Fri, 08/28/2020 - 16:26

Kentucky Derby: Foley barn optimistic after Major Fed's sharp work

Coady Photography
Major Fed worked five-eighths in 59 seconds Friday in his final Kentucky Derby prep.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Major Fed doesn’t figure to garner much wagering action when he goes postward Saturday in the 146th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, but that’s to be expected. The colt has won just once in six career starts, whereas the favorites, Tiz the Law and Art Collector, both are 4 for 4 on the year.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 15:51

Delta Downs sustains damage from Hurricane Laura, Oct. 6 meet opener postponed

Coady Photography
The Delta Downs Thoroughbred meet was scheduled to open Oct. 6 and run through Feb. 27, 2021.

Delta Downs in Vinton, La., has postponed its Thoroughbred meet until further notice because of damage sustained in Hurricane Laura, a track official said Friday.

Delta was to open its season Oct. 6. The track is scheduled to race 84 dates through Feb. 27, 2021.

Hurricane Laura was a Category 4 storm when it made landfall Wednesday night near Cameron, La., which is about an hour from Delta.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 15:50

Suspensions will keep Irad Ortiz Jr. off mounts for first two weeks of Belmont meet

Barbara D. Livingston
Irad Ortiz Jr. will serve suspensions Sept. 18 through Oct. 3.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. missed riding Thursday and Friday at Saratoga because of an issue with his wrist following an incident at the gate Wednesday.

Ortiz will miss the first 10 days of Belmont’s 27-day fall meet due to a pair of careless riding suspensions. He recently dropped his appeals of those suspensions and will sit Sept. 18 through Oct. 3. The suspensions are from rides at Belmont on July 2 and Saratoga on July 31.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 15:46

Kimari to switch back to dirt for Prioress Stakes

Coady Photography
Kimari is 2 for 2 on dirt, including this victory in the Purple Martin Stakes at Oaklawn in April.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Two of trainer Wesley Ward’s runners from this summer at Royal Ascot have already come back to win their next start. He will look to continue that trend next Saturday when he returns Kimari to the dirt in the Grade 2, $200,000 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga.

Kimari, a 3-year-old daughter of Munnings, finished second in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup on June 19 at Royal Ascot. She has been training on dirt at Keeneland and was scheduled to have another breeze Sunday before shipping to New York.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 15:46

Spinoff impressive in team work for Woodward

Barbara D. Livingston
Moretti (left) and Spinoff work a half-mile at Saratoga on Friday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Spinoff, winner of the Alydar Stakes here Aug. 9, and Moretti, winner of the Birdstone Stakes here Aug. 2, worked a half-mile together Friday in 49.06 seconds over the Saratoga main track preparing for a start in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward Stakes.

It was what Spinoff did after the wire that stood out. He gradually pulled away from Moretti after five furlongs in 1:01.95 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.59 and seven furlongs in 1:27.99.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 15:00

Devil Made Me Doit returns from lengthy layoff in turf sprint

Emily Shields
Devil Made Me Doit has not raced since winning his debut by 9 1/2 lengths last December.

Last December, the colt Devil Made Me Doit won the first race of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting in such impressive style that observers rightfully wondered how much he could accomplish in the 3-year-old division in 2020.

Devil Made Me Doit did not race for the rest of the winter or spring. He will have his 2020 debut in a first-level allowance with a $40,000 claiming option at five furlongs on turf Sunday at Del Mar, a reflection of how trainer Doug O’Neill has had to alter goals.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 14:56

Laura's Light to be rested, return for 4-year-old campaign

Benoit Photo
San Clemente winner Laura's Light will be getting the rest of the year off but plans call for her to race as a 4-year-old.

Laura’s Light, a four-time stakes winner who was sixth as the 3-2 favorite in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks on Aug. 22, will not race again this year.

“Laura’s Light is going to get a break,” trainer Peter Miller said on Friday. “She’s done enough. She’s tired and we’re going to give her a proper break.”

Owned by Gary Barber, Laura’s Light has won 5 of 8 starts and earned $304,870. Earlier this year, Laura’s Light won three graded stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf, including the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile at Del Mar in July.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 14:56

Gary Barber buys Wyfire; Peter Miller is new trainer

Barbara D. Livingston
Peter Miller is keeping an eye on the Del Mar Futurity as a possible next start for Wyfire.

Wyfire, winner of a maiden special weight race Aug. 16 in his second start, was sold privately to Gary Barber earlier this week and remains a possible starter in the Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7, new trainer Peter Miller said Friday.

Miller said the deal was completed Thursday. Miller oversaw Wyfire’s training Friday. Terms of the deal were private, Miller said.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 14:56

Kentucky Derby: Ny Traffic works sharp five furlongs with lengthy gallop-out

Barbara D. Livingston
Ny Traffic works five furlongs Friday at Saratoga in 59.40 seconds. He galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.58.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Saffie Joseph said he couldn’t have been happier with the way Ny Traffic worked here Friday in his final serious drill before the Kentucky Derby. The Haskell runner-up went five furlongs in 59.40 seconds, completing his final three-eighths in 35.26 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.40 and easing up after seven-eighths in 1:26.58.

David Cohen was aboard for the work, although Paco Lopez has the mount in the Derby.

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 14:26

For an encore, Vexatious will try to beat Monomoy Girl in La Troienne

Barbara D. Livingston
With Jose Lezcano giving her an aggressive ride through the stretch, Vexatious (right) holds off Midnight Bisou to win the Personal Ensign Stakes on Saturday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After knocking off the undisputed leader of the filly and mare handicap division, Midnight Bisou, earlier this month in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga, Vexatious will now set her sights on the division’s No. 2 when she ships to Churchill Downs for a rematch with Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 La Troienne next Friday.

Trainer Jack Sisterson made that decision shortly after watching Vexatious breeze an easy half-mile in 52.97 seconds under the cover of darkness shortly after the main track opened at 5:30 a.m. here on Friday.