The fourth edition of the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit will feature a "Prevention vs. Reaction" theme when it is held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on October 16-17.
The countdown to the second British Champions Day at Ascot on October 20 is now in full swing and the sense of anticipation ahead of British racing's richest day of the year steps up a gear Wednesday with the publication of the latest acceptors for the championship finales in each of the five categories of the British Champions Series.
<i><b><font face="Arial" size="4">SANTA ANITA NOTEBOOK </font> </b></i>
World-class racing returns to Keeneland as the 17-day fall race meet opens Friday. Racing occurs Wednesday through Sunday with the final day of the fall season on October 27. Post time for the first race each day is 1:05 p.m. (ET).
Animal Kingdom will return to action in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita on November 3 with a chance to become the first Kentucky Derby winner to go on to Breeders Cup glory since Unbridled in 1990.
The Breeders' Cup on Tuesday announced the wagering menu and post times for the 29th Breeders' Cup World Championships, to be held November 2-3 at Santa Anita. This year's wagering menu on the 15 Breeders' Cup races features an abundance of betting opportunities including two all Breeders' Cup Ultra Pick Sixes, 10-cent Superfectas, 50-cent Trifectas, Pick 3s, Pick 4s and Pick 5s, a Ladies' Classic -- Breeders' Cup Classic Daily Double and two Super High 5 wagers.
As expected, Sunday's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will not feature last year's winner Danedream, but there was another twist as Nathaniel was also ruled out Tuesday. Just hours after Germany's defending champion was scratched at the six-day forfeit stage due to the three-month quarantine of all horses based at the racecourse hit by a case of EIA in Cologne, dual Group 1 winner Nathaniel also went by the wayside after he was found to have a temperature.
Dawn Approach on Tuesday morning warmed up for his Group 1, £300,000 Dewhurst engagement with a solid work-out under big-race jockey Kevin Manning. The unbeaten colt worked in company with fellow Dewhurst entry Leitir Mor over 5 1/2 furlongs at trainer Jim Bolger's Beechy Park in County Carlow.
<i><b><font face="Arial" size="4">BELMONT NOTEBOOK</font></b></i>
Ellen M. Charles purchased a Malibu Moon filly for the top price of $300,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's Eastern Fall Yearlings Sale, conducted in Timonium, Maryland, on Monday. Cataloged as Hip No. 81, the Virginia-bred was consigned by Charlton (Mr. and Mrs. Rick Abbott), agent for Audley Farm Equine.
In a strange twist of fate Monday, last year's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triompge heroine Danedream was effectively ruled out of Sunday's renewal at Longchamp after a case of equine infectious anemia (EIA), or swamp fever, put Cologne racecourse under immediate quarantine.
Swifty Farms' Pataky Kid, winner of the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity and undefeated in two starts on Polytrack, worked five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 on Monday in preparation for a run in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Breeders' Futurity, a "Win and You're In" race for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile to be run November 3 at Santa Anita.
Breeders' Cup announced Monday that general admission tickets are now available for purchase online for the 29th Breeders' Cup World Championships on November 2 and 3 at Santa Anita at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.breederscup.com/tickets"> www.breederscup.com/tickets</a>.
When the gate opened, Overanalyze was a bit tardy to move from post 4, then got bumped by Handsome Jack, who veered in from post 5. Meanwhile, as Overanalyze found himself lagging in the rear with John Velazquez, a contentious pace unfolded up front.
The complexion of the John Henry changed early on, as the field crossed over the brief span of the main track before linking up with the turf course proper. When 3-2 favorite Turbo Compressor didn't sprint to the fore as expected, jockey Garrett Gomez called an audible and let Slim Shadey roll. The Simon Callaghan trainee never looked back.
<b><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">Kauai Katie runs away in Matron</font></b>
Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Politicallycorrect rallied on the extreme outside to upset 2-1 favorite Willy Beamin in Sunday's $400,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/okderby12.pdf">Oklahoma Derby</a> at Remington Park. Hung out seven wide down the lane, the 10-1 chance came with an irresistible late charge beneath Kent Desormeaux to prevail in the shadow of the wire, snapping the favorite's six-race winning streak.
The 90-day meeting at Arlington Park ended Sunday, with trainer Wayne Catalano earning his 10th Arlington crown while jockey Francisco Torres and owners Midwest Thoroughbreds of Richard and Karen Papiese each took down their first Arlington title.
If ever there was a match made in heaven, it was exemplified once again a little less than two months ago when a large group of Arlington jockeys lent their time and expertise to a group of youngsters at nearby stables in Wauconda, Illinois.
