Saturday, May 19 2012

TWO TURNS NO PROBLEM FOR UNSTOPPER TOPPER

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 18, 2012)—More than two months removed from his maiden win, Unstopper Topper stretched out and wired five fellow California breds in the $54,350 feature Friday night at Betfair Hollywood Park.

Trained by Kristin Mulhall for owner Kretz Racing LLC, the 4-year-old Old Topper gelding out of the Theatrical mare Emmy Ann covered the 1 1/16 miles over Cushion Track in 1:43.63.

ARUNA, CAMBINA, NEREID AMONG GAMELY NOMINEES

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (May 18, 2012)—Cambina and Nereid, who finished in a dead heat in the 2011 American Oaks, are among 15 nominees to the $250,000 Gamely Stakes.

The first Grade I of the Spring/Summer meet at Betfair Hollywood Park, the Gamely, which is for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf, will be run for the 44th time Monday, May 28.

ALL GATES AT GGF OPEN AT 9 A.M. SATURDAY FOR SIMULCAST OF PREAKNESS CARD FROM PIMLICO

ALBANY -- All admission gates at Golden Gate Fields open at 9 a.m. Saturday to facilitate the simulcast of racing from Pimlico Race Course, site of the Preakness Stakes.

Golden Gate Fields will simulcast races four through 13 on the Preakness Stakes Day program, which features several stakes in addition to the $1 million Preakness, the middle jewel of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.

Arlington Park Barn Notes: Fri., May 18

All that glitters is not gold, Shakespeare theorized in Merchant of Venice and Mark Bacon and Dana Wells’ Silver Max has been supporting that premise all spring.

In his last start May 4 – Arlington’s opening day this season as well as Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs, Silver Max captured the Grade II American Turf with an impressive front-running 2 3/4-length effort over the Louisville lawn as Churchill’s supporting feature on Oaks Day.

Friday, May 18 2012

BOLD AFFAIR WINS SKIPAT WITH LATE RUSH

BALTIMORE, 05-18-12 – Charles Reed and Mike Zanella’s Bold Affair notched her third straight stakes win in Maryland this year when she rallied to beat four other fillies and mares in the $100,000 Skipat Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.

Trained by Howard Wolfendale and ridden by Abel Castellano Jr., the 4-year-old daughter of Two Punch settled behind the leaders down the backstretch before launching a four-wide bid heading into the lane. Bold Affair wore down Valiant Passion and Afleet Lass in the stretch while edging away to a 1 ½-length victory.

Jennifer Rowland Small Wins Lady Legends For The Cure III Race

BALTIMORE, 05-18-12 --- Jennifer Rowland Small won 192 races as the top pioneering female rider in Maryland during the 1970s, but the biggest win on her hometown track came Friday afternoon.

The 59-year-old Small took Class Rules gate to wire to win the $45,000 Lady Legends for the Cure III race by 2 ¼ lengths at Pimlico Race Course.

Preakness News-May 18

I’LL HAVE ANOTHER, BODEMEISTER SET FOR REMATCH IN PREAKNESS, TRAINERS GIVE DERBY WINNER, RUNNER-UP THUMBS-UP AT PIMLICO

BALTIMORE , 05-18-12 -- On a clear, crisp Maryland morning, Kentucky Derby (G1) winner I’ll Have Another made an early appearance on the main track at Pimlico, jogging a half-mile and then galloping seven furlongs under exercise rider Jonny Garcia.

As I’ll Have Another headed back to the barn area a little after 6:30, trainer Doug O’Neill gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to horse and rider.

Kattegat’s Pride Starter Handicap

BALTIMORE, 05-18-12 – Cathal A. Lynch’s Universal Language caught breakaway leader Franstein in deep stretch to win the $25,000 Kattegat’s Pride Starter Handicap, the opening race on Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Day program at Pimlico Race Course.

A field of seven met the starter in the 1 1/16-mile test for Maryland-bred fillies and mares who had started for a claiming price of $7,500 or less in 2011-2012. Kendrick Carmouche rode the daughter of Dance with Ravens, who is trained by her owner. Franstein held on to finish second, a 1 ½ lengths behind the winner. Congaree Princess rallied to take third.

DiMauro Recalls Preakness Hopeful Zetterholm

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 18, 2012) – When the gate latch is sprung for the 137th running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, the eyes of the racing world are sure to be focused on the battle between Kentucky Derby hero I’ll Have Another and that race’s beaten favorite Bodemeister. But for locally-based conditioner Steve DiMauro, the true intrigue in the race lies with longshot Zetterholm, a former DiMauro trainee that began his journey to Pimlico at Calder Casino & Race Course last fall.

“I’m really good friends with the owner,” DiMauro said, referring to Tony Grey, who also bred the colt and runs in the stable name Winter Park Partners. “The horse was up at a farm in Ocala and Tony wanted to send him to me to get a race in him. I had trained his half-brother (Lucky Lewis), and I’ve always found that Calder is a good place for getting a horse ready.”

Churchill Downs Barn Notes (5.18.2012)

CHURCHILL TRAINERS FAVORING DERBY 1-2 IN PREAKNESS – The day before the 137th running of the Preakness (Grade I), several trainers at Churchill Downs offered their opinions about who will win the second jewel of the Triple Crown and most are picking Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner I’ll Have Another or Derby runner-up Bodemeister.

Trainers in the Derby winner’s corner include Buff Bradley, Steve Margolis, Jimmy Baker, Norman Casse, Dallas Stewart and Mike Tomlinson.

BELMONT PARK NOTES: Friday, May 18, 2012

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Tom Albertrani will have two opportunities to win a graded stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Memorial Day, May 28 as he will likely run Zo Impressive in the Grade 1 Acorn and Sahara Gold in the Grade 2 Sands Point.

Zo Impressive will enter the Acorn off a second, beaten 6 ½ lengths, to Grace Hall in the Grade 2, 1 1/8-mile Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 31. The Live Oak Plantation homebred will be cutting back in distance for the Acorn, a one-mile race around a single turn.

Monmouth Park Barn Notes for Friday, May 18, 2012

GET SERIOUS MAY HAVE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE IN ELKWOOD

There are horses for courses and Get Serious has certainly proved that the grass at Monmouth Park suits him just fine. The eight-year-old gelding, who is owned by James Dinan and Phantom House Farm, will be making his first start in eight months in Saturday’s featured event, the $75,000 Elkwood Stakes to be run at one mile over the turf course.

“The race has come up very tough,” said John Forbes, who conditions Get Serious. “There are some very nice horses in there.”