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.Benny the Bull, Indian Blessing To Race In Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races at Calder Race Course July 11
Posted on Sunday, July 5th, 2009
2008 Eclipse Award winning sprinters Benny the Bull and Indian Blessing are expected to race in next Saturday’s renewals of the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap (G2) and $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1), respectively, at Calder Race Course July 11.
The Smile Sprint and Princess Rooney Handicaps are part of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge where the Smile Sprint Handicap winner will get a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and the Princess Rooney Handicap winner will earn a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint entries list.
IEAH Stables and partners’ 6-year-old Benny the Bull shoulders top-weight of 124 pounds as he defends his title in the Smile Sprint Handicap for race horse trainer Rick Dutrow, but the son of Lucky Lionel will be making only his second start since his victory at Calder last summer.
Benny the Bull finished a game second last out in True North Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park behind Fabulous Strike with regular jockey Edgar Prado aboard.
At least the next 4 in the weights for the Smile Sprint Handicap will challenge Benny the Bull, all weighted at 118 pounds. Zayat Stable’s 4-year-old Eaton’s Gift is due to ship in from Kentucky for race horse trainer Dale Romans and he and Benny the Bull will face a particularly strong team of Calder home team sprint stars in Brian Prichard’s How’s Your Halo, Edmund Gann’s Ikigai and Trilogy Stable’s Yesbyjimminy.
Princess Rooney Handicap
Hal and Patti Earnhardt’s 4-year-old filly Indian Blessing will bid to bounce back from a dull fourth-place effort in the Desert Stormer Handicap last out run on the synthetic track at Hollywood Park on June 14 for race horse trainer Bob Baffert, the first time she finished worse than second in 14 career starts. The daughter of Indian Charlie shoulders top-weight of 123 pounds with jockey Mike Smith flying in for the mount.
Four of the next 5 in the weights for the Princess Rooney are expected in the entry box on Monday morning, including three other invaders — Zabeel Racing International’s Game Face (120) due from New York and Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan’s Dubai Majesty (118) and Gary and Mary West’s Keep the Peace (117) from Kentucky.
The top local hope in the Princess Rooney appears to be Robert Pastor’s 5-year-old Florida homebred mare Marina Ballerina at 118 pounds. The daughter of Outflanker raced in Canada last year and boasts a career record of 28-8-7-1, including victories in the Cool Air overnight stakes and U Can Do It Handicap in her last 2 starts at Calder Race Course for race horse trainer Kirk Ziadie.
Horse racing news edited from www.calderracecourse.com.
Tags: Benny the Bull, Dubai Majesty, Eaton's Gift, Game Face, How's Your Halo, Ikigai, Indian Blessing, Keep the Peace, Marina Ballerina, Yesbyjimminy
"Benny the Bull, Indian Blessing To Race In Breeders’ Cup Challenge Races at Calder Race Course July 11" was posted on Sunday, July 5th, 2009 at 10:02 pm and is filed under Calder Race Course, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Breeders’ Cup Challenge Entries: Smile Sprint & Princess Rooney Handicaps at Calder Race Course July 11