Thursday, May 13 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-13-10

Paizano the Horse to Beat in Saturday Feature at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 13, 2010) – GZS Stable LLC’s Paizano will likely be sent off an odds-on favorite over five rival 3-year-olds in Saturday’s ‘a other than’ allowance feature Saturday at Calder Casino & Race Course, a highlight of the 12-race ‘live’ card with plenty of attention directed to the simulcast of the 135th Preakness Stakes (G1) and other stakes to be run at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

Leading jockey Luis Saez will be aboard Paizano for the first time in the seven-furlong Calder feature for trainer Bill White in his first start since romping home a 5 ½ lengths winner of the $50,000 Shake You Down starter/allowance stakes at Gulfstream Park on Apr. 24 as the favorite going the same distance with Bernie the Maestro second.

Monday, May 10 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-9-10

Moreno ‘Another’ Apprentice Off to Good Start at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 9, 2010) – Apprentice jockey Luis Saez won two more races on Saturday’s program at Calder Casino & Race Course to extend his early lead in the standings over veteran Manoel Cruz to three (14-11) after eight days of the session, but Saez is not the only apprentice on the riders’ leader board.

Seven-pound apprentice Angel Moreno won the 10th race Saturday aboard favorite Rusty Charlie for trainer Francisco Machado, Jr., Moreno’s fourth victory with three seconds from 23 mounts to rank sixth in the standings in the early going. A 4-year-old son of Pure Precision, Rusty Charlie was winning his third straight after two wins at Gulfstream Park with Moreno aboard each time, the first as a 10-pound apprentice.

Saturday, May 08 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-8-10

O’Connell Stable Gearing up for Busy Summer Campaign

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 8, 2010) – Veteran trainer Kathleen O’Connell closed out the 2009 season and the first two days of 2010 winning the Tropical Meet title with 17 wins, highlighted by the 23-to-1 upset victory of Gilbert Campbell’s homebred 3-year-old gelding Fly by Phil in the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby (G3) on New Year’s Day.

The title was O’Connell’s first at Calder, although a regular in the top 10 more often than not over the last 15 years, and the stable’s momentum kept going into the winter/spring season at Tampa Bay Downs where she finished in a tie atop the leader board for that long meet with Jamie Ness at 51 victories each. O’Connell previously won the Tampa Bay championship for the 1998/99 season and has been a contender most years since then.

Friday, May 07 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-7-10

Boleyn Back to Dirt for Sunday Feature at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 7, 2010) – Peachtree Stable’s 4-year-old filly Boleyn, Graded stakes-placed in New York as a 2-year-old, was a beaten favorite last out trying turf for the first time at Gulfstream Park on Apr. 9, but turns back in distance and to the main track as the likely short-priced favorite in Sunday’s ‘a other than’ optional/allowance feature at Calder Casino & Race Course.

Leading rider Luis Saez gets the call on Boleyn from trainer Marty Wolfson in the seven-furlong test facing six rival fillies and mares after tiring to eighth last out going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Gulfstream. The chestnut daughter of Proud Citizen was making her second start following nearly a year on the sidelines.

Thursday, May 06 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-06-10

Overnight Stakes Doubleheader Saturday at Calder

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 6, 2010) – Renewals of the $55,000 Hollywood Wildcat and $55,000 Ride the Trails overnight stakes highlight the 12-race Saturday card at Calder Casino & Race Course, and trainer Marty Wolfson’s powerful stable appears likely to have the favorites for both tests.

Wolfson sent out Motovato and Causeway Kin for a one-two finish in the $55,000 Sumter overnight last Saturday and has a formidable pair for the Hollywood Wildcat for fillies and mares going 7 ½ furlongs on turf with Farnsworth Stables’ 5-year-old Cherokee Queen and Ben McElroy and Edward Easton’s 4-year-old filly Omega Cat. Wolfson will be represented by Gary Barber’s Coffee Boy in the Ride the Rails for 3-year-olds at one mile and 70 yards.

Sunday, May 02 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 5-2-10

Glotona Turns Back for Thursday Allowance Feature

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 2, 2010) – Shirley Duco’s 5-year-old mare Glotona gets a slight class break and turns back in distance from a one-turn mile to seven furlongs as the horse to beat in a field of seven fillies and mares drawn for Thursday’s $31,000 optional/allowance feature at Calder Casino & Race Course.

