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November 10, 2014 10:08 AM
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Given a brief freshening as part of a rigorous 3-year-old campaign against top company, Wildcat Red returns to action facing older opponents for the first time in the $100,000 Millions Classic PreviewNov. 8 at Gulfstream Park West.
The 1 1/16-mile test at the former Calder Race Course is one of seven stakes races, each worth $100,000, for Florida-breds on the Saturday program. The stakes fill a spot on the calendar previously held by the Florida Million program.
Wildcat Red is the 8-5 morning line favorite in a field of eight for the Millions Classic Preview, the eighth race on the card with a scheduled post time of 3:58 p.m. EST. Honors Stable's D'Wildcat colt last raced Sept. 28, finishing third as the even-money choice in the Oklahoma Derby (gr. III) at Remington Park.
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November 7, 2014 10:40 AM
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Tickets for the 44th Eclipse Awards, which honors the year's champions and Horse of the Year, are available now. The event will be held Jan. 17, 2015, atGulfstream Park Racing & Casino in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Most of the championship categories remain up for grabs even after Breeders' Cup World Championships weekend. The most prestigious of them, Horse of the Year, was in the grasp of several of the top 3-year-olds—Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and Preakness Stakes (both gr. I) winner California Chrome; Shared Beliefwho had been undefeated heading into the Classic; Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Tonalist; and multiple grade I winner Bayern. With the controversial start of the Classic, top honors will have to be considered for the Niarchos family's Main Sequence, who has won four consecutive grade I stakes including the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT).
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November 7, 2014 9:08 AM
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Tucci Stables' Midnight Aria, wire-to-wire winner of last year's Queens Plate, will look to get back in the stakes column as he takes on five rivals in the $200,000 Autumn Stakes at Woodbine Nov. 9.
The 4-year-old son of Midnight Lute will be making only his third start this year. He returned from a 13-month layoff following his 16-1 score in the Queen's Plate with a poor effort in a starter allowance race. But he bounced back with a wire-to-wire score in an allowance/optional claimer for trainer Nick Gonzalez Sept. 28. The bay colt breaks from post 5 with jockey Jesse Campbell aboard.
Midnight Aria's main threat looks to be Melnyk Racing Stables' Lukes Alley, who will attempt to make it four victories in his past five starts.
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November 7, 2014 9:00 AM
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Nuncio made it five wins in a row, grabbing the lead before the second turn and never yielding the position on his way to a three-quarter length victory over Harper Blue Chip in 1:54.1 over a “good” track in Thursday’s $200,350 Matron Stakes for 3-year-old male trotters at Dover Downs.
Hillustrious charged from near the rear of the field through the stretch to finish third. Father Patrick, the 1-2 favorite, went off stride soon after the start and was not a factor.
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November 7, 2014 8:59 AM
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Three divisions of a mid-conditioned level trotheadlined the cardon a rainy Thursday afternoon from Harrah's Philadelphia, each going for a purse of $17,000.
In the first division, it was 4 Leaf Racing's Smoother Ride (George Napolitano Jr.) with a front-end victory. The son of Yankee Glide quarter-brushed past early leader (and eventual second-place finisher) Muscolo (Tim Tetrick)just after the quarter pole. From that point, he never looked back,splashing to a two-length victory in 1:55.3. Hoosier Park invader Time Will Tell All (Corey Callahan) emerged first-over from the three hole past three-quarters, but flattened out to finish third. Smoother Ride ($2.40) picked up his 15th victory of the year for trainer John Mc Dermott.
In the second division, it was Howard Jacobs' Political Desire (Napolitano) going gate to wire for the victory. The 8-year-old son of Tom Ridge was well-rated the first half (:58.1) and had plenty left in the tank for the stretch drive. He went on to win by a length and a quarter, stopping the timer in 1:56. Wind Neath My Feet (Marcus Miller) finished a game second in his debut for the Jake Huff barn, while Way Outta Here (Andrew McCarthy) rallied for third. Political Desire ($3.40) was one of three training wins for Kevin Carr.The gelding is one win away from notching his 40th career victory.
