George and Mary Clare Schmitt's Izzy Rules lived up to her name, and her 6-5 favoritism, in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes at Santa Anita Park. Grabbing command soon after the start, the Jeff Bonde trainee led all the way home to finish the 6 1/2-furlong, fast track event in 1:14 2/5. The five-year-old daughter of Peace Rules paid $4.60, $3.20 and $2.80 to her faithful supporters.
Bradley Thoroughbreds, Steve Laymon and Jerry & Ronald Frankel's Dayatthespa was all out to hold a closing Regalo Mia in Sunday's Grade 3, $150,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park. With Javier Castellano aboard, the Chad Brown-trained daughter of City Zip was a neck clear on the wire while finishing the nine-furlong, firm turf affair in 1:47 1/5.
"We talked about it before the race," Motion said, "and decided the logical spot for him, if he did well today, would be to go to the Blue Grass, and see where we go from there."
When Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein's Miz Ida powered home with a late-running three-quarter-length victory in Saturday's $75,000 Allen LaCombe Memorial at Fair Grounds, winning trainer Steve Margolis was quick to bring attention to the filly's namesake.
Santa Anita will present its fifth annual "Santa Anita Uncorked" wine and culinary festival on March 25. The event will be staged in the track's paddock gardens area beginning at noon (PDT) and will feature a wide array of boutique and hand-picked wine selections, cuisine sampling from 14 popular local restaurants, a paddock art show and a full day of exciting Thoroughbred racing.
Mucho Macho Man grazed on a small patch of grass on the Gulfstream Park backstretch Sunday, stopping on occasion to bask in the morning sun and calmly survey his surroundings outside Barn 4.
Mucho Macho Man continued to establish himself as a serious player in the older horse division Saturday, posting a convincing victory in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap. A smart winner of the 1 1/8-mile Sunshine Millions Classic January 28, the leggy bay colt cut back powerfully to a one-turn mile while extending his win streak to three. Ramon Dominguez was up for trainer Kathy Ritvo.
Anita Cauley's homebred On Fire Baby was sent off the 2-5 favorite in Saturday's Grade 3, $125,000 Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park, but the gray miss had to work for the win as 3-1 second choice Amie's Dini refused to yield in the lane. It was only nearing the wire that On Fire Baby managed to pull away, posting a two-length victory under jockey Joe Johnson to return $2.80, $2.40 and $2.10 to her backers.
The San Felipe was widely viewed as the deepest Derby prep race so far this season. Despite the withdrawal of Out of Bounds, who is sidelined by a fractured ankle, and Fed Biz, who had a minor hiccup but is still on the trail, the 1 1/16-mile test lured a terrific group of classic hopefuls.
Pin Oak Stable's homebred Alternation continued his progression toward the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap with a wire-to-wire score in Saturday's Grade 3, $125,000 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park.
Prospective made his move to the lead on the far turn, was headed in midstretch by a surging Golden Ticket, then came back again to prevail in Saturday's Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby. Winner of the Grade 3 Grey Stakes at two and second in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes in his previous start, the Mark Casse-trained colt likely guaranteed himself a spot in the Kentucky Derby field by increasing his graded earnings to $365,452.
Gold Mark Farm's Grade 2 Nashua Stakes winner Vexor makes his three-year-old debut in the $50,000 OBS Sprint Stakes as OBS holds its 23rd annual Day of Champions race card on Monday.
Mikhail Glinka foreshadowed what Master of Hounds would accomplish two races later in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta. Interestingly, both had been stablemates under the tutelage of Aidan O'Brien, and neither had managed to win since the summer of 2010. Mikhail Glinka last visited the winner's circle after a photo-finish score in the Group 3 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot.
Shivananda Parbhoo's Trinniberg is a colt to be reckoned with in the major three-year-old sprints later this year after an impressive 2012 debut in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Swale at Gulfstream Park. Making his first start since November and racing without blinkers for the first time, the son of Teuflesberg assumed command at the start, led by a length through splits of :22 3/5 and :45, and exploded through the stretch to win by six lengths under Willie Martinez. Final time for seven furlongs over a fast track was a sharp 1:21 3/5. Trinniberg, sent off at 7-1, returned $17.20, $9.60 and $6.40.