Jockey Manoel Cruz gets the call on Glotona for trainer Luis Duco, who also sends out his wife Shirley’s 5-year-old mare Exclusive Woman as an uncoupled entry in the race with jockey Josue Arce aboard.

LEADERS RECOGNIZED AT CLOSING OF 2009-2010 MEET

OLDSMAR, Fla. (May 2, 2010) Tampa Bay Downs ended its 84th live racing season today with Kathleen O’Connell, Jamie Ness, Daniel Centeno, Kristina McManigell, Midwest Thoroughbreds and Party of Eight taking top honors for the meet.

Trainers Kathleen O’Connell and Jamie Ness shared the Trainer’s title for the 2009-2010 Tampa Bay Downs season with 51 wins apiece. This is only the third time in recent recorded history that two triners have shared the season’s title at Tampa Bay Downs.

Saturday, May 01 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 05-01-10

Blind Luck Fourth Oaks Winner with Calder History

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 1, 2010) – With a thrilling stretch charge and head-bob, photo-finish victory, Blind Luck won Friday’s 136th edition of the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs for trainer and co-owner Jerry Hollendorfer, becoming the fourth filly to have raced at Calder Race Course earlier in her career to capture America’s most coveted test for 3-year-old fillies.

A chestnut daughter of Pollard’s Vision originally purchased for $11,000 as a yearling, Blind Luck won her career debut at Calder by 13 ¼ lengths on June 21 last year for trainer Jim Hatchett while
racing for a $40,000 claiming tag and no takers. She was then sold privately shortly thereafter for a considerably larger price to a group of California owners led by Hollendorfer.

Friday, April 30 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 4-30-10

Veteran Stakes Performers Meet in Sunday Feature

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (April 30, 2010) – Bea Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn, Luis Olivares’ Green Vegas and Kenneth Hoffman’s Rockerfeller won stakes events earlier in their careers and are set to clash in Sunday’s 6 1/2 furlongs optional/allowance feature at Calder Casino & Race Course, all three entered for a $50,000 claiming tag.

Jockey Paco Lopez gets the call on Hey Byrn for trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. as he bids to bounce back from a dull sixth-place effort in an overnight stakes at Gulfstream Park on Mar. 27. The 5-year-old son of Put It Back emerged as a major player in his crop as a 3-year-old in 2008 winning a pair of allowance races at Gulfstream.

Thursday, April 29 2010

Calder Barn Notes: 4-29-10

First Two-Year-Old Races of Season at Calder Saturday

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (April 29, 2010) – Most racing fans in the nation and others worldwide Saturday will be focused on the simulcast of the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs, and a highlight of the ‘live’ 12-race program at Calder Casino & Race Course will mark the first 2-year-old races to be run in Florida this season, one colt with a family connection to this year’s ‘Run for the Roses’ field.

Early developments from a new crop of 2-year-olds will all make their career debuts Saturday at Calder with nine colts and geldings entered in the first race and 10 fillies drawn for the fifth race, both maiden special weight events with a purse of $39,000 at 4 ½ furlongs.

Monday, April 26 2010

Calder Stakes Recap: $100,000 Miami Mile Handicap

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (April 25, 2010) – Quantum Racing Team #1, LLC’s 5-year-old gelding Mambo Meister has won races at Calder Casino & Race Course on both turf and dirt and was a winner on Opening Day of the 2010 season on Sunday when he took the $100,000 Miami Mile Handicap (G3) on the grass by a head over Pinckney Hill. The 2009 Calder Meet leading jockey Manoel Cruz was aboard for trainer Phil Gleaves.

Mambo Meister, winner of the Spend A Buck Handicap (G3) on dirt in his last appearance at Calder in the fall, came from off the pace in the Miami Mile to get the eight furlongs over firm turf in 1:35.04. He passed Pinckney Hill, who was helping to set the early pace, in deep stretch. It was another three-quarters of a length back to a fast-closing Pleasant Strike in third place.

Calder Barn Notes: 4-25-10

‘Joanie’ Louisville-bound on Monday

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (April 25, 2010) – Rose Family Stable’s 3-year-old Florida homebred filly Joanie’s Catch will board a van Monday morning at Calder Casino & Race Course for the approximately 1,000 mile trip to Louisville, Ky. for her engagement in Friday’s $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs.

“She worked good here Friday and she’s ready to go,” said co-owner/breeder and trainer Barry Rose Sunday morning. “She’s always run her race and it looks like there should be plenty of speed in there for her to run at. Paco (Lopez) has ridden her in most of her races this year and will have the mount.”