Alex Campbell Jr.'s Karlovy Vary, winner of the Grade 1 Ashland this spring, breezed a half-mile in :52 3/5 over Keeneland's Polytrack Sunday morning in preparation for next Sunday's 57th running of the Grade 1, $500,000 Spinster.
Second favorite Lord Kanaloa, ridden by Yasunari Iwata, exerted a strong late charge, despite the strong crosswind from the approaching typhoon, to capture his first Grade 1 victory in a course-record time of 1:06.7 in Sunday's Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama. His victory prevented stablemate Curren Chan from achieving her third consecutive Grade 1 sprint race victory.
Game on Dude did what was expected in his final tune-up for the Breeders' Cup Classic, posting an easy win in the Grade 1, $250,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/awesomeagain12.pdf"> Awesome Again Stakes</a>, and figures to be a definitive favorite over the same Santa Anita track on November 3. Favored at 1-5 over eight rivals on Saturday, the classy gelding provided Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Rafael Bejarano with their third Grade 1 victory on the afternoon when cruising to a 3 1/4-length decision.
The Bob Baffert trainee pressed the pace three wide as Know More, the 9-5 favorite, and another Baffert trainee, Carving, battled back and forth setting fractions of :23, :47 2/5 and 1:12 2/5. Once Power Broker took over the lead in the upper stretch, the race was over as the son of Pulpit drew clear under left-hand urging from rider Rafael Bejarano. He was able to go the 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:44 2/5.
Glen Hill Farm's Marketing Mix was the class of the field in Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/rodeodrive12.pdf">Rodeo Drive</a> at Santa Anita, and it showed. Rallying from well off a blistering speed duel, the even-money favorite drew off imperiously and stamped herself as the leading domestic hope for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Coming off a stunning upset of eastern heavyweights Royal Delta and It's Tricky in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign Handicap, Green Hills Farm's Love and Pride showed that win was no fluke by traveling to Santa Anita and knocking out the West Coast's leading older fillies and mares in Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/zenyatta12.pdf">Zenyatta</a>.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Executiveprivilege sped between horses going straight to the rail and posted fractions of :23 4/5, :48 2/5 and 1:13 2/5. The two-year-old set a pressured pace, but started to pull away on the second turn, leaving her competition behind in her wire-to-wire win. She was able to cover the 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:44 4/5.
Phipps Stable's homebred Point of Entry extended his winning streak to five in Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/joehirsch12.pdf">Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational</a>, officially punching his ticket to the Breeders' Cup Turf. Despite being floated out very wide by Treasure Beach entering the stretch, the 3-5 favorite outkicked the Irish invader to score by 1 3/4 lengths.
Preston Stables' Flat Out successfully defended his title in Saturday's Grade 1, $1 million <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/jcgc12.pdf">Jockey Club Gold Cup</a>, giving Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his first win in the prestigious 1 1/4-mile race since saddling Cigar to victory in 1995.
English shipper Nahrain knifed between the Chad Brown duo of Zagora and Dream Peace to get up late in Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/flowerbowl12.pdf">Flower Bowl Invitational</a> at Belmont Park, but the stewards wasted no time in posting the inquiry sign. Nahrain and 2-1 favorite Dream Peace had brushed as both launched their bids turning for home, and Dream Peace's hind end was knocked sideways. But the replay didn't conclusively prove fault, and the Darley Stable homebred was allowed to keep her victory, and its accompanying automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Royal Delta was back in top form in Saturday's Grade 1, $392,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/beldame12.pdf">Beldame</a> at Belmont Park, demolishing four opponents including arch-rival It's Tricky. Under Mike Smith, the Bill Mott-trained champion opened up a wide lead turning for home and crossed the wire 9 1/2 lengths in front as the 4-5 favorite. Royal Delta returned $3.70, $2.20 and $2.10.
Barry Schwartz's homebred The Lumber Guy showed no signs of rust while returning from a 4 1/2-month layoff in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/vosburgh12.pdf">Vosburgh Stakes</a>, holding the fast-closing Caixa Eletronica safe in the latter stages for a 1 1/4-length score. He completed six furlongs in 1:09 1/5 on the "good" track at Belmont Park.
Charles Fipke's Jersey Town out-staged notable rivals Shackleford and To Honor and Serve in the Grade 2, $400,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/kelso12.pdf">Kelso Handicap</a> at Belmont Park, driving to a convincing 3 1/2-length decision beneath Javier Castellano. The Barclay Tagg-trained horse snapped a 23-month losing streak in the process, notching his first victory since the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in 2010, and earned a berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile where he will be a viable contender if he runs back to Saturday's performance.