Ahmed Ajtebi picked up the mount as Godolphin's other associated riders piloted more accomplished entrants. Frankie Dettori, who had ridden Capponi in all three of his starts this season, got off to partner Prince Bishop for Saeed bin Suroor, who also sent out Mendip with Kieren Fallon. Al Zarooni saddled two other contenders -- Monterosso, piloted by Mickael Barzalona, and Biondetti, who drew in from the also-eligible list with Silvestre de Sousa. But none of them threatened Capponi.
In the early going, Master of Hounds was tracked by Secrecy, Pisco Sour and Derbaas, and City Style was also well placed in fifth. The same could not be said of several major contenders, including Master of Hounds' stablemates, River Jetez and Mutahadee. Christophe Soumillon, who got off Master of Hounds to ride Mutahadee, anchored him near the tail of the field. River Jetez was almost as far back. Defending Jebel Hatta champion Wigmore Hall was likewise in a poor position, and reigning Duty Free hero Presvis lagged in last after his habitual slow start.
Zagora was given a textbook ride by regular pilot Javier Castellano. The odds-on choice was reserved in sixth early, six lengths off the pace established by 96-1 longshot Megaspiel through fractions of :23 2/5 and :47 1/5. Unbridled Humor stalked in second, followed by Sea Level Drive and Federation. Zagora commenced her move entering the far turn, cutting her deficit to just 2 1/2 lengths when the leader reached six furlongs in 1:11 2/5.
Despite an initial early challenge in Saturday's Grade 3, $147,000 Cicada Stakes, Agave Kiss easily ran away with the six-furlong contest to move her career record to a perfect four-for-four under jockey Ryan Curatolo. The Rudy Rodriguez trainee was made the 1-4 prohibitive favorite by the betting public and delivered when crossing under the wire three lengths the best.
Preakness winner Shackleford will be among the star studded cast of horses lining up for the Grade 1, $400,000 Carter on Wood Memorial Day at Aqueduct on April 7.
Take Charge Indy, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line for Saturday's Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, will be scratched from the race and point instead to the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 31. Trainer Pat Byrne confirmed the change in plans to Daily Racing Form on Friday.
When the devastating news came out that jockey E.J. "Tee Joe" Perrodin was diagnosed with brain cancer just days after retiring from the saddle -- and that Fair Grounds would be hosting a charitable crawfish boil on March 20 to benefit the popular rider's family -- one of the first people to volunteer his services at the upcoming event was Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg, who will be returning to New Orleans that afternoon as an auctioneer.
There will be no change in the price of general admission tickets for the 138th runnings of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks if tickets are purchased online and in advance of those events, but the ticket price will be higher for walk-up purchases at admission gates on those respective days.
With a stable full of Kentucky Derby contenders, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is juggling talented three-year-olds every weekend, but he's counting on the strong performances by Secret Circle and Castaway in their split divisions of the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes to help him decide to whether to send them both back for the Grade 2, $500,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park March 17.
The Jockey Club Foundation, a charitable trust that assists needy individuals throughout the Thoroughbred racing industry, has been renamed The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, effective immediately.
Live racing will return to Monmouth Park on May 12, it was announced Thursday by the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NJTHA). With a lease from the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority (NJSEA) to the NJTHA expected in early May, the latter will take the operational helm at the historic racetrack for this year's 67th season of racing.
The good fortune continues at Oaklawn with racing and Instant Racing/gaming both seeing double-digit increases in February and as a result, the Hot Springs, Arkansas, track is announcing the third purse increase of the meet effective with Friday's nine-race card. In addition, the purses for the four remaining Arkansas-bred stakes -- the Rainbow, the Rainbow Miss and both divisions of the Arkansas Breeders' -- will be increased from $50,000 to $60,000.
Superstar Zenyatta produced her first foal, a bay colt by Bernardini, Thursday evening at Lane's End Farm near Versailles, Kentucky. Owners Jerry and Ann Moss were on hand to witness the foaling at approximately 10:10 p.m. (EST).
HANDICAPPING INSIGHTS
The Saratoga Springs community will celebrate its legendary relationship with Thoroughbreds at the inaugural Steeplechase Festival at Saratoga, a day of racing and spirited activities set for September 15. Proceeds from the first annual Steeplechase Festival at Saratoga will benefit both local and equine charities.
