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Fever will keep Lookin At Lucky from Travers

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:06:40 GMT

Trainer Bob Baffert announced that the leading three-year-old colt had a fever of 102. The 2009 champion two-year-old colt is still stabled at Monmouth Park, where he won Sunday's Haskell by four lengths.

"No Travers for Lucky," Baffert wrote on his Facebook page. "Woke up with a little temperature (102), but looks like he is not too sick and is responding well to treatment.

Three-year-old picture comes into focus

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:26:17 GMT

This past weekend, two important stakes races for three-year-olds took place and questions were answered.

Saturday's $500,000 Jim Dandy at Saratoga was won by A Little Warm, putting him into the Travers on Saturday, August 28.

Lookin At Lucky advances in poll after Haskell win

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:49:03 GMT

The three-year-old colt jumped from fifth to third following the impressive victory at Monmouth Park.

Lookin At Lucky, the 2009 champion two-year-old male, ran to a four-length win over six rivals in the 1 1/8-mile Haskell. The commanding victory enabled him to receive 128 points, third most in the voting. The colt is expected to start in the Travers at Saratoga on August 28.

Rachel Alexandra puts in work for Personal Ensign

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:15:49 GMT

The four-year-old filly will make her next start in the 1 1/4-mile Personal Ensign at Saratoga on August 29.

With jockey Shaun Bridgmohan riding, the champion covered the five-furlongs in 1:02.45 on Saratoga's Oklahoma training track.

Lookin At Lucky nails down Haskell win

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:28:40 GMT

Lookin At Lucky, ridden by Martin Garcia, was sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the seven-horse field. Kentucky Derby champ Super Saver was 6-1 for the 1 1/8- mile race.

Most of the trainers and jockeys considered this one of the toughest fields ever assembled for the Haskell. Several indicated that the winner of the race would be the leader of the 2010 three-year-old class.

A Little Warm is hot horse in Jim Dandy Stakes

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:53:34 GMT

The 1 1/8-mile contest is the local prep for the $1 million Travers on Saturday, August 28.

A Little Warm, trained by Tony Dutrow, prompted the pace that was set by Miner's Reserve. Running right behind the first two colts were Friend Or Foe and Stormy's Majesty, as 9-5 favorite Fly Down was racing last in the eight horse field.

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners headline Haskell

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:32:26 GMT

Trained by Bob Baffert, Lookin At Lucky will be making his first start since winning the Preakness on May 15. The 2009 champion two-year-old male will be ridden by Martin Garcia who guided the colt to victory in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. The pair will start from the inside post.

Lookin At Lucky, owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, finished sixth as the 6-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby when he also broke from the one hole.

Jim Dandy Stakes up for grabs Saturday

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:55:30 GMT

Heading the field is Belmont Stakes runner-up Fly Down. The chestnut colt, trained by Nick Zito, will be making his first start since the Belmont and will start from the far outside post with Jose Lezcano aboard.

"He's coming off a 1 1/2-mile race," Zito said Monday. "Obviously, we know his fitness level. We're hoping he's a little sharp for the race. He's a very good horse. He looks good." Owned by Richard Pell, Fly Down has won two of four starts this year, including the Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park on May 8. In his career the colt has won three of six starts and $382,070.

Rachel Alexandra gains spot in poll after Monmouth victory

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:20:35 GMT

Owned by Stonestreet Stable and Hal McCormick, Rachel Alexandra won the $400,000 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park by three-lengths. The win moved her up in the poll from fourth to third with 125 points.

Champion mare Zenyatta holds steady in first with 15 first-place votes and 182 points. The undefeated six-year-old will have her next start on Saturday, August 7 at Del Mar in the Clement L. Hirsch, a race she has won the last two years.

Two giants might actually meet

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:54:15 GMT

Since neither champion was entered in the 1 1/4-mile Del 'Cap we offered opinions on a possible face-to-face encounter of the two ladies. I stated my doubt that the two would meet this year, or ever. At the time, they were being kept apart from one another.

I felt that Zenyatta, 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, would remain in California and not venture outside the Golden State until the Breeders' Cup this year at Churchill Downs. The six-year-old mare is scheduled to make her next start in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on August 7.

Rachel Alexandra garners Lady's Secret victory

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:44:27 GMT

The champion filly won the 1 1/8-mile race by three-lengths over Queen Martha.

Owned by Stonestreet Stable and Hal McCormick, Rachel tracked Queen Martha for most of the race under extremely hot conditions. The post-time temperature at Monmouth Park was 95 degrees.

Public gets chance to see Rachel Alexandra on Friday

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:50:54 GMT

"She'll gallop at 5:45 tomorrow morning," assistant trainer Scott Blasi said Thursday. "We plan to school her in the paddock in the third race." Rachel Alexandra arrived Tuesday morning at the New Jersey shore track from Saratoga for Saturday's $400,000 Lady's Secret Stakes. She had a final workout for the 1 1/8-mile race on Monday morning at Saratoga and was getting reacquainted with Monmouth Thursday morning.

"Rachel stood in the gate for a while and then had a nice, easy gallop," Blasi said. "She's really doing well. She was full of energy this morning." Winner of Monmouth's Haskell Invitational in 2009, Rachel will school in the track's paddock during the Friday racing p

Rachel to face six in Lady's Secret

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:33:26 GMT

Owned by Stonestreet Stable and Hal McCormick, the four-year-old will start from post five in the seven horse field with regular jockey Calvin Borel in thesaddle.