Jockey Perry Ouzts joined an elite group of riders Saturday when he rode Tanner Me Boy to a two-length victory in Turfway Park's 2ND race to notch his 6,000th career win.
Sir Henry Cecil made a rare racecourse appearance to witness Frankel, the world's highest-rated racehorse, work over nine furlongs on the Rowley Mile ahead of his next, and most likely final, start in the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 20.
French handler Francois Doumen gained his first top level success on the Flat in Britain when Siyouma won Saturday's Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket. It was a fourth consecutive win for French-trained horses, following on from Rodolphe Collet's three wins with Sahpresa.
Trained by Mark Johnston, the son of 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass earned 10 points for the victory. Artigiano, by Distorted Humor, collected four points for second.
Morton Fink's Wise Dan, winner of the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile in his most recent start on September 16, was doing well Saturday morning after working a best-of-25 half-mile in :47 2/5 over Keeneland's Polytrack on Friday.
Sarava, winner of the 2002 Belmont Stakes, has been retired to Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Kentucky.
Mike McCarty's Unbridled's Note had never raced on turf or faced older horses prior to Friday's Grade 3, $100,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/eddied12.pdf">Eddie D. Stakes</a> at Santa Anita, but the Steve Asmussen sophomore professionally handled a field of seasoned turf sprinters in the opening-day feature. The Unbridled's Song colt rallied late to overhaul the front-running Chosen Miracle, in a well-timed move worthy of the race's new honoree, retired Hall of Fame rider Eddie Delahoussaye. The Eddie D., formerly known as the Morvich, serves as a course-and-distance prep for the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
Saturday's Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket, the first race on the new "Road to the Kentucky Derby" scoring system, includes a half-brother to 2008 Kentucky Derby-winning champion Big Brown -- Afonso de Sousa. The son of Henrythenavigator is the lone entrant from the yard of Aidan O'Brien, who won last year's Royal Lodge with Daddy Long Legs and also finished third with Wrote.
The Breeders' Cup and the Los Angeles Dodgers have announced that Monday is "Breeders' Cup Night" at Dodgers Stadium, in celebration of the upcoming World Championships at Santa Anita Park. The 7:10 p.m. (PDT) game will pit the Dodgers against the San Francisco Giants.
Unbeaten Certify provided Godolphin with the team's third consecutive success in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket on Friday. White Moonstone and Lyric of Light have taken the mile event for the previous two years, but neither matched the style and panache of Certify's success.
Trainer Christophe Clement said he hopes a change in race dynamics will help Summer Front earn his first Grade 1 victory when he competes in the $400,000 Jamaica Handicap on October 6 at Belmont Park.
Sir Henry Cecil is eagerly anticipating bringing Frankel for a racecourse gallop at Newmarket before racing Saturday. The world's best Thoroughbred will be joined in the exercise by Bullet Train and Midsummer Sun as part of the unbeaten Galileo colt's preparations for the Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 20.
For the second meeting in a row, Tampa Bay Downs will run 25 stakes worth $2,595,000. The lucrative added-money slate is highlighted by the 33rd edition of the Grade 2, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby, a 1 1/16-mile showcase for three-year-old Triple Crown candidates, on March 9.
Larry Jones is back and racing is the better for it. The 56-year-old trainer, who retired at the top of his game on November 7, 2009, returned in early 2011 with the same fervor as the day he left. Anyone talking with the personable Kentuckian could recognize that in a heartbeat.
Trainer Todd Pletcher shoots for a Grade 2 double with his team of juveniles at Belmont Park on Sunday. Unbeaten Grade 2 Adirondack heroine Kauai Katie looms large in the $200,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/matron12.htm">Matron Stakes</a> for fillies, and debut maiden winner Unabashed gives the barn a promising second string. But the Pletcher duo in the $200,000 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brisnet.com/edgeped/futurity12.htm">Futurity</a> -- Overanalyze and Drum Roll -- must step up their game while meeting hot-shot maiden winner Carried Interest, speedy New York-bred Weekend Hideaway and Grade 2 Sanford runner-up Handsome Jack.
Due to anticipated heavy rain, Friday's live racing card at Belmont Park has been canceled to ensure the track surfaces are in optimal condition for Saturday's card, which features six graded stakes, all part of the Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" Challenge Series. The winners of those races qualify for an automatic starting position in the corresponding Breeders' Cup Championship race with pre-entry and entry fees paid.
