Favored Bizzy Caroline, making her second start of the year, dug in late to edge outsider Heavenly Landing by a neck in the $111,000 Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Churchill Downs turf June 2.
Catesby W. Clay's homebred Bizzy Caroline was a horse for the course at Churchill Downs last year, and the Ken McPeek trainee needed to call on all of her local savvy to catch the front-running Heavenly Landing in Saturday night's Grade 3, $111,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/mintjulep12.pdf">Mint Julep Handicap</a>. Galvanized at last by Manny Cruz, the 9-5 favorite surged late to thwart the wire-to-wire bid by a neck.
Padua Stables' homebred Rothko easily proved best under the lights in Saturday's Grade 3, $109,400 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/aristides12.pdf"> Aristides</a>, registering his first stakes win with a 2 1/2-length victory at Churchill Downs. The Steve Asmussen-trained colt scored as the even-money favorite beneath Corey Nakatani.
Off for more than two months, Rothko made his 11-10 odds look like a bargain when he swept to victory in the $109,400 Aristides Stakes (gr. III) June 2 at Churchill Downs.
Island Bound picked up the first added-money victory of her career when she came from off the pace to take the $110,100 Winning Colors Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs June 2.
Robert T. Manfuso's Island Bound relished the pace meltdown up front in Saturday night's Grade 3, $110,100 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/winningcolors12.pdf"> Winning Colors Stakes</a> at Churchill Downs, rallying best of all late to record her first career stakes victory. With new rider Leandro Goncalves aboard, the Ian Wilkes trainee outkicked Beat the Blues and Speedacious to spring a 9-1 upset, paying $21.40, $6.40 and $4.40.
Rebounding from a poor showing in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup, Game on Dude scored an emphatic victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $147,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/californian12.pdf"> Californian</a> at Hollywood Park. Under Chantel Sutherland, the five-year-old Bob Baffert pupil set a moderate pace of :24, :48 1/5 and 1:12, shook loose from closest pursuer Morning Line around the far turn, and drew away to win by 7 1/4 lengths. He completed nine furlongs on the Cushion Track in 1:48.
Showing he's happy to be back in California, Game On Dude romped to victory in the $147,000 Californian Stakes (gr. II) June 2 in his first start since a nearly tragic trip to the Dubai two months ago.
Former President Bill Clinton says I'll Have Another has a "good chance" to win the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) June 9 and become racing's first Triple Crown winner in 34 years.
Sunday's Group 1 Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) at Chantilly will see a maximum field of 20, with His Highness The Aga Khan looking for an eighth renewal courtesy of the unbeaten Mikel Delzangles-trained Kesampour. Drawn in a favorable post in five down towards the all-important inner rail, the homebred will be joined by the same owner/breeder's Lunayir, who will break from 15 as he bids to provide Alain de Royer-Dupre with a sixth edition.
C C's Pal defeated Nicole H by a neck to win the Vagrancy Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park June 2.
First on the track at 8:30 a.m. (EDT) during the special time slot set aside for Belmont Stakes contenders, Triple Crown hopeful I'll Have Another had an easy gallop around the dogs over a sloppy, sealed Belmont Park oval Saturday morning.
A disappointing fourth in the Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile last time out, Glen Hill Farm's Marketing Mix rebounded with a 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $344,628 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/nassau12.pdf">Nassau Stakes</a> at Woodbine. The Tom Proctor filly has now won both of her turf clashes with Inglorious, who wound up fourth after being caught in a pocket.
The attempt by Eric Fein's C C's Pal to lull her opposition to sleep in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/vagrancy12.pdf">Vagrancy Handicap</a> at Belmont Park looked in the stretch as if was going to backfire. After posting splits of :23 2/5 and :47, slow fractions for a 6 1/2-furlong dash, C C's Pal gave up a short lead to 8-5 favorite Nicole H with yards to go. However, jockey Ramon Dominguez's attempt to handride Nicole H to the finish line itself backfired as C C's Pal re-rallied under the urgings of Junior Alvarado to score by a neck in a time of 1:16 over a fast track. C C's Pal returned $5.70, $2.90 and $2.30 as the 9-5 second choice.
Even-money choice Marketing Mix, given a clean trip on the outside, mowed down the leaders in the stretch to win the $344,628 Nassau Stakes (Can-IIT) on a soft Woodbine turf course June 2.
Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky., hosted a welcome reception and press conference for media and fans to meet new retiree Rapid Redux June 1 .
Dr. Kendall Hansen and Skychai Racing's Hansen turned in a bullet work at Churchill Downs' Trackside Training Center in Kentucky June 2.
Pete Denk introduces his new handicapping blog.
The undefeated Camelot swept to a majestic victory in Saturday's Group 1 Derby at Epsom, giving further substance to dreams of a rare English Triple Crown. Under a coolly confident ride by 19-year-old Joseph O'Brien, son of trainer Aidan O'Brien, the odds-on favorite closed from near the tail of the small field to romp by five lengths.
With the main track listed as sloppy following overnight rain, no Belmont Stakes (gr. I) contender worked out at Belmont Park June 2. Instead, the majority of the field will have their final breezes the following morning.
Other stakes for Belmont Stakes weekend are beginning to take shape, with the Grade 2, $200,000 Brooklyn Handicap headlining Friday's card. The Brooklyn is expected to serve as a Belmont Stakes tryout of sorts for jockey Mario Gutierrez, who is slated to ride Doug O'Neill trainee Boxeur de Rues in the 1 1/2-mile race. Last year's Brooklyn winner, Birdrun is likely to mount a title defense, and is expected to face Arthur's Tale, Balladry, Eldaafer, Eye On Jacob, Golden Gulch, Hailstone, Kentucky Reign, Not Abroad, Praetereo, and Redeemed.
One would be hard-pressed to find a duo of older males in better form than Morton Fink's homebreds Wise Dan and Successful Dan and it's possible the talented half-brothers could battle for barn bragging rights in the Grade 1, $400,000 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs on June 16.
On Friday, Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, hosted a welcome reception and press conference for media and fans to meet new retiree Rapid Redux.
Camelot kept his perfect record intact with a superb five-length victory in the $2,054,000 Investec Derby (Eng-I) at Epsom June 2.
The Thoroughbred Owners of California June 1 tabled action on exchange wagering for one year and endorsed a deal proposed by The Stronach Group, leading to a strong response from Betfair TVG.
St Nicholas Abbey took the lead two furlongs from the wire and stormed home an easy winner in the $465,000 Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup (Eng-I) at Epsom June 2.
While headshaking can be a purely behavioral problem in many horses, it can also result from severe facial pain or irritation, possibly due to a nerve disorder. Some headshakers with nerve disorders are euthanized while others undergo a surgical procedure called caudal compression of the infraorbital nerve to relieve the pain. The procedure involves placi...
