was there to try to take her red-hot sprint specialist to the next level, with the Breeders’ Cup looming on the horizon.

But in the end, Pompay opted to map out a more prudent path with Cool Arrow, whom she trains for Wanda Polisenni’s My Purple Haze Stable. Pompay said she might send him to Keeneland for an allowance race.

Mon, 10/05/2020 - 12:16

Rick Leigh dies at age 73

Richard “Rick” Leigh, a longtime steward and racing official in Kentucky and elsewhere, died Sunday morning following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 73.

Leigh died of cardiac arrest in a hospital in Florence, Ky., after having a difficult time breathing, according to his stepson, Tyler Picklesimer, also a steward and longtime racing official in Kentucky.