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November 7, 2014 8:58 AM
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In The Arsenal fired early, taking the lead from longshot Lyons Levi Lewis as the field came off the first turn, and never looked back on his way to winning Thursday’s $193,200 Matron Stakes for 2-year-old male pacers by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:51 over a track rated 'good' at Dover Downs.
Lyons Levi Lewis, sent off at odds of 99-1, finished second and Bet You was third.
The victory by In The Arsenal and driver Brian Sears snapped a Matron Stakes win streak by driver Yannick Gingras, who won the night’s three prior stakes events for the 2-year-old trotters and pacers.
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November 6, 2014 1:56 PM
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Thursday marks the official debut of a new dirt racing surface at Meydan Racecourse.
Home of the $10 million Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse begins its first meeting of the 2014-15 racing season Thursday and introduction of its newly- installed dirt track.
"We were very pleased with tonight's trials," observed Frank Gabriel, Dubai Racing Club Executive Director - Racing, following Tuesday night's trial run. "The feedback from trainers and jockeys has been positive and we are excited about the new season.
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November 6, 2014 12:34 PM
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Porfido, a three-time group I winner in his native Chile, has been retired to Old Friends in Georgetown, Ky.
Porfido (Mash One—Piazza Venezia, by Roy) started 79 times in his career, winning 15 races, seven of them in Chile, including the El Ensayo-Cristal Chilean Derby (Chi-I). He came to the U.S. in 2006, where he was campaigned by Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel. Despite several wins, Porfido struggled to reproduce his stakes form in North America.
Upon Frankel's death, Frankel assistant Humberto Ascanio assumed training duties of Porfido. When Ascanio experienced health problems at the end of 2011, the horse was transferred to the barn of Eoin Harty, with whom he had some success, winning back to back claiming races in 2012. By 2013 the stallion had been transferred to the barn of Dan McFarlane.
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November 6, 2014 11:54 AM
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When it comes to her family, yearling filly pacer A List Hanover is related to some of harness racing’s top talent.
Her dam, Allamerican Nadia, was a Breeders Crown champion and A List Hanover’s relatives include full brother Apprentice Hanover, a multiple stakes winner, as well as Allamerican Native, who received the 2002 Dan Patch Award for best 2-year-old male pacer. Her sire, Somebeachsomewhere, was 2008 Horse of the Year.
But A List Hanover’s a-list connections go beyond the pedigree page. A List Hanover was raised at Hanover Shoe Farms by “nanny mare” Lilting Laughter following the death of Allamerican Nadia in April 2013. The 24-year-old Lilting Laughter ha
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November 6, 2014 11:12 AM
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Bazooka Terror is known for her explosive come from behind finishes and there is nothing that makes her driver Kevin Cummings happier than to see a speed duel in front of him early. That's exactly what happened in the $9,500 Open mares pacing feature at Batavia Downs on Wednesday night (Nov. 5) and it provided the classy 5-year-old the perfect recipe for success en route to scoring her tenth victory of the year.
As the race unfolded, Mondatta (Dave McNeight III) and Itstimeformetofly (Drew Monti) refused to play nice on the front end. Mondatta would not let Itstimeformetofly go and Itstimeformetofly would not take a seat behind Mondatta. As a result, the two battled through fractions of :26.4 and :55.4 before Itstimeformetofly finally took the front and crossed over to the pylons.
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November 6, 2014 11:11 AM
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Driver George Napolitano Jr. was injured in an accident during a race at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Wednesday night. Napolitano, Pocono’s leading driver once again this year, was driving #9 Waltzacrossthewire in the seventh race when Southwind Terror broke stride in front of them on the back stretch. Napolitano was dumped to the track as his horse tried to avoid the breaking horse.
