Tuesday, May 22 2012

I’LL HAVE ANOTHER CONTENT AT BELMONT, COULD SOON RESUME TRAINING

ELMONT, N.Y. – Triple Crown hopeful I’ll Have Another was reported to be doing well the morning after he arrived at Belmont Park by van and will soon begin training on the Belmont main track, according to Jack Sisterson, assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill.

“He looks fantastic this morning,” said Sisterson. “He ate everything up last night and is a very happy horse. He walked the shedrow this morning. I have to speak with Doug, but it’s likely he will go to the main track at some point this week.”

Gypsy Ring game in New Providence

TORONTO, May 21 - Paul Buttigieg's Gypsy Ring, under a strong ride by Justin Stein, held off a determined Paso Doble to win Monday's $125,000 New Providence Stakes, at Woodbine.

Creeping Barrage, Executive Five and Red Eagle tussled for the early lead in the six furlong Polytrack event as Gypsy Ring and Paso Doble stalked the early pace.

Monday, May 21 2012

PREAKNESS WINNER I’LL HAVE ANOTHER HEADS TO BELMONT PARK, O’NEILL-TRAINED COLT CONTINUES QUEST

BALTIMORE, 05-20-12 – I’ll Have Another’s connections loaded their Preakness Stakes winner onto a van Sunday morning at Pimlico Race Course to begin their journey to Belmont Park in their continuing quest to sweep racing’s Triple Crown.

In front of a record crowd of 121,309, Reddam Racing’s chestnut colt edged Bodemeister by a neck in the 137th Preakness Saturday afternoon to become the first horse since Big Brown in 2008 to win the first two legs of the series. He will try to become the 12th horse to capture American racing’s most treasured prize – and the first since Affirmed in 1978 – in the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

I’LL HAVE ANOTHER WINS PREAKNESS IN PHOTO FINISH, EDGES ‘BODE’ BY A NECK IN QUEST FOR TRIPLE C

BALTIMORE, 05-19-12 – I’ll Have Another moved one step closer to a Triple Crown sweep Saturday at Pimlico Race Course with a thrilling narrow victory over a tenacious Bodemeister in the 137th running of the Preakness Stakes.

Reddam Racing LLC’s 3-year-old colt, who defeated Bodemeister by 1 ½ lengths to win the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs two weeks earlier, was pushed to the limit to prevail by a neck over the Bob Baffert-trained pacesetter in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.

BELMONT PARK NOTES: Sunday, May 20, 2012

ELMONT, N.Y. – I’ll Have Another, who on June 9 will attempt to become the 12th horse to sweep the Triple Crown when he competes in the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Stakes, arrived in barn 9 at Belmont Park at 2:53 p.m. Sunday after vanning north from Pimlico Race Course in Maryland.

“We got kind of held up for about an hour and a half,” said Jack Sisterson, assistant to trainer Doug O’Neill. “I have no idea where we were, but besides that the horse was happy. He was just looking out the window the whole time. He and Lava Man were together, they were just chatting away the whole time. We were at Pimlico almost two weeks and we shipped in a week before at Churchill, and now we’re here for the three weeks. So far, so good. It’s kind of working out for us, so we’re not going to change that. I think the sooner he gets over the track and gets familiar with the surroundings..... We’ll walk him tomorrow and then take it from there. One day at a time.”

Rogue Romance An Easy Winner of Sunday Feature

LOUISVILLE, KY (Sunday, May 20, 2012) - Catesby Clay's Rogue Romance took the lead from pacesetter Achaemenes at the eighth pole and increased his advantage from there to win the $59,522 Sunday afternoon allowance feature at Churchill Downs by a widening five lengths.

Rogue Romance, winner of the Bourbon (GIII) on the turf at Keeneland in his juvenile season, rated in third behind Achaemenes and Westshore through opening fractions of :23.66 and :47.92 and then moved into second ahead of Westshore soon after passing the half-mile pole. A 4-year-old chestnut son of Smarty Jones, Rogue Romance drew even with Achaemenes at the top of the stretch and that rival proved no match for the 2-5 favorite as Rogue Romance kicked clear in the final eighth of a mile.

CHURCHILL DOWNS BARN NOTES Sunday, May 20, 2012

OXLEY, CASSE CONSIDERING BELMONT WITH STEALCASE – The morning after Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) winner I’ll Have Another ran down Bodemeister in the Pimlico stretch to capture the Preakness (GI), trainer Mark Casse said he is considering running John Oxley’s Stealcase in the 1 ½-mile Belmont (GI), the final jewel of the Triple Crown.

Stealcase, a chestnut son of Lawyer Ron, was put on the Derby trail after breaking his maiden at Gulfstream Park in January. He ran sixth in the Gotham (GIII) at Aqueduct and then was fifth in the Vinery Racing Spiral (GIII) on the Polytrack at Turfway Park. His performances in those races did not earn him a spot in the starting gate in the Run for the Roses, but Oxley and Casse did start Tampa Bay Derby (GII) winner Prospective, who finished 18th in the field of 20.

Options Aplenty for Angelica Zapata

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 20, 2012) – Herman Van den Broeck's 4-year-old filly Angelica Zapata appeared content while in her stall in barn 78 of the Calder Casino & Race Course barn area Sunday morning, one day after her winning run in the $55,000 Sara’s Success, the daughter of Sharp Humor’s second career stakes victory.

“She ate up and seems to have come out of the race great, so far,” winning trainer Ron Pellegrini said. “And in going back and evaluating her race yesterday, I think it was her best race to date. She really put it together.”

HALO DOLLY REBOUNDS IN FRAN’S VALENTINE; FOUR BAGGER FOR LEADING RIDER BEJARANO

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 20, 2012)—Halo Dolly was successful in her return to turf, wiring four opponents in the $71,750 Fran’s Valentine Stakes Sunday at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Owned by a partnership that includes Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, the 4-year-old Popular filly shook off 7-10 favorite Sugarinthemorning after six furlongs and went on to a 2 ½ length victory in a race restricted to California bred fillies and mares.

PHILLY ACE GAME WINNER OF SUNDAY FEATURE AT MONMOUTH

Oceanport, N.J. – Brushwood Stable’s Philly Ace rallied three wide around the far turn and held off the late challenge of Play It Straight to capture the $44,000 allowance/optional claiming feature by a half-length at Monmouth Park on Sunday afternoon.

Ridden by Kendrick Carmouche, Philly Ace covered the mile over firm turf in 1:34 1/5 and returned $7.40, $4.80 and $3. Play It Straight completed the $32.80 exacta and paid $4.20 and $2.80. It was another half-length back to Admiral Perry, who paid $2.80 to show.

First stakes score for Blues Dancing and Vassilieva in Lady Angela

The Survivalist-La Belle Bleu filly, with Luis Contreras in the irons, set the tempo cutting out a quarter in :22.53 and the half in :45.71 as Miss Scarlett Road tracked from second position.

Blues Dancing opened up a two-length lead at the top of the stretch and had plenty left in the tank to notch a three and three-quarter length score in a final time of 1:24.60 for seven furlongs. Miss Scarlett Road held steady for place, four and a half lengths in front of a closing Memories Last Love.

Saturday, May 19 2012

ALTERNATION NOSES OUT NEHRO TO WIN PIMLICO SPECIAL

BALTIMORE, 05-18-12 – Pin Oak Stable’s Alternation withstood a late charge by Nehro to eke out a victory in the 42nd running of the $300,000 Pimlico Special (G3) by a nose.

The return of Special after a three-year absence, and the $300,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) highlighted the People’s Pink Party program that benefited the Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure on a sun-drenched afternoon at historic Pimlico.