BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

BloodHorse.com Articles for "Balletto"

Belmont Win Would be Special for Albertrani

Belmont Win Would be Special for Albertrani

Tom Albertrani, who has done just about everything around a racetrack, hopes to fill in a gap in his local New York resume when he sends Brilliant Speed out to contest the Belmont Stakes (gr. I).

 Friday, June 10, 2011

Round Pond Wins Injury-Marred Distaff

Tragedy struck the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) Saturday at Churchill Downs when the co-favored Pine Island was fatally injured and Fleet Indian suffered a serious injury in a race won easily by Round Pond.

 Saturday, November 04, 2006

Albertrani: Bernardini Faces Most Difficult Task

Trainer Tom Albetrani said his Bernardini will be facing the most difficult task of his life Saturday in the $5-million Breeders' Cup Classic – Powered by Dodge (gr. I).

 Thursday, November 02, 2006

Lead Change Will Be a Key for Balletto in Distaff

After finishing second in Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) two years ago, Balletto returns to the Breeders' Cup, this time in the Emirates Airline Distaff (gr.I).

 Thursday, November 02, 2006

Favored Fleet Indian in Middle of Distaff Pack

Fleet Indian is right where her owner, Paul Saylor, wants her to be in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).

 Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Things About to Change at Barn 17, Awaiting Bernardini

Things were quiet at Barn 17 on the Churchill Downs backstretch the morning of Oct. 31. But Norman Casse knows that is about to change. And, he's glad.

 Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Bernardini Has Final Work, Ready for Classic

Bernardini had his final workout at Belmont Park Oct. 31 and is ready for his start in the biggest race of the year.

 Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Albertrani: Bernardini 'Horse to Beat' in Classic

Trainer Tom Albertrani anticipates that Bernardini, fresh off another authoritative victory in Saturday's Jockey Club Gold Cup (gr. I), will be the one to beat in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic -- Powered by Dodge (gr. I) on Nov. 4.

 Sunday, October 08, 2006

Fleet Indian Game Victor of Beldame for 8th Straight Win

Paul Saylor's Fleet Indian gamely held off a late challenge from Balletto for a narrow victory in Saturday's Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park in a key prep for the Nov. 4 Emirates Airlines Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).

 Saturday, October 07, 2006

Fleet Indian, Balletto Meet Again in Beldame

Fleet Indian looks to be the likely favorite in the $600,000 Beldame Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park Oct. 7. The 5-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie has been a perfect 5-for-5 in 2006 for her new connections.

 Thursday, October 05, 2006

Fleet Indian Sneaks Away in Personal Ensign

Paul H. Saylor's odds-on favorite Fleet Indian and jockey Jose Santos set a dawdling pace, then opened up in the lane to win the $392,000 Personal Ensign (gr. I) for fillies and mares at 10 furlongs at Saratoga Race Course.

 Friday, August 25, 2006

Balletto, Fleet Indian Square Off in Personal Ensign

It's seldom that horses come out of retirement. And even more seldom that they come out of retirement and regain the form that they once had. Now Balletto, a grade I winner as a 2-year-old, is one of those horses trying to make a comeback off retirement.

 Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Trainer Albertrani Has Bull's-Eye on Back

Tom Albertrani is entering the fourth weekend of August with a huge bull's-eye on his back. The trainer will send out Balletto in the Personal Ensign (gr. I) Friday and the following afternoon will saddle Songster and Bernardini in the King's Bishop (gr. I) and Travers Stakes (gr. I), respectively.

 Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Saratoga Diary: Go For Wand Saves Day

One of the worst things a jockey at Saratoga can do to win a race these days is to use the rail in the final furlongs. There is a hard, smooth glide path just off the rail that seems to be more user-friendly to stretch-running horses en route to the winning post.

 Monday, July 31, 2006

Pletcher's 'Sugar' Gets Win in Spa Cliffhanger

Stronach Stables' Spun Sugar notched her second grade I victory of the year with a gut-wrenching effort to defeat the outsider Balletto by a whisker in the $250,000 Go for Wand Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course Sunday.