A strong mix of accomplished stars headed by major stakes performers Grace Hall and On Fire Baby and exciting newcomers led by the Bob Baffert-trained trio of Eden's Moon, Princess Arabella and Mamma Kimbo comprise the list of 94 three-year-old fillies nominated to compete in the 138th running of the Grade 1, $1 million Kentucky Oaks on May 4 at Churchill Downs.
On Fire Baby will return to the distaff ranks on Saturday when she faces seven rivals in Oaklawn Park's Grade 3, $125,000 Honeybee Stakes going 1 1/16 miles. The dual Grade 2 heroine, who is nominated to both the Triple Crown races and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, could use the race as a springboard to either the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby against the boys or stay with the fillies in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes.
It Happened Again will need to elevate his game if he wants to defend the crown he won last year in the Grade 3, $125,000 Razorback Handicap, but the gelding's new trainer, Chris Richard, thinks he is positioned to pull it off.
Last season's Group 1 Racing Post Trophy winner Camelot heads the 143 three-year-olds going forward for this year's Group Epsom Derby following the first scratchings deadline, details of which were revealed Thursday.
Churchill Downs Racetrack will be aglow in pink again for the 138th running of the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks -- America's premier race for three-year-old fillies on May 4 and annual celebration of food, fashion and fun -- as the springtime event welcomes a new beneficiary in Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) to raise vital funds and awareness for cancer research.
Carmel Heitzmann, once a flight attendant for Emirates Airlines but in more recent times the stable foreman for her trainer-husband Eric Heitzmann at Fair Grounds, successfully completed a journey on foot around the Crescent City last Sunday by finishing the New Orleans Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in four hours and 32 minutes.
Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap lost an expected top contender when Grade 1 winner Boys at Tosconova was not entered, but the one-turn mile event still features a dynamite field of six that includes Jackson Bend and Mucho Macho Man.
A field of 10 sophomores has been entered to go 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 2, $300,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday, and trainer Bob Baffert holds a powerful hand in the form of Liaison and Bodemeister.
Ever So Lucky and Motor City established themselves as three-year-olds to watch at Churchill Downs last fall and both will launch their highly-anticipated sophomore campaigns Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. A total of 10 runners are entered, but the seven-furlong test will be lacking Thunder Moccasin, a good-looking winner of the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes on February 11.
KENTUCKY DERBY REPORT
A clear second to subsequent Grade 2 Risen Star winner El Padrino in a January 29 allowance at Gulfstream Park, Take Charge Indy could also make a successful jump into the winner's circle against graded company when he takes on 11 rivals in Saturday's Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby.
Entries were unveiled Wednesday for the opening two classics of the 2012 European flat season, the Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas and Group 1 One Thousand Guineas, both of which take place on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket during the first weekend in May.
Eclipse champion and Kentucky Derby contender Hansen will school in the paddock at Turfway Park on Friday evening between the 6TH and 7TH races, according to the colt's breeder and majority owner, Dr. Kendall Hansen.
SANTA ANITA NOTEBOOK
Churchill Downs Racetrack has looked within its organization to fill a pair of key positions on its team by naming Ryan Jordan to the post of General Manager and promoting Greg Bush to Vice President, Operations at the historic home of the Kentucky Derby.
AQUEDUCT NOTEBOOK
Twelve days in advance of her 2012 debut in the $150,000 New Orleans Ladies on March 17, reigning Horse of the Year Havre de Grace worked six furlongs in company with stablemate Joyful Victory in 1:11 2/5, breezing, at Fair Grounds on Monday morning.
Grade 3 Sham Stakes hero Out of Bounds, who fired a bullet work at Hollywood Park on Monday, exited the impressive move with an injury that has knocked him off the Triple Crown trail, Daily Racing Form reports.
The 2011 juvenile champion emerged from Aqueduct Racetrack's 1 1/16-mile Gotham in good order, said trainer Michael Maker's assistant, Nelson Donis.
Get the latest insider news, analysis, entries and results on your phone or sent to your email!
Sign up for our free weekly email newsletters and alerts, filled with race previews and results, news of the week, or breaking news.
Sign Up
