Friday, April 20 2012

REGAL NURSE RUNS WIN STEAK TO EIGHT STRAIGHT

BALTIMORE, 04-19-12---Regal Nurse ran her win-streak to eight with a dominating eight-length victory in Thursday’s ninth race at Pimlico Race Course. It was the first turf score for the daughter of Monarchos, who was recently claimed by top trainer Dane Kobiskie.

“She is turf top and bottom so I was dying to see her on the grass,” Kobiskie said. “The only thing that scared me is when you have a horse who is so good on the dirt you start second guessing yourself. But she ran big and we plan on keeping her on the grass.”

Wednesday, April 18 2012

CHURCHILL DOWNS BARN NOTES Tuesday, April 17, 2012

TOP TWO FROM ARKANSAS DERBY SETTLE IN AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – The top-two finishers in last Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (Grade I) at Oaklawn Park arrived at Churchill Downs in good order Monday afternoon to continue their preparations for the 138th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), which is to be run beneath the Twin Spires on Saturday, May 5.

Zayat Stables LLC’s Bodemeister, the 9 ½-length winner of the Arkansas Derby in just his fourth career start, spent his first morning at Churchill Downs walking the shedrow of Barn 33. The bay son of Empire Maker then returned to Stall 28 full of energy.

CHURCHILL DOWNS ON-SITE BOX OFFICE OPENS; DERBY, OAKS GA & SECTION 125 SEATING, SPRING MEET EVENTS

LOUISVILLE, KY (Tuesday, April 17, 2012) – Churchill Downs has opened its on-site ticket office for convenient walk-up purchase of tickets for the upcoming April 28-July 1 Spring Meet that include general admission tickets to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) and Kentucky Oaks (GI); a limited number of tickets for seating in Section 125 that include on-site hospitality in the Infield Club on either Derby or Oaks Day; and the third annual “Taste of Derby” party on Thursday, May 3.

The on-track box office at Churchill Downs is located at the Gate 1 entrance off Central Avenue, adjacent to the Kentucky Derby Museum. It was open for the first time in 2012 on Monday, April 16 and will open again this week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (all times Eastern) on Wednesday, April 18, and Friday, April 20. The on-site box office will operate next week on a Monday-through-Saturday schedule that includes Monday-Friday hours of 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and special hours on Saturday, April 28 – the date of the Spring Meet’s “Opening Night” – of noon-to-9 p.m.

KENTUCKY OAKS ATTRACTS TRIO OF LATE NOMINATIONS

LOUISVILLE, KY (Tuesday, April 17, 2012) – The 138th running of Churchill Downs’ $1 million Kentucky Oaks (Grade I), America’s premier races for 3-year-old fillies, attracted a trio of late nominees, while four older stars were added to of the roster of horses eligible to compete in the 26th running of the $500,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) during a late nomination phase for both races that concluded on Wednesday, April 11.

The late nominees to the Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-old fillies scheduled to be run on Friday, May 4, lift the overall nomination total to 97 horses. All late nominations to the Oaks were accompanied by a $1,500 fee. Last year’s late nomination process attracted also attracted three fillies that included St. John’s River, a close runner-up to Peachtree Stable’s victorious Plum Pretty.

Keeneland Barn Notes Tuesday, April 17, 2012

HILLIARD LYONS DOUBLEDOGDARE ATTRACTS FIELD OF EIGHT

Flaxman Holdings, Ltd.’s Pachattack and Tracy Farmer’s La Gran Bailadora, who finished second and third, respectively, in the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) here last fall, headline a field of eight fillies and mares entered Tuesday for Friday’s 18th running of the Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

The Hilliard Lyons Doubledogdare will go as the ninth race on Friday’s 10-race program with a post time of 5:13 p.m. (ET). First post time is 1:05 p.m.

$7,775,000 in Stakes Purses Highlight Del Mar’s 75th Year

Highlighted by seven Grade I races, two new juvenile events on the grass and notable purse increases to 10 of its major offerings, Del Mar will present a robust summer schedule of 33 “advertised” and 10 “overnight” stakes with a total value of $7,775,000 during its highly anticipated 37-day race meeting.

