Friday, March 12 2010
Santa Anita STABLE NOTES, FRIDAY, MARCH 12TH, 2010
WAIT, NOT WEIGHT, IS OVER FOR ZENYATTA; 2010 DEBUT COMES SATURDAY
For Zenyatta, the wait is over—but not the weight. The imposing and imperturbable mare will carry top weight of 127 pounds Saturday when she makes her 2010 debut in the Grade I, $250,000 Santa Margarita Handicap, spotting eight who entered from 12 to 19 pounds in the nine-furlong race.
The undefeated 6-year-old mare, who has not started since making history by becoming the first female to defeat males in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last Nov. 7 for her 14th straight victory, carries her second-highest impost ever. She carried 129 pounds to a 2 1/2-length triumph in Hollywood Park’s Grade I Vanity Handicap last June 27. Runner-up Briecat toted 114.
Kentucky Derby 136 Update (3.12.2010)
SOUTH / CHAMPION LOOKIN AT LUCKY RETURNS, TRIES DIRT IN REBEL – Lookin At Lucky, the champion 2-year-old of 2009, will kick of what trainer Bob Baffert hopes will be a campaign that leads to a victory on May 1 in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) in Saturday’s $300,000 Rebel Stakes (GIII) at Oaklawn Park.
A return to competition fewer than 50 days out from the “Run for the Roses” would merit plenty of attention in any case, but the 1 1/16-mile race will also mark the Smart Strike colt’s debut on traditional dirt, the type of racing surface he’ll have to handle in the big race at Churchill Downs. The champ has won five of six lifetime starts, with his only setback being a narrow defeat by Dubai-based Vale of York in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita. He followed that loss with a victory in the CashCall Futurity (GI) over Hollywood Park’s synthetic Cushion Track.
Jebel Ali Sprint proves to be easy Challenge for Durcan
Ted Durcan was in the saddle as Terrific Challenge landed the Listed Jebel Ali Sprint on Friday afternoon.
The 1000m feature, kindly sponsored by the Shadwell Farm of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, looked arguably the best ever renewal on paper but Durcan's mount, trained by Satish Seemar, won convincingly to the delight of his trainer who said:
Rachel Visits Gate, Zardana Settles In
NEW ORLEANS (Thursday, March 11, 2010) – Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra went to the head of her gate-schooling class Thursday during training hours at Fair Grounds when she familiarized herself with the starting gate for a second time this month shortly after 7 a.m.
That’s according to a verbal report offered by Glen Miller and “Shaver” Naylor – two members of Fair Grounds starter Frank Comberrel Jr.’s gate crew.
Kentucky Oaks 136 Update (3.12.2010)
FLORIDA / CHAMPION SHE BE WILD LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK IN FLORIDA OAKS – When she was last seen in the Forward Gal (Grade II) at Gulfstream Park, reigning 2-year-old filly champion and Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (Grade I) winner She Be Wild finished a disappointing fifth in her first career start over traditional dirt.
Trainer Wayne Catalano gives She Be Wild another chance on dirt on Saturday as she seeks redemption in the $150,000 Florida Oaks (GIII) at Tampa Bay Downs. Catalano is hoping for a sharp effort that will sharpen She Be Wild for a return to a synthetic surface in Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes (GI) on April 3.
Soaring Empire Joins Cast for Florida Derby
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL (Thu., Mar. 11, 2010) – Ol Memorial Stable and C.E. Glasscock’s Soaring Empire was impressive winning a seven-furlong allowance race at Gulfstream Park in his 3-year-old debut on Feb. 25 for trainer Cam Gambolati and will make the fourth start of his career and first around two turns in the $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) on Sat., Mar. 20, according to the trainer.
“We’ve weighed the options and decided to go ahead and give him a chance,” said Gambolati Thursday morning from Palm Meadows. “His race here was very good to win after getting nailed at the start and beat a good field. I know we’re a little behind the eight-ball, but they only get one chance (Kentucky Derby).” Soaring Empire was bumped solidly at the start and rallied from eighth to score by three-quarters of a length.
