Racing News

Monday’s (Jan. 6) edition of Racing Roundup features a results story from Dover Downs.

Arodasi, back in business after a two month layoff, took top honors in the $10,000 Open Pace for mares on Sunday (Jan. 5) at Pompano Park, scoring a handy win for Joe Pavia, Jr. in 1:52.1.

The 5-year-old daughter of Western Terror, owned by the consortium of Peter Shank, Joseph Barbera, AGC Stables and the Joe Pavia, Jr. Stables, used a bold first over backside bid from third into the lead around the final turn and went on to score by two lengths over De Vins Girl (Rick Plano), who led through opening panels of :28 and :56.2. Love You Bye (Jimmy Whittemore) finished third while Fashion Ruffles and Southwind Trini earned the final awards in the field of seven.

Driver Joe Pavia, Jr., in a post race interview, said, "She really doesn't like to go first up -- she likes a cover trip better -- but she qualified so well and she's fresh so I decided to give it a go and she responded with a very sharp performance. She must've paced her final half in :55 and change (actually :55.1), so I am very pleased with her performance."

Grand River Raceway’s 2014 signature races will receive a bump in purse money over 2013 offerings, and the nomination process will return to a three-payment format.

The 17th annual Battle Of Waterloo and 6th annual Battle Of The Belles will be raced during the track’s annual Industry Day Celebration, on Monday, August 4 at 1:30 p.m.

The Battle Of Waterloo final (for ON-sired 2-year-old pacing colts) will be contested for an estimated C$180,000. In 2013, the race went for C$144,500 and was won by Three Of Clubs, for O’Brien Award nominees Gregg McNair and Doug McNair.

Eight-year-old warrior Jeranimo became the first horse to win the San Gabriel Stakes three times when he cut loose his patented stretch run to score by 1 ¼ lengths Jan. 4 at Santa Anita Park.

Rafael Bejarano won the 67-year-old San Gabriel for an amazing sixth straight time with the 6-5 favorite. Jeranimo, who charged from last in the field of seven at the top of the lane to win in a sharp time of 1:46 flat for 1 ⅛ miles on firm turf.

Jeranimo had been well beaten in his past three starts, including a seventh in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in his most recent race Nov. 2. Freshened since, the return to form was a welcome sight for owners B.J. Wright and Robert LaPenta. Trainer Mike Pender remarked afterward that Jeranimo "means the world" to all of them.

Amid a light snowfall, Texican N won the $30,000 Preferred Handicap, Mustang Art the $27,500 Delaware Special and Bandolito the $18,000 Open, the three top paces on Thursday (Jan. 2) at Dover Downs.

Harry von Knoblauch’s Texican N put on a gritty front-pacing performance, with Ross Wolfenden, to set a personal speed record in 1:50.3 to win the $30,000 Preferred Handicap. Escape The News and Corey Callahan enjoyed a two-hole trip to finish second while Nova Artist, driven by Allan Davis, prompted the fast pace on the outside, then held on to finish third.

Peter Tritton conditioned the American-blooded, New Zealand-bred, altered son ofBettor's Delight-Bury My Heart to his 16th lifetime win and $268,024 in duo-continent earnings.

dle for more than 11 months, Kindle will put her blazing speed to the test as part of a deep field in the $200,000 Monrovia Stakes (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita Park hillside turf course Jan. 5.

Ten older fillies and mares are to start in the Monrovia at about 6 1/2 furlongs. The Sunday feature is the eighth on the card with a 4 p.m. PST scheduled post.

Kindle, who should show the way in spite of some other speed in the lineup, has not run since failing to outlast Teddy's Promise and finishing third in the Jan. 26 Santa Monica Stakes (gr. II) at seven furlongs on a wet-fast Santa Anita main track. She was second to Mizdirection after setting a hot pace (:21.70, :43.50) in last year's Monrovia prior to that. The consistent 6-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie has four wins and four placings from 10 lifetime starts for trainer Gary Mandella and owner HnR Nothhaft Horse Racing.

Viva Rafaela, a group I winner in her native Brazil, will try stakes company for the first time on United States soil while facing a full field in the Jan. 4 Marshua's River Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park.

Slated for 4:33 p.m. EST, the $100,000 turf contest at 1 1/16 miles attracted 12 fillies and mares, 4 years old and up. 

Trainer Todd Pletcher intended to run Viva Rafaela in the Dec. 28 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. III) at Calder Race Course, but was forced to come up with a different plan when the racetrack canceled that 12-furlong event.           

For two years, Juan Carlos Guerrero was front and center, winning races in bushels at Parx Racing, where he was the leading trainer in 2011 after missing that distinction by one victory in 2010.

