Thursday, September 13 2012

SEVEN SOPHOMORE TURF FILLIES VIE IN G1 GARDEN CITY

ELMONT, N.Y. – Two Grade/Group 1 winners from diverse backgrounds head a field of seven 3-year-old fillies in Saturday’s 35th running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Garden City on the turf at Belmont Park.

Samitar, winner of the Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas in May at the Curragh, and Karlovy Vary, whose biggest victory came when she wired the field at 15-1 in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland, both will be looking to rebound off third-place finishes in their most recent outings.

Monday, September 10 2012

HESSONITE, LUBASH VICTORIOUS IN NEW YORK-BRED STAKES

ELMONT, N.Y. – Hessonite picked up her third consecutive stakes victory with a 5 ¼-length romp in the $150,000 John Hettinger, while Lubash made it two straight by outdueling favored Compliance Officer in the $150,000 Ashley T. Cole, both for New York-breds, on Sunday afternoon at Belmont Park.

Confidently ridden by Ramon Dominguez from the rail, the 4-year-old Hessonite lingered near the back as Inimitable Romanee led the field of five state-bred fillies through early fractions of 24.54 and 50.11 seconds over the yielding turf course. Accelerating along the inside on the far turn, the Freud filly swung out and grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch, crossing the wire in 1:52.12 for the 1 1/8 miles under a hand ride.

BELMONT PARK NOTES: Sunday, September 9, 2012

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Chad Brown could saddle as many as three runners in Saturday’s graded stakes at Belmont Park, with the British-bred Samitar expected to make her debut for Brown in the Grade 1, $300,000 Garden City at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf, and French-breds Kya One and Whipsaw City both under consideration for the Grade 3, $150,000 Noble Damsel run at a mile over the Widener course.

Samitar, a Group 1 winner in Ireland, was previously trained by Mick Channon, who sent the filly out for her North American debut in the Grade 2 Lake George Stakes on July 25 at Saratoga Race Course, a race Brown watched with interest. The 3-year-old Rock of Gibraltar filly endured an eventful trip and was third in a blanket finish where less than 1 ½ lengths separated the top five.

ALVARADO OUT 4-5 WEEKS WITH FRACTURED CLAVICLE

ELMONT, N.Y. – Jockey Junior Alvarado was released from North Shore University Hospital late Saturday evening with a non-displaced fracture of his right clavicle, according to the jockey advocate for The New York Racing Association, Inc. He is scheduled to follow up with an orthopedist on Monday. Alvarado’s agent, Mike Sellito, said the rider would likely be sidelined for 4-5 weeks.

Alvarado, 26, was unseated when his mount, Palace (No. 2) bumped with Tower in Court (No. 8) in the late stages of Saturday’s seventh race, a maiden contest over the Widener turf course for New York-bred horses. Palace, a 3-year-old son of City Zip, stumbled and fell, but did not appear to be injured in the incident.

Sunday, September 09 2012

AIR SUPPORT ROLLS TO VICTORY IN G2 BOWLING GREEN HANDICAP

ELMONT, N.Y. – Favored Air Support caught front-running Bombaguia in the final yards and got his head in front at the wire to win Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Bowling Green Handicap, the opening-day feature for Belmont Park’s 37-day fall meet.

The 4-year-old Smart Strike colt, ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, tucked in third along the rail as Bombaguia led the tightly grouped field of five through an opening quarter-mile in 26.06 seconds, with the half going in 50.55 and three quarters in 1:14.90. Tipped to the outside as they straightened for home, Air Support caught up with the pacesetter inside the eighth pole and prevailed only after a tough battle to the wire.

Thursday, September 06 2012

MCGAUGHEY LOOKS TO KEEP ROLLING IN BOWLING GREEN

ELMONT, N.Y. – Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who concluded a successful Saratoga meet by saddling Hit It Rich to win the Grade 3 Glens Falls, looks to continue the momentum on opening day at Belmont Park when he sends out Air Support in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Bowling Green Handicap.

