Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Elysium Fields Getting Ready For Florida Derby
Posted on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008
Elysium Fields, runner-up in last month’s $350,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) behind 2008 Kentucky Derby contender Cool Coal Man, worked Wednesday morning at Gulfstream Park in preparation for South Florida’s signature event, the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on Saturday March 29.
Under exercise jockey Kristen Troxell, the son of El Prado worked five furlongs in a ‘bullet’ 59 seconds over Gulfstream’s ‘fast’ main track.
“He looked good,” said horse trainer Barclay Tagg who also trained 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide. “You try not to get too excited because this business can shatter you at any time, but I wouldn’t necessarily change places with anyone right now.”
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Smooth Air To Race In Florida Derby
Posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008
With less than three weeks before the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) on March 29 at Gulfstream Park, nearly a dozen Kentucky Derby hopefuls were indicated to race by their connections. One of them is Mount Joy Stables’ Smooth Air.
According to horse trainer Bennie Stutts, Smooth Air is a contender for the Florida Derby (gr. I) after working a mile Sunday morning.
The Florida homebred son of Smooth Jazz posted his second straight one mile breeze at Calder Race Course and will bid for a second stakes victory at Gulfstream this year after capturing the seven-furlong Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) on January 5 at Gulfstream Park.
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Commentator Takes the Richter Scale Handicap at Gulfstream Park
Posted on Saturday, March 8th, 2008
Saturday’s $200,000 Richter Scale Handicap (G2) at Gulfstream Park was a race down the backstretch and into the turn of the seven-furlong test, but it was over in a flash as Tracy Farmer’s brilliant 7-year-old gelding Commentator drew off to score by 13 3/4 lengths, giving jockey John Velazquez his fourth of five victories on the afternoon.
Trained by Nick Zito, Commentator has often been brilliant winning 11 of 17 career starts, most notably the 2005 Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga, although sidelined several times over the years with injuries. The New York homebred chestnut by Distorted Humor was making his second start this year after winning a one-mile allowance race on January 12 by 14 lengths in track-record time of 1:33:71.
Commentator was sent off at 3-10 in the field of six after the early scratches of Chatain and King of the Roxy. He paid $2.60, $2.60 and $2.10. Rose Family Stable’s 60-1 longshot Rexson’s Rose finished second and returned $18.40 and $5.80, a length before Tom Walters’ Elite Squadron third showing $4.40. The winner was timed in 1:23:23 over the ‘fast’ but dull track.
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Plesa Stable Triple Threat on Florida Derby Day
Posted on Friday, March 7th, 2008
Horse trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. has a leading contender for the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, March 29 with Bea Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn going into the historic Kentucky Derby preview after winning allowance races by 14 lengths and six lengths on February 10 and March 2, respectively.
Plesa will also have Halo Hollie running that afternoon in the $200,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes (G2), the nine-furlong 3-year-old filly companion event to the Florida Derby. The two-time winner at the meet will have a new owner for that start.
Eddie Plesa also sends out Padua Stable’s 5-year-old gelding Electrify in the $75,000 Forever Whirl Stakes on the Florida Derby Day program, a race recently added to the schedule for Florida-breds at 1 1/8 miles as well.
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Richter Scale Handicap at Gulfstream Park on March 8
Posted on Wednesday, March 5th, 2008
A highly anticipated first-time clash between Tracy Farmer’s 7-year-old gelding Commentator and Lazy F Ranch’s 5-year-old Chatain is set for Saturday’s $200,000 Richter Scale Handicap (G2) at Gulfstream Park on an outstanding card that will also include the $100,000 The Very One Handicap (G3).
Jockey John Velazquez will be back aboard Commentator for horse trainer Nick Zito in the seven-furlong Richter Scale Handicap after they teamed up to win an allowance race on Jan. 17 by 14 lengths in track-record time of 1:33:71 for a mile. It was his first start since finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Monmouth Park on Oct. 27.
Commentator shoulders topweight of 123 pounds against seven rival older horses with Chatain at 120 pounds expected to be his most formidable opponent. A New York-bred chestnut by Distorted Humor, Commentator has won 10 of 16 career starts, with his most notable victory coming in the 2006 Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga over Saint Liam, the latter going on to Horse of the Year honors.
Cornelio Velasquez has ridden Chatain in eight of the last nine starts for trainer Angel Penna Jr., most recently capturing the $100,000 Hal’s Hope Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 6, exactly a year after capturing that same race in then track-record time of 1:33.87 for the mile.
“It will be the toughest race of his (Chatain) career,” said Penna, Jr. Wednesday morning. “Commentator is on top of his game, and when he’s good, he’s good.” A son of Forest Wildcat, Chatain has won six of nine starts with a second and a good fourth last year in the Donn Handicap (G1) when beaten only 2 1/2 lengths by 2006 Horse of the Year Invasor.
A surprise entry in the Richter Scale was Team Valor International’s 4-year-old King of the Roxy with Rene Douglas named to ride for trainer Todd Pletcher. King of the Roxy was also entered to run in Saturday’s Duncan F. Kenner Stakes at Fair Grounds.
King of the Roxy has been a high-profile stakes horse since capturing The Futurity (G2) at Belmont Park as a 2-year-old. The son of Littleexpectations won the Hutcheson Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park early last year and finished a game second in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), a Kentucky Derby prep race, in his next start. King of the Roxy’s seasonal debut is his first start since a seventh-place effort in the Kings Bishop Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in August.
Completing the field for the Richter Scale are Susan Moore’s Grand Champion, Javier Castellano; Oxbow Racing’s Steve’s Double, Jamie Theriot; Tucci Stable’s Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk, Jose Rivera II; Tom Walters’ Elite Squadron; Jorge Chavez; and Rose Family Stable’s Rexson’s Rose, Eduardo Nunez.
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Cool Coal Man Wins Fountain of Youth; War Pass Still Undefeated
Posted on Sunday, February 24th, 2008
A pair of Nick Zito’s 2008 Kentucky Derby contenders dominated Gulfstream Park this Sunday giving him high hopes in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.
In the 9th race at Gulfstream Park’s February 24 horse racing program, Cool Coal Man under jockey Kent Desormeaux won the $350,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) by half a length over Elysium Fields. Half an hour later in the 10th race, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion War Pass made his seasonal debut by easily winning the 1 mile allowance race by 7 1/2 lengths.
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War Pass Makes 2008 Debut at Gulfstream Park February 24
Posted on Thursday, February 21st, 2008
One of the Kentucky Derby contenders, War Pass, the Eclipse Award winner as the top 2-year-old in 2007, will make his 3-year-old debut in a mile allowance race Sunday at Gulfstream Park.The unbeaten colt, trained by Nick Zito, will be an overwhelming favorite in a field of six.
Last year, War Pass led wire to wire in all four of his starts, which concluded with a 4 3/4 -length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Monmouth Park. Cornelio Velasquez rode War Pass in his final three starts last year and will be aboard again Sunday.
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