Last year the pair teamed up to win Monmouth's Haskell Invitational.

Lukas has Mine That Bird work at Saratoga

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:48:57 GMT

The four-year-old gelding is being readied for a start in the Whitney Handicap next month.

Coming off a disappointing eighth in the Firecracker Handicap at Churchill Downs, Mine That Bird worked the mile in 1:40.14 on Saratoga's Oklahoma Training Track. Regular rider Calvin Borel was in the saddle.

Monmouth Park welcomes Horse of the Year

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:56:27 GMT

The four-year-old champion filly was taken from her summer residence at Saratoga Race Course and got to Monmouth Park about 9 a.m. (et) Tuesday morning.

"She shipped just fine, everything's great," said trainer Steve Asmussen's chief assistant Scott Blasi, who arrived with Rachel. "She'll gallop up to the race and school in the paddock on Friday afternoon." In order to lure the filly to Monmouth for the Lady's Secret the track increased the purse from $150,000 to $400,000. This will be the filly's second race at the New Jersey shore track.

General Quarters suffers ankle injury

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:28:50 GMT

"He came up with a bum ankle," said trainer Tom McCarthy. "The jock (Rafael Bejarano) said he thought the ground was too hard for him, but the ankle was probably already bothering him during the race.

"We'll take some X-rays when we get him home to see what they show, but I would say the Arlington Million is out. To try and come back in five weeks is too quick for us even if nothing shows up on the X-rays." The 1 1/4-mile Arlington Handicap was won by Rahystrada with 2-1 favorite Just as Well finishing a half-length back in second.

Zenyatta continues in first, Life At Ten enters NTRA Poll

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:49:32 GMT

The top 10 features one new addition with five- year-old mare Life At Ten.

Undefeated mare Zenyatta picked up one additional first-place vote in the latest tabulation. The six-year-old has 14 top votes and 179 points to put her six points ahead of Quality Road.

Wrong year for Life At Ten to be so good

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:20:42 GMT

This is the situation that confronts five-year-old mare Life At Ten. Almost any other year the Todd Pletcher-trained horse would be mentioned as a serious contender for the Eclipse Award as champion older female and even Horse of the Year.

This year, as most people know, has been graced with the continued racing of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and Breeders' Cup Classic winner Zenyatta. Their respective connections have aided thoroughbred racing by keeping the two ladies in training.

Life At Ten is tops in Del 'Cap

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 18:51:05 GMT

The victory in the 1 1/4-mile race automatically puts Life At Ten into this year's Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic at Churchill Downs in November.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the five-year-old mare notched her sixth straight win and her fifth consecutive stakes victory. Pletcher also added a fourth Del 'Cap win to his resume.

Del 'Cap features six top females

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:11:25 GMT

Leading the field for the 73rd Del 'Cap is Candy DeBartolo's Life At Ten, winner of her last five starts.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the five-year-old mare will be ridden by John Velazquez from post six.

George Steinbrenner's best chance in Kentucky Derby

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:07:22 GMT

While best known as the owner of the Bronx Bombers, the Ohio-native was very much involved in thoroughbred racing. He raced under the name of Kinsman Stable and bred horses at Kinsman Farm in central Florida.

"The thoroughbred racing world joins the rest of the sporting community in mourning the death of George Steinbrenner," said Alex Waldrop, President and CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. "He was a devoted owner and breeder and philanthropist for more than 40 years, and his Kinsman Farm near Ocala, FL, produced numerous stakes winners. His many contributions to our sport are greatly appreciated, and he will be sorely missed." Steinbrenner never won a Triple Crown race, though he had serio

The 'wow' factor in horse racing

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:59:38 GMT

The finishes of the Delaware Oaks, Man o'War and Hollywood Gold Cup should all have been shown on every sports news program in the nation. Each finish was decided by no more than half a length, with one somehow not resulting in a deadheat.

First on the afternoon was the $250,000 Delaware Oaks from beautiful Delaware Park.

Two horse race continues in NTRA Poll

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:19:27 GMT

With both thoroughbreds perfect this year in three starts, Zenyatta has a four point lead on Quality Road, despite receiving seven more first-place votes.

Zenyatta, undefeated in 17 career starts, has 13 first-place votes and 178 points, one less point than two weeks ago.

Awesome Gem edges Rail Trip to win Hollywood Gold Cup

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:26:17 GMT

The seven-year-old chestnut gelding was sent off as the 8-1 fourth choice in the six-horse field. Rail Trip was the 2-5 favorite, and 2009 Pacific Classic winner Richard's Kid was the 4-1 second pick.

Awesome Gem, trained by Craig Dollase, was never far off the pace that was being set by Compari in the 1 1/4-mile race. Rail Trip and jockey Rafael Bejarano found themselves on the outside in fourth as the field went up the backstretch.

Rail Trip out to defend Hollywood Gold Cup

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:59:56 GMT

Owned by Jay Em Ess Stable, Rail Trip will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano for the third straight start and the pair will break from post six. Jose Valdivia, Jr. was aboard the gelding last year in winning the Gold Cup.

Rail Trip, trained by Ron Ellis, is coming off victories this year in the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap and the Californian. No horse has swept those two races and the Gold Cup since Eleven Stitches in 1981.