Trainer Bob Baffert will take the wraps off Breeders' Cup runner-up Point Given when he sends out The Thoroughbred Corp.'s colt for his first effort as a 3-year-old in Saturday's grade II San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. Point Given finalized San Felipe preparations by breezing four furlongs in :47.80 Wednesday.
Members of the Jockeys' Guild will not be having a very funny April Fool's Day. On April 1, the family health insurance policy covering 800 Guild members will expire. Because of skyrocketing premiums, Jockeys' Guild national manager John Giovanni said there is not enough money in the association's budget to continue making the premium payment
The implications of the extensive outbreak of foot and mouth disease can be widely seen in the marked reluctance of many British racecourses to stage fixtures. This is happening despite the enthusiasm of the racing authorities that the sport continues, albeit with the most stringent precautions to prevent spreading of the disease.
Cheltenham Racecourse announced Wednesday that it has agreed with the British Horseracing Board new dates for the Cheltenham National Hunt Meeting. The dates are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, April 17-19. Meanwhile, Newmarket Racecourse has adjusted its race times and will now kick off at 1.15 p.m. each day for its Craven meet that will run the same days as the rescheduled Cheltenham Festival.
Weekend Surprise, dam of classic winners Summer Squall and A.P. Indy, died after foaling a Belong to Me filly Tuesday. The foaling was without incident, but that evening Weekend Surprise hemorrhaged and died. The filly has been placed on a nurse mare and is doing fine.
Gulfstream Park will close out the 2001 season Friday, featuring an 11-race card that includes three stakes including the $200,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes, and the return of last year's Florida Derby (gr. I) winner.
Golden Ballet, who extended her winning streak to five in last Saturday's Santa Anita Oaks, will continue to compete against fillies, Team Valor president Barry Irwin said Wednesday.
Fair Grounds hopes a $20,000 fan appreciation weekend will help soothe angry bettors who were accidentally shutout of the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) on March 11.
Dollar Bill has few excuses for failing to run 1 1/4 miles on the first Saturday in May -- at least on paper.
<br><i><a href="viewstory.asp?id=3142">Continued from part 1</a></i>
Buyers at the top of the juvenile market may turn out in droves for an auction. They may fill the grandstand to watch under tack shows, and send a small army of veterinarians and agents to look at the horses. But they are just as picky as ever, maybe even more so. That was the harsh reality faced by consignors during the Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale at Calder on Feb. 27.
Voodoo had his final tune-up for Sunday's $200,000 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct, breezing five furlongs in 1:00 over Belmont Park's muddy training track Wednesday morning. The son of Petionville owned by John Moore, Voodoo finished second behind Regal Shivers at 1-5 in the Whirlaway Stakes on Feb. 10.
While the number of horses sold and gross were down, the average rose 15.3% at Fair Grounds Sales Co.'s 2-year-olds in training sale held March 13. A total of 23 juveniles were sold for $384,300 at the New Orleans sale, good for an average of $16,708. Last year, 31 2-year-olds sold for $449,200 for an average of $14,490.
Arlington Park will serve as the simulcast host for the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 24. The world's richest race will be one of four races with total purses of $12 million simulcast from Dubai's Nad Al Sheba Racecourse that day.
Retired Central Kentucky veterinarian Robert E. Bardwell, 78, died March 12 at a Columbus, Ohio, hospice.
Trainer Neil Howard began the Gulfstream meet with some well-bred and unraced 3-year-olds and one of them, undefeated Unbridled Lassie, will be starting in Friday's Bonnie Miss Stakes (gr. II). The 1 1/8-mile test is the closing day feature and will also feature runners Lasting Sensation and Happily Unbridled.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien leads the way in the 2001 Vodafone Oaks (Eng-I) with 10 of the 101 entries -- up five on last year's total of 96 -- it was announced March 14. The £325,000 Vodafone Oaks will be run June 8 at Epsom.
German trainer Andreas Schutz has never been one to avoid a challenge and the 2001 Emirates World Series Racing Championship is one of the titles he will be setting his sights on this year. He holds a strong hand with a pair of runners in Caitano and Samum.
John Messara Wednesday called for the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) to reconsider its total ban on the importation of horses from Britain and Ireland into Australia. The Arrowfield Stud CEO called the ban for 'an indefinite period' an 'over-reaction'.
One day after the stock market plunged dramatically, business at the Barretts Equine Ltd.'s March select sale of 2-year-olds in training suffered significant setbacks. Gross revenue dropped by 33.8%, and the average and median prices fell by 27.2% and 44.0%, respectively. The buy-back rate was 45.4%, reaching the second-highest level in the auction's history.
