Santa Anita will run a six-week autumn meeting from Sept. 19 to Oct. 25 that will include 18 days of racing and important prep races on the first two weekends for the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland.
Santa Anita was awarded autumn racing dates for a season that could have started as early as Sept. 11, but track officials have opted for a brief gap following closing day of the Del Mar summer meeting on Sept. 7.
The California Horse Racing Board recently issued a stay to a July 12 ruling that banned owner Ahmed Zayat from running horses in the state for failing to fulfill a $600 obligation to the owner of a horse van company.
Donna Veloce, a stakes winner in March in her only start this year and the runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last November, worked five furlongs in 1:00 on Friday at Del Mar for a scheduled start in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on Sept. 4.
“She’s making some really good progress from week to week,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “We definitely asked her for little bit more this morning. She looked good doing it.”
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Wide trips and trouble at the start of his races plagued Kanderel last fall and winter. The 3-year-old colt is having much better journeys in his races this summer.
After winning the Alcatraz Stakes at a mile on turf on June 13 at Golden Gate Fields, Kanderel closed from 10th of 12 to finish a game second in the Oceanside Stakes on June 10 at Del Mar.
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ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Kevin Attard has a difficult decision to make regarding the next start for the 2019 Canadian Horse of the Year, Starship Jubilee, who is unbeaten in four starts this year, all in stakes.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Tenfold, winner of the Jim Dandy Stakes here in 2018, and Endorsed, runner-up to Code of Honor in the Grade 3 Westchester in June, head a field of six entered Friday for Sunday’s $85,000 Alydar Stakes at 1 1/8 miles.
Since winning the Jim Dandy, Tenfold is only 1 for 12, with the win coming in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special in May 2019. Most recently, he finished third behind Improbable in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita on June 6.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ny Traffic, beaten a nose by Authentic in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 18, returned to the work tab Thursday at Saratoga, breezing a half-mile in 49.90 seconds over the main track.
Ny Traffic, who got his last quarter in 24.25 seconds and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.63, is training toward a start in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer John Mattine said he’s leaning toward running the improving Tapeta lover Justleaveitalone in next Saturday’s $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.
Justleaveitalone was bought privately by owner Ron Paolucci after her solid second to Fast Scene in her debut in the My Dear Stakes here in July 2019. She didn’t show a whole lot in her next five starts, which came on dirt and turf at Gulfstream and Churchill, but has blossomed since joining Mattine’s barn here this summer.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Before Gamine did what she did in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park, Venetian Harbor was the top 3-year-old filly in Southern California.
“I think Gamine caught up with us,” Richard Baltas, the trainer of Venetian Harbor, said Wednesday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Beautiful Memories, eased as the 1-2 favorite after stumbling at the start of the Grade 3 Schuylerville on opening day, was back on the work tab here Wednesday, zipping an easy half-mile in an impressive 46.31 seconds. She shaded 23 for her final quarter before galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.03, much to the delight of trainer Mark Casse.
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