Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's undefeated grade I winner Lion Heart got his final major prep for his March 6 sophomore debut, breezing six furlongs from the gate under regular jockey Mike Smith in 1:12 4/5 at Santa Anita on Wednesday.
Grade I winner Lion Heart progressed toward the first start of his sophomore year in the March 6 San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) by working six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 over Santa Anita's fast main track Wednesday morning.
Trainer Patrick Biancone sent two of his most promising Triple Crown hopefuls, Lion Heart and Pomeroy, out for workouts Wednesday morning over Santa Anita's fast main track.
Grade I winner Lion Heart was put through his first workout of the new year on Friday, breezing a half-mile in :48 3/5 over Santa Anita's fast main track.
Trainer Patrick Biancone said he plans to take the Southern California route to prepare Lion Heart for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
A classy field of 11 three-year-old fillies and nine turf marathoners head two highly competitive stakes races at Santa Anita Park on a special day of racing Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Mambo Slew rallied from slightly off the pace and drew clear for a three-length victory in the $76,300 Blue Norther Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Wednesday at Santa Anita Park.
Flying Zee Stable's Salty Romance was sent off as the 3-2 favorite in Friday's $250,000 Boyd Gaming's Delta Princess Stakes at Delta Downs and did not disappoint, leading from start to finish for an victory in the mile test for 2-year-old fillies.
Alec Wildenstein's All Along, the 1983 Horse of the Year, has been pensioned. The 24-year-old mare is at Three Chimneys Farm near Lexington.
Graded stakes winning sprinter Zavata, who is being pointed to the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita, will stand next year at John T.L. Jones' Walmac near Lexington.
Grade I winner Whywhywhy has arrived at Bruce Kline and partners' Spendthrift Farm near Lexington, where he will enter stud for $7,500.
Patrick Biancone once had classic aspirations for Zavata. He doesn't mind admitting now the colt is a sprinter.
Prestonwood Farm's Special Ring, a contender for the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT), zipped three furlongs in :33 4/5 at Santa Anita Monday morning.
Patrick Biancone and Fabien Ouaki's Whywhywhy turned in his final work in preparation for Saturday's $200,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Sunday morning. Promising 3-year-olds Atswhatimtalknbout and Omega Code also worked Sunday.
Members of the Mr. Greeley syndicate and Spendthrift Farm have purchased a 50% interest in the breeding rights to top 2-year-old Whywhywhy.
Gotham Stakes (gr. III) winner Mayakovsky will not start in the inaugural running of the Matt Winn Handicap at Churchill Downs Saturday, but will instead be pointed toward the seven-furlong Riva Ridge Stakes (gr. II) on the Belmont Stakes undercard.
Gotham Stakes (gr. III) winner Mayakovsky drilled five furlongs in :58 1/5 Sunday at Churchill Downs as he prepares for Saturday's Derby Trial Stakes (gr. III) at the Louisville track.
Gotham Stakes (gr. III) winner Maykovsky is definite for the April 6 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), trainer Patrick Biancone said Saturday, but Royal Gem has been declared from the race due to a quarter crack.
Michael Tabor's Gotham Stakes (gr. III) winner Mayakovsky drilled five furlongs in :58 3/5 at Santa Anita Wednesday and is now under consideration for the Santa Anita Derby. Trainer Bobby Frankel may run turf stakes winner Royal Gem in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby prep.
Both coming off extended layoffs, Mayakovsky outruns Saarland in the Gotham.
An A. P. Indy colt was purchased by Californian B. Wayne Hughes for $900,00 to top the first half of Tuesday's Fasig-Tipton selected sale of 2-year-olds in training at Calder Racecourse in Florida.
Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) longshot Trailthefox will race for a new ownership group on Saturday after Dr. Thomas Liang of Hong Kong and partners bought controlling interest in the California-bred son of the first-crop sire Foxtrail.
Trailthefox earned a 1 1/4-length win over Starbury in the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity (gr. II) Saturday at Arlington International. The pair ran away from the field of 2-year-olds through the stretch as Starbury came home 7 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Blame It On Ruby.