The 8-5 morning-line favorite over four others, Air Support seeks his first victory of 2012 in the 1 ¼-mile turf race, which will be run as the third of 10 races. First race post time is 12:50 p.m.

Wednesday, August 08 2012

NYRA ANNOUNCES BELMONT AND AQUEDUCT FALL STAKES SCHEDULES

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has released the stakes schedules for the 2012 Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack fall meets.

The marquee race day of the 2012 Belmont fall meet is Saturday, September 29, with a card featuring five Grade 1 races, highlighted by the $1 million TVG Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational for older males at 1 ¼ miles on the main track. Additional Grade 1 affairs supporting the meet’s most prestigious race are the $600,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational for turf routers, the $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational for filly and mare turf routers, the $400,000 Beldame Invitational for filly and mare dirt routers, and the $400,000 Vosburgh Invitational for dirt sprinters. Also on September 29 is the Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Handicap for dirt milers.

Tuesday, July 17 2012

JOCKEY JOSE ORTIZ SCHEDULED TO LEAVE HOSPITAL MONDAY

ELMONT, N.Y. – Apprentice rider Jose Ortiz was scheduled to be released from North Shore University Hospital Monday afternoon after an overnight stay following a spill in Sunday afternoon’s eighth race at Belmont Park.

According to the NYRA Jockey Advocate, CT Scans and X-rays were negative on Ortiz, with the exception of a bruised lung.

Monday, July 16 2012

DOMINGUEZ, DUTROW, RAMSEYS WIN BELMONT MEET TITLES

ELMONT, N.Y. – Two-time reigning Eclipse champion jockey Ramon Dominguez won the Belmont Park spring/summer riding title for the fourth straight year, bringing home 70 winners during the 56-day meet that concluded Sunday.

Dominguez, the leading rider on The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit this year, rode winners of more than $4.5 million during the meet and won seven stakes, including Grade 1 victories aboard Tapitsfly in the Longines Just a Game and Desert Blanc in the Woodford Reserve Manhattan on Belmont Stakes day.

Thursday, July 12 2012

POINT OF ENTRY TESTS DEEPER WATERS IN MAN O’ WAR

ELMONT, N.Y. – Point of Entry, winner of two straight, will make his first Grade 1 start when he competes in Saturday’s $600,000 Man o’ War at Belmont Park.

After beginning his career with a record of 1-2-1 in seven starts, Point of Entry cleared the first allowance condition in his final start of 2011, a 1 3/8-mile turf race in December at Gulfstream Park. The Phipps Stable homebred was fourth when cut back to 1 1/8 miles for a Gulfstream optional claimer in February, then won a pair of 1 ½-mile races at Keeneland during a 15-day span. The 4-year-old closed from 26 lengths out to win an April 12 allowance race by 1 ¼ lengths, then came back to win the Grade 2 Elkhorn, his graded stakes debut, by 1 ½ lengths on April 27.

Monday, July 09 2012

BELMONT PARK NOTES: Sunday, July 8, 2012

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Kathy Ritvo said Sunday that Mucho Macho Man emerged from his impressive victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Suburban in good order and was relaxing at the Spa.

“We’re already back in Saratoga and everything’s great,” said Ritvo, who trains the colt for Dean and Patti Reeves. “He came out of it very good.”

Sunday, July 08 2012

JERKENS, 83, SADDLES EMMA’S ENCORE ($80) TO G3 VICTORY RIDE UPSET

ELMONT, N.Y. – Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens bolstered his reputation as the “Giant Killer” at Belmont Park Saturday afternoon, sending out 39-1 Emma’s Encore to upset previously undefeated Agave Kiss in the Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride.

After breaking alertly, Emma’s Encore settled into fifth as favored Agave Kiss dueled with Jamaican Smoke through a blistering opening quarter-mile in 21.46. Jamaican Smoke headed the favorite to run a half-mile in 44 flat as Emma’s Encore began to gain momentum. Third at the top of the stretch, Emma’s Encore kicked clear through the final sixteenth of a mile to win by 2 ¾ lengths. Her final time for six furlongs was 1:08.89 and she returned $80 as the longest shot in the field of six sophomore fillies.