California Connections Strong on Inside Information Sunday
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL (Thu., Mar. 11, 2010) – Zayat Stable’s 4-year-old filly Kays and Jays shipped into Gulfstream Park from California last month for trainer Mike Mitchell to beat a strong field of filly and mare sprinters in the 6 ½-furlong Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) on Feb. 13, and she was left here in the care of trainer Wesley Ward to contest Sunday’s $200,000 Inside Information Stakes (G2) at seven furlongs.
Jockey Jose Lezcano gets a return call on Kays and Jays, a daughter of Macho Uno that finished fifth in the La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita on Dec. 26. In a previous foray to South Florida last summer, Kays and Jays also showed she liked the dirt surface at Calder, finishing a game second in the $200,000 Azalea Stakes (G3) on Summit of Speed day, July 11.
BAFFERT, GARCIA TEAM FOR ANOTHER WIN WITH QUIET INVADER
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 11, 2010) – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert and 25-year-old jockey Martin Garcia combined for their 16th victory on the 50th day of Santa Anita’s winter/spring meet Thursday when 5-1 shot Quiet Invader held off a fast-closing Lions Story by a nose in the $47,600 allowance feature for 3-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs.
The Maryland-bred son of Songandaprayer, after fading to fifth behind sizzling Sidney’s Candy as the second choice in last month’s Grade II San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs, covered Thursday’s slightly shorter distance in a swift 1:15.09 as the fourth choice in a field of nine.
Santa Anita STABLE NOTES, THURSDAY, MARCH 11TH, 2010
ZENYATTA ARRIVES AT SANTA ANITA FOR 2010 DEBUT SATURDAY
Looking every inch the champion in grand repose, Zenyatta arrived at Santa Anita Thursday morning, her dark bay coat glistening in the bright Southern California sunshine as she disembarked from the van that brought her from Hollywood Park to zero in on her 2010 debut Saturday in the Grade I, $250,000 Santa Margarita Handicap.
The 6-year-old mare was bedded down in Barn 66, where trainer John Shirreffs has a string of horses at Santa Anita apart from his main base of operations at Hollywood Park. The trip from Inglewood took less than an hour. Zenyatta arrived around 11:30 a.m.
ZENYATTA ARRIVES BY VAN AT SANTA ANITA
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 11, 2010)—Undefeated champion mare Zenyatta arrived at Santa Anita by van from her Hollywood Park base at 11:30 a.m. Thursday as she makes final preparations for her 2010 debut in Saturday’s Gr. I, $250,000 Santa Margarita Handicap.
Zenyatta was scheduled to school between races three and four in Santa Anita’s paddock, under the watchful eye of trainer John Shirreffs.
Unbeaten in 14 starts and regarded by many as possibly the best horse in the world today, Zenyatta has been idle since winning the Gr. I, $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 7, her first start versus males.
TRAINER HOLLENDORFER STARTS 4 AND WINS 4 AT GGF
ALBANY -- Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer saddled a perfect game Thursday at Golden Gate Fields when started four horses and won four races
Hollendorfer, the leading conditioner at the 2010 winter/spring meeting with 49 victories, swept the first three races on the card while spreading the wealth among three different jockeys.
FRITCHIE WINNER SWEET GOODBYE TACKLES SIX IN CONNIVER STAKES
LAUREL, MD. 03-11-10---The others will likely be fighting for minor shares when William Harris’ graded stakes winner Sweet Goodbye faces six fillies and mares in Saturday’s $70,000 Conniver Stakes at Laurel Park.
A winner of six stakes, Sweet Goodbye (6-5) captured the What A Summer Stakes and the Barbara Fritchie Handicap (Grade II) to begin her five-year-old campaign. The daughter of Louis Quatorze is a perfect four-for-four at the seven-furlong distance. J. D. Acosta has been aboard Sweet Goodbye for all 13 starts and will have the mount.