The seaside track, founded by entertainment icon Bing Crosby in 1937, will be celebrating the anniversary of its 75th year during its July 18 to September 5 stand. And as it has for the past three seasons, it will conduct its racing on a Wednesday through Sunday basis with an additional day of sport on Labor Day Monday, September 3.

Monday, April 16 2012

Kentucky Derby 138 Barn Notes (4.16.2012)

DADDY NOSE BEST CONTINUES DERBY PREP WITH BULLET WORK – Bob and Cathy Zollars’ Daddy Nose Best continued his preparation for a start in the 138th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) with a five-furlong breeze Monday morning in 1:00.20 for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Working on the outside of stablemate Hierro, the Asmussen-trained duo recorded fractions of :12.40, :24, :35.80 and :47.60 and galloped six furlongs in 1:13.80 and seven furlongs in 1:29.20. It was the fastest work
of 20 at the distance.

HEAVILY FAVORED CONTESTED ISN’T. . .WINS SUNDAY’S $66,040 TITANIC PURSE BY 5 ¾ LENGTHS

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 15, 2012) – As expected, 3-10 favorite Contested sank her opposition Sunday with a 5 ¾-length triumph in Santa Anita’s $66,040 Titanic Purse for 3-year-old fillies while cruising through 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.58.

The daughter of Ghostzapper, ridden by Martin Garcia, shook off early tormentor Hidden Passion heading into the far turn with the rider virtually motionless following early fractions of 22.02 and 44.52. Contested hastily drew clear under a hand ride.

BLINGO HEADS LINEUP IN FRIDAY’S LA PUENTE STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 15, 2012) – Returning to grass footing and dropping in class, Jerry and Ann Moss’s Blingo likely will be a prohibitive favorite among five 3-year-olds in Friday’s $75,000 La Puente Stakes at 1 1/8 miles over Santa Anita’s Camino Real Turf Course.

The gelded son of Artie Schiller won his racing debut by 2 ¼ lengths while going one mile on turf at Hollywood Park last November before finishing sixth in a pair of non-turf stakes, the Grade I CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita’s Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 10.

SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES (Sunday April 15, 2012)

RIDER WAS ‘LEAST OF MY PROBLEMS’ FOR KENTUCKY DERBY, BAFFERT SAYS

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez will ride Daddy Nose Best for trainer Steve Asmussen in the Kentucky Derby on May 5, agent Tony Matos said Sunday morning via phone from Kentucky.

“We wouldn’t trade places with anybody,” said Matos, who has represented riders who accounted for six Derby triumphs under his tutelage. “There will be a lot of speed in the Derby and Daddy Nose Best can get the mile and a quarter. We’re very excited to be riding for Steve Asmussen.”

NYRA NOTES: Sunday, April 15, 2012

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Saturday was a busy day for Art Magnuson, New York-based assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. After sending out It’s Tricky to victory in Aqueduct’s Grade 2, $200,000 Distaff Handicap, he was off to West Virginia to saddle Redding Colliery in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic, which went off at 10:34 yesterday evening. Magnuson was in good spirits Sunday morning despite the long day, and reported both his charges to be doing well.

“It’s Tricky’s doing great; she came out of the race very well, ate well, she’s happy,” said Magnuson. “Simon Crisford and Jimmy Bell [of Godolphin] will make the final decision on what’s next, but logically it looks like the Phipps [Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap, 1 1/16 miles on May 28 at Belmont Park]. She really came out of it well. She wintered very well in Florida and it’s nice to be able to stay home [and run]. She’s already won two Grade 1s, so we didn’t have to go chasing it. Let them come to us.”

Keeneland Sets Three-Day Weekend Attendance Record

LEXINGTON, KY (April 15, 2012) – Keeneland set an attendance record for the three-day Toyota Blue Grass (G1) Weekend.

Sunday’s crowd of 19,371 gave Keeneland a record three-day weekend attendance of 79,718, highlighted by Saturday’s all-time single day attendance of 40,617. The previous weekend record was 73,187 during the 2007 Spring Meet.