But things have changed drastically for Guerrero, who after being banned for 10 years from Parx now takes on a behind-the-scenes role in a stable that has dropped out of the limelight.

With the 2013 racing season in the books a couple of very familiar faces on the Chicago circuit toted home top honors in the training and driving ranks as veterans Perry Smith and Mike Oosting each completed “daily doubles” by sweeping the training and driving titles, respectively, at Maywood and Balmoral Park.

The 62-year-old Smith, who is a Crete, Ill., resident, began his career back in the mid-1970s as a driver-trainer before becoming a full-time trainer in 1989. Since then Smith trained-horses have racked up 1,296 victories and more than $8.3 million in purse money. Currently, Smith has 35 head in training at Sawgrass Farms.

After closing 2013 with a runner-up finish in the Matron Stakes (gr. II), Sweet Whiskey will try to secure her first graded stakes win Jan. 4 at Gulfstream Park when she faces an expected five other 3-year-old fillies in the $100,000Old Hat Stakes (gr. III).

Like the Matron, where Sweet Whiskey finished second by a length to Miss Behaviour, the Old Hat will be contested at six furlongs.

Alto Racing's Sweet Whiskey scored a front-running victory in her maiden debut last Aug. 11 at Saratoga Race Course before finishing fourth in the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I) there, and second in the Matron at Belmont Park.

Trainer Dan McFarlane notched the 1,000th victory of his career when he saddled Enter Back to victory in the ninth race at Turf Paradise Dec. 23.

The California-bred daughter of Redattore, who has now won or placed in four of 10 starts, is owned by McFarlane's longtime client Hal Earnhardt.

"It was fun to get the 1,000th win for Hal Earnhardt," said McFarlane. "I've been with him for a long time, so it was nice to win it for him. You don't realize until you sit back and look at it ...1,000 is quite a big number. It felt pretty good to accomplish that."

Stubbs Hanover prevailed in a tight three-horse photo finish in the $20,000 Male Claiming Allowance feature on an often-heavy, fog-shrouded racetrack on Sunday, Jan. 5 at Dover Downs.

With only track race caller Jack Gallagher’s description from high-atop the track announcer’s booth to go on through most of a 1:52.3, three horses charged side-by-side down the homestretch to be separated only by the finish line win photo. Stubbs Hanover, trained by Jim King for owner-driver Trace Tetrick, made the winner’s circle edging Bad Rusty (Tony Morgan) on the outside and Hot Roddy (Ron Pierce) on the inside. Jim King is winning trainer.

Even-money choice Pontchatrain kicked off the new year with her third consecutive stakes victory on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita Park in the $200,000 Monrovia Stakes (gr. IIT) Jan. 5 (VIDEO).

Glen Hill Farm's 4-year-old daughter ofWar Front   provided trainer Tom Proctor with his fourth win from 12 starters during the young Santa Anita meet. 

With steady handling from a confident Gary Stevens, Pontchatrain collared pacesetter Kindle past mid-stretch and prevailed by three-quarters of a length. She completed the about 6 1/2-furlong distance in a superb time of 1:11.14 over firm going.

Regally Ready won the $65,000 Mercury Purse by 1¼ lengths at Santa Anita on Thursday.

Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Regally Ready ran a mile on the turf in 1:33 and paid $8, $3.80 and $2.80.

Bio Pro returned $3.20 and $2.20 as the 2-1 favorite. Boat Trip was another 2¾ lengths back in third and paid $2.20 to show.

Just more than five weeks after securing the first stakes win of her career in an off-the-turf edition of the Wait a While Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Candy Kitty will return to grass racing Jan. 5 at Gulfstream in the $100,000 Ginger Brew Stakes.

After four straight turf starts, a stretch that included her maiden special weight victory at Saratoga Race Course and a fourth-place finish in the J.P. Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 9 at Keeneland, Starlight Racing's Candy Kitty rallied from fifth to post a clear victory in the Wait a While Nov. 30 on a sloppy Gulfstream main track.

Multiple stakes winner Itsmyluckydaybounced out of his first published work in nearly seven months in good shape, leaving trainer Eddie Plesa excited about the 4-year-old's 2014 campaign.

"He looks like a million dollars," said Plesa, who trains Itsmyluckyday for his wife, Laurie, and Trilogy Stable. "He came out of the work 110 percent. He's anxious, no question about it. I just have to make sure I have enough patience for the both of us."

Itsmyluckyday, runner-up in both the Besilu Stables Florida Derby and Preakness (both gr. I) last year, went an easy three furlongs in 36 seconds flat on Dec. 31 at Palm Meadows. It was the fastest of 33 horses at the distance.