Last year's champion 2-year-old Midshipman sustained a minor soft tissue injury to his left foreleg during routine exercise at Godolphin's Al Quoz Stables in Dubai Feb. 28 and will miss the Triple Crown races.
Manila, who was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2008, died Feb. 28 in Turkey because of an aoritc rupture. Manila won five grade I stakes, including the 1986 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) the year he was voted champion male turf runner and the 1987 Budweiser-Arlington Million (gr. IT).
Despite making just the third start of his career and facing stakes company for the first time, Edward Evans’ homebred Quality Road romped to a resounding 4 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 28 at Gulfstream Park.
Racing with lasix for the first time and receiving a six-to-eight pound edge from most of his rivals, Quality Road stayed right on the heels of pacesetter This Ones for Phil in the one-mile contest for 3-year-olds. The son of Elusive Quality inched closer to the leader when they rounded the turn and then took over at the top of the lane under John Velazquez. He extended his advantage in upper stretch and was never challenged while stopping the clock in 1:35.01 on the fast main track.
West Point Thoroughbreds and partners’ Justwhistledixie stalked the pace, took over leaving the turn, and cruised to a 3 3/4-length victory in the $150,000 Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park March 1.
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Justwhistledixie was making her graded stakes debut after winning three consecutive races in New York. The daughter of Dixie Union —General Jeanne, by Honour and Glory, served notice with her emphatic score that she is now a serious Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) contender.
Trainer Julio Canani insists he doesn't have Derby fever yet. But after the way his The Pamplemousse glided to victory as the 1-2 choice in the $200,000 Sham Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Feb. 28, that's going to be more difficult to believe as time marches on toward the first Saturday in May.
Victory for The Pamplemousse, with his long, fluid strides, seemed never in doubt as he bounded effortlessly over the Pro-Ride en route to a six-length victory in the 1 1/8-mile Sham. Fractions were decent -- :23.08, :46.51, and 1:10.29 -- as the front-running gray son of Kafwain appeared to widen his advantage at every call for jockey Alex Solis.
Battle of Hastings, an English-bred import making his second North American start for trainer Jeff Mullins, overhauled favored Flashmans Papers inside the final furlong en route to a 7-1 surprise in the $100,000 Baldwin Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the Santa Anita hillside turf course March 1.
Stalking Proceed Bee collared odds-on choice Parade Clown mid-stretch and inched away in the final strides for a 1 1/4-length win in the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park Feb. 28.
+10000000)+'&millis='+new Date().getTime()+'&zid=472&referrer='+encodeURIComponent(document.location)+')
+10000000)+'&millis='+new Date().getTime()+'&zid=366&referrer='+encodeURIComponent(document.location)+')
+10000000)+'&millis='+new Date().getTime()+'&zid=601&referrer='+encodeURIComponent(document.location)+')
+10000000)+'&millis='+new Date().getTime()+'&zid=475&referrer='+encodeURIComponent(document.location)+')