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November 6, 2014 11:07 AM
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From among the top 2&3-year-old colt and filly pacers and trotters in the sport vying for $1,562,150 in purses in all eight Matron Stakes finals on the card, a plentiful group of owners from the Delaware Valley will be competing for a significant portion of the stakes money, on the biggest Thursday in racing at Dover Downs on Nov. 6. Post time is 4:30 p.m. Howard Taylor, a prominent Philadelphia attorney who owns one of the biggest racing operations in harness racing, is one. Another is Jules Siegel, master of the prominent breeding and racing Fashion Farms of New Hope, Pa.; Bay Pond Stable of Paoli, another from the Philadelphia area. Representing home state starters are Rojan Stable (Norm and Bob Aerenson) of Wilmington and Frank Chick of Harrington. Across the Delaware river is a powerhouse collection owned in part by Christina Takter of East Windsor, including the sensational trotting sophomores headed by the sensational colt, Father Patrick, and outstanding filly champion, Shake It Cerry. Another Takter entry, world champion Wild Honey, races in the first race at Dover for a $203,800 purse, the 2-year-old Matron Filly title event. Another New Jersey representative waves the colors of the highly successful White Birch Farm of Allentown.
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November 5, 2014 5:29 PM
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Grade I winner Silver Max returns to his favorite track Nov. 8, getting a bit of class relief and looking for a rebound in the$100,000 River City Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs.
Currently three-for-four at the Louisville oval, the 5-year-old son of Badge of Silver comes off a fifth in the Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland and a sixth in the Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) atSaratoga Race Course, both after setting the pace in his typical front-running style.
In his only other start this season for owners Mark Bacon and Dana Wells, Silver Max won the Firecracker Stakes (gr. IIT) at Churchill back in the spring. The ungraded Opening Verse in 2013 and the American Turf (gr. IIT) in May of 2012 are his other Churchill wins.
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November 7, 2014 10:40 AM
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Esteemed turf writers Jennie Rees and the late Jim Murray have been elected to the National Museum of Racing's Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor.
Rees has covered horse racing for the Louisville Courier-Journal since 1983 and has won Eclipse Awards in four different decades, three as an individual for writing and a fourth as the lead journalist in theCourier-Journal's 2008 multimedia Eclipse-winning package on horse safety. Rees is also a five-time winner of the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby coverage.
A past president of the National Turf Writers Association (now the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association), Rees has been recognized for career achievement by the NTWA, the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, and the Maryland Jockey Club.
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November 7, 2014 9:08 AM
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It was not a good night to be a favorite in the Autumn Series finals Thursday night at Woodbine Racetrack. The Autumn Series for Ontario sired 2 year olds came to a close with the finals for 2-year-old colts and geldings. Full fields of ten contested both the $33,600 final for the trotters and the $35,800 final for the pacers. In the trotting final, a break by One Direction, the 3-5 favorite, opened the door for Baudron and Riina Rekila to pull of a 79-1 shocker. Leaving from post one, Baudron was taken back early by Rekila and trotted by the opening quarter in ninth. A couple of breakers in the second quarter allowed Baudron to pick up second-over cover behind Olympic Son and trot up closer to the leaders. After following that cover to the top of the stretch, Rekila showed Baudron open racetrack and he trotted by the leaders and on to a length and three-quarters victory in 1:58.
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November 7, 2014 9:07 AM
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It was not a good night to be a favourite in the Autumn Series finals Thursday night at Woodbine Racetrack.
The Autumn Series for Ontario sired two-year-olds came to a close with the finals for two-year-old colts and geldings.
Full fields of ten contested both the $33,600 final for the trotters and the $35,800 final for the pacers.
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November 7, 2014 8:59 AM
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The Woodbine Entertainment Group would like to advise horsepeople that qualifiers will continue to be held at Mohawk Racetrack until the end of the month. Weather permitting, qualifying sessions will be held each Friday morning at 10 a.m. for the remainder of November. Horses must be entered by 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays to qualify on Fridays.
Along with qualifiers remaining at Mohawk, the track will also remain open for training until the end of the month. Training is available at Mohawk on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The track closes on training days at 12:30 p.m.
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November 7, 2014 8:59 AM
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Thursday's (Nov. 6) edition of Racing Roundup features results stories from Harrah's Philadelphia, Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway and Northfield Park.
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November 7, 2014 8:53 AM
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Tucci Stables’ Midnight Aria, wire-to-wire winner of last year’s Queens Plate, will look to get back in the stakes column as he takes on five rivals in the $200,000 Autumn Stakes (gr. II) at Woodbine Nov. 9.