 Sunday, July 30, 2006

Distance Test for Take D' Tour in Go For Wand

With a date in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) on the horizon, trainer David Fawkes is anxious to see how his grade I winner Take D' Tour performs going two turns in Sunday's $250,000 Go For Wand Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.

 Friday, July 28, 2006

Take D' Tour Shows Way in Ogden Phipps H.

Take D' Tour enjoyed the scenic route on the front end to gain her fourth consecutive victory, a resounding 5 1/2-length triumph in the $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I) for fillies and mares Saturday at Belmont Park.

 Saturday, June 17, 2006

Take D' Tour Tries Spun Sugar in Phipps H.

With a chance to take her place among the top older mares in the country, Take D' Tour tries to stay unbeaten at Belmont Park when she starts in the $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap (gr. I) at 1 1/16 miles.

 Thursday, June 15, 2006

Take D'Tour Never Looks Back in Shuvee Win

Alice Muller's Take D'Tour took advantage of her speed to post a front-running 5 ½-length victory over Balletto in the $147,000 Shuvee Handicap (gr. II) for fillies and mares at Belmont Park on Sunday.

 Sunday, May 21, 2006

Smuggler Returns to Belmont in Shuvee H.

Smuggler, last year's 3-year-old filly champion, heads into Sunday's $150,000 Shuvee Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park with something to prove.

 Friday, May 19, 2006

Top Filly Balletto Returns After 17-Month Layoff

Darley Stable homebred Balletto, last seen finishing second to Eclipse champion Sweet Catomine in the Alberto VO5 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) at Lone Star Park Oct. 30, 2004, completes her long road back Thursday at Gulfstream Park.

 Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Grade I Winner Balletto Retired

Balletto, the first Dubai-bred to win a grade I stakes in North America, has been retired from racing after undergoing surgery for an impacted intestine.

 Monday, June 13, 2005

Shamardal: Godolphin's Best Derby Hope to Date?

Last year's European champion Shamardal, who is due to make his first start for Godolphin Saturday's UAE Derby (UAE-II), is considered his new owner's best ever Kentucky Derby (gr. I) prospect, according to Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford.

 Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Setback Knocks Balletto Out of Kentucky Oaks

Godolphin's Balletto, runner-up to champion Sweet Catomine in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and winner of the Frizette (gr. I) at Belmont Park, has suffered a training "setback" that has knocked her out of consideration for the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (gr. I).

 Thursday, February 10, 2005

Funny Cide, Balletto Work in New York

Funny Cide, the New York-bred dual classic winner of 2003, breezed a half-mile in 46 4/5 at Belmont Park Tuesday, with trainer Barclay Tagg declaring that "Funny Cide is doing better than he ever has in his life."

 Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Juvenile Fillies Preview: One for the Books?

The past two years, a homebred filly has come into the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) with three straight wins and exited the World Thoroughbred Championships with four victories, a win that made history, and being an easy choice for an Eclipse Award.

 Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Countdown to the Cup: Why There Will Be No Breeders' Cup for Sightseek

Juddmonte Farms' Sightseek goes out on top with a win in the Beldame, the seventh grade I victory of her stellar career. Meanwhile, Proud Accolade drew raves for his Champagne victory and Darley has another top filly in Balletto.

 Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Nimble Balletto On Her Toes in Frizette

Darley Stable's Balletto rallied late after ducking away from wavering leader Sis City near the eighth pole to win the $500,000 Frizette (gr. I) for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

 Saturday, October 09, 2004

Balletto, Play With Fire Meet Again in Frizette

Darley Stable's Balletto and Gary Zweling's Play with Fire face off again in Saturday's 57th running of the Frizette Stakes (gr. I) for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont.

 Thursday, October 07, 2004

Sense of Style Struts Her Stuff in Matron

Despite her slow break, odds-on favorite Sense of Style, guided by Edgar Prado, remained unbeaten with a facile one-length victory in the $300,000 Matron (gr. I) for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont Park Sunday.

 Sunday, September 19, 2004

Sense of Style the Fashionable Pick in Matron

Sense of Style, a convincing winner of the seven-furlong Spinaway Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga last month, figures to be a very short price against five rivals in Sunday's Matron Stakes (gr. I) at a mile at Belmont Park.

 Friday, September 17, 2004