Friday, March 12 2010
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.
Jockey Lopez gets win 1,000
FLORENCE, KY . . . March 11, 2010 . . . Jockey James Lopez, 32, earned his 1,000th career win Thursday when he guided Dance Hall Darlin to her maiden score in the ninth race at Turfway Park.
A native of San Antonio, Lopez grew up on the Louisiana and Kentucky racing circuits as his father, also a jockey, plied his trade. His grandfather was a jockey as well. With that heritage to inspire him, Lopez began galloping horses at age 12, and at age 16, against his father’s wishes, quit school and took out his jockey’s license. He rode his first winner in 1996 at Retama Park.
FESTIVAL DAY HIGHLIGHTS WEEKEND ACTIVITIES AT TAMPA BAY DOWNS
OLDSMAR, Fla. (March 11, 2010) Tampa Bay Downs will host its flagship day of racing, Festival Day, on March 13, 2010; the day includes the Grade III $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby for three-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, the Grade III $175,000 Florida Oaks for fillies three years old going 8 ½ furlongs on the dirt, the Grade III $150,000 Hillsborough Stakes for fillies and mares four years old and up travelling 1 1/18 miles on the lawn, and the $75,000 Turf Dash for four-year-olds and up going five panels on the turf. Tampa Bay Downs will give away a commemorative Festival Day T-shirt with each paid admission while supplies last.
Saturday’s Morning Glory guest is Steven Crist, publisher and Chairman of the Daily Racing Form. Morning Glory will begin at 9:30 AM in the Winner’s Circle, and Tampa Bay Downs will provide complimentary coffee and donuts as well as free admission to the afternoon’s races.
Timeless Fashion heads Tejano Run
FLORENCE, KY . . . March 11, 2010 . . . Timeless Fashion heads the field for the $50,000 Tejano Run Stakes at Turfway Park Saturday, trying for his second stakes win in a row. Written for horses four years old and up, the race covers 1 1/8 miles.
A six-year-old gelding trained by Tom Drury Jr., Timeless Fashion has been off since winning the 1 1/8-mile Prairie Bayou Stakes at Turfway in December. He has spent his career going long; three starts back he was fourth, beaten less than a length, in the 1-1/2 mile Grade III Sycamore turf stakes at Keeneland behind the lauded veteran Cloudy’s Knight. Timeless Fashion has raced eight times on Turfway’s Polytrack and has missed the money only once, with four wins. He tuned up for the Tejano Run with a six-furlong breeze in 1:13.60 on the all-weather surface at Skylight Training Center last Saturday. James Lopez has returned to Kentucky to take the mount. Usually on or near the lead, Timeless Fashion showed versatility in the Prairie Bayou when he relaxed off the pace until making a wide move into the stretch.
Thursday, March 11 2010
PICK SIX CARRYOVER OF $81,826 INTO THURSDAY
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 10, 2010)—For the 13th time in 49 racing days, no one correctly tabbed six winners in Santa Anita’s popular Pick Six on Wednesday, creating a carryover of $81,826 into Thursday and the expectation of a total pool of more than $300,000.
Wednesday’s Pick Six began in race three, which was won by Nitro Active, under Garrett Gomez. The Doug O’Neill trainee paid $12.60 to win and is owned by Decker Racing, Flintridge Stable and A. Venneri Racing. Nitro Active is a 5-year-old California-bred gelding by Capsized.