The 4-year-old son of Midnight Lute will be making only his third start this year. He returned from a 13-month layoff following his 16-1 score in the Queen's Plate with a poor effort in a starter allowance race. But he bounced back with a wire-to-wire score in an allowance/optional claimer for trainer Nick Gonzalez Sept. 28. The bay colt breaks from post 5 with jockey Jesse Campbell aboard. Midnight Aria’s main threat looks to be Melnyk Racing Stables’ Lukes Alley, who will attempt to make it four victories in his past five starts.
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November 6, 2014 12:34 PM
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Last Saturday night was a good one at Cal Expo for pilot and co-owner Dave Siegel, as he guided Lifetime Louie to victory in the Open III Pace and finished second with the mare Country Jewel in the Open II Pace.
Both horses are conditioned by George Reider. Siegel partners with Brev Creech, Greg Robinson and Bob Thronson on Country Jewel and with Reider and Dave and Rob Haness with Lifetime Louie.
“Country Jewel is a diamond, no pun intended, that I found for the Reider barn while scouring the country for a horse that I thought would fit in Minnesota and California and that would fare well in George's barn,” said Siegel. “Her being Minnesota sired is preferable given the Running Aces allowance program and our DHA program.
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November 6, 2014 11:54 AM
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The NFL may have Thursday night football, but harness racing has Thursday night stakes racing, all front and center at Dover Downs. Thursday night's card features eight Matron finals for 2 and 3 year olds, and the new and free HarnessRacing Weekend Preview has all the stories.
Is he or isn't he? Is In The Arsenal a colt or is he considered a ridgling? Trainer Kelvin Harrison reveals his take as he prepares In The Arsenal for the Matron for freshman male pacers. Jimmy Takter talks about Father Patrick and Nuncio in the 3-Year-Old Colt Trot. And Father Patrick co-owner Adam Bowden talks about 2015 and the hopes that the trotter will both breed and race.
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November 6, 2014 11:13 AM
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The championship final of the "Stars of the Future” mini-series at Dayton Raceway on Wednesday night produced an exciting finish with three horses within a head of each other at the wire. Unfortunately for the winner of the photo finish, Blackhawk Lookout (Josh Sutton), he jumped offstride just steps from the line and was placed third in the official order of finish. JC's Band (Dan Noble) benefitted most by his adversary's "lapped on break” and was elevated from second to first and declared the champion. I Am The Cowboy (Jack Dailey), the weaker half (at least on paper) of a Jeff Remy-trained entry, was also moved up a notch from third to second.
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November 6, 2014 11:11 AM
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“Chalk” players were forced to sweat out the result of Wednesday’s (Nov. 5) $10,200 Betzotic Stake for 2-year-old ICF trotting colts but in the end 1-5 favorite Jake Quaider finally prevailed, getting up in the last stride to win by a head in 1:58.1 for driver Casey Leonard.
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November 6, 2014 11:08 AM
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Trainer-driver Eddie Dennis took no prisoners in a 1:54.2 wire-to-wire conquest in the Wednesday, Nov. 5 $18,000 Open trot at Dover Downs. Eddie Dennis was a promising driver in the closing days of the now defunct Brandywine and Freestate raceways as well as at Dover Downs and Harrington but began to concentrate on training horses in more recent seasons. Now back training and driving, Dennis piloted his top trotter I’m So Striking, a So Striking-Ringside Kate gelding who was bred and races for E&K Stable and Lois and Earl Walters, to his sixth win of the year lifting seasonal earnings to $73,250 and $224,138 lifetime.
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November 5, 2014 5:30 PM
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Viva Rafaela, owned by Stud TNT, has been looking for the elusive winner’s circle since last November. Although she has yet to get her picture taken during the past year, it hasn’t been for the lack of trying.
The Brazilian-bred daughter of Know Heights has placed in six stakes during that time, five of them graded, setting all the fractions in most of them. But each time, someone seems to find just enough firepower in the final furlong to catch her. In her last four starts, she’s been third in the New York Stakes (gr. IIT); second in the listed Waya Stakes; second, beaten a half-length, by Irish Mission in the Glens Falls Stakes (gr. IIIT); and third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, in the Flower Bowl Invitational (gr. IT) behind Stephanie's Kitten and Abaco.
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