Feb 20, 2012
Drill Digs Deep in San Vicente Stakes Duel
Santa Anita
Rebounding from four consecutive disappointing efforts, Drill won the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) (VIDEO) by a desperate nose over a determined American Act Feb. 19 at Santa Anita. Creative Cause finished third as the odds-on favorite.

Trainer Bob Baffert, picking up steam as the spring season approaches, earned his seventh victory in the San Vicente with Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman's Drill. Baffert, who captured the seven-furlong test for 3-year-olds last year with The Factor, won three races at Santa Anita Feb. 18 and with both of his entries Sunday. More info...

Feb 20, 2012
Union Rags Ready for Fountain of Youth
Gulfstream Park, Florida
Union Rags signaled his readiness for next Sunday’s Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park when he breezed four furlongs in :48 4/5 Feb. 19 at Palm Meadows Training Center.

The Michael Matz-trained 3-year-old colt broke from the starting gate shortly after 7 a.m.

“He did it easy and galloped out fine,” said Matz, who trains the colt for Phyllis M. Wyeth. “He’s ready to go. Other than running in a race, he’s as ready as he could possibly be.”
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Feb 20, 2012
R Holiday Mood determined winner of Hurricane Bertie Stakes
Gulfstream, Florida
R Holiday Mood battled gamely in the stretch to turn back determined runner-up Funny Sunny for a neck victory in the $150,000 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G2) on Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

A three-time stakes winner, R Holiday Mood went right to the lead and showed courage late to earn her first career graded stakes victory in the Hurricane Bertie.

The four-year-old Trippi filly entered off another battle at Gulfstream Park on January 8, when she finished in a dead heat for first with Delightful Mary in the one-mile Ocala Stakes.

“She’s just a little battler,” winning rider John Velazquez said after the Hurricane Bertie. “She gives you everything she has every step of the way. I’m very proud of her.” More info...

Feb 20, 2012
Daddy Nose Best by a whisker in El Camino Real DerbySouthern California shipper Daddy Nose Best edged East Coast shipper Lucky Chappy (Ire) by a nose after a thrilling battle through the final furlong of a memorable edition of the El Camino Real Derby (G3) on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.

Grade 3-placed Daddy Nose Best dug in determinedly late and just would not let Lucky Chappy overtake him in the El Camino Real Derby, nailing down his first career stakes victory for trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Bob and Cathy Zollars.

Julien Leparoux made the trip west to ride Daddy Nose Best for his synthetic surface debut, and the 2009 Eclipse Award winner as outstanding jockey made the long journey worthwhile in Northern California’s top Triple Crown prep race. Leparoux rated Daddy Nose Best, a bay colt from the first crop of Scat Daddy, in fifth through a half-mile in :47.57. The winner was blocked in traffic near the quarter pole but split horses to launch his winning bid. More info...

Feb 16, 2012
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Feb 16, 2012
Hollendorfer Duo Tops El Camino Real Derby
Golden Gates Field, CA
Since moving his tack to Northern California last year, Aaron Gryder has settled in nicely at Golden Gate Fields. On Feb. 18, the 41-year-old journeyman rider will be aboard favored Russian Greek in the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

The much-traveled Gryder, previously competing in Southern California after a long stint in New York, has been giving perennial leading jockey Russell Baze quite a tussle for riding honors. Gryder won the Bay Area track's summer title and currently trails the Hall of Famer Baze 50-45 in the winter meet standings. He has managed to land a plum riding assignment on the big closer Russian Greek. Baze will be aboard a second starter from the Hollendorfer barn, the front-running filly Lady of Fifty.
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Feb 16, 2012
Old Rivals Square Off Again in Balanchine
Meydan Racecourse Feb 17
Mahbooba will try and turn the tables on First City when she faces that rival and eight others in the $200,000 Balanchine Stakes Sponsored by S.O.G. Operations (UAE-IIT) at Meydan Racecourse Feb. 17. The nine-furlong turf contest is the highlight of the 10th night of racing in the 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival.

The last time they met, the 5-year-old daughter of Galileo came up just a nose short of First City the Cape Verdi Stakes Sponsored by the Saeed and Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (UAE-IIT). Prior to that, Mahbooba scored an easy victory over males in the ungraded Al Rashidiya Trial Jan. 5. The Mike de Kock-trained mare also had a very successful 2011 Dubai season, winning two of eight starts and finishing in the money six times.
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Feb 16, 2012
Animal Kingdom Entered in Gulf Allowance
Gulfstream Park, Florida

Champion Animal Kingdom, who had originally been scheduled to make his 2012 debut in the Feb. 25 Tampa Bay Stakes (gr. IIIT), will now run instead in a turf allowance race at Gulfstream Park Feb. 18.

Last year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner and 3-year-old male champion has not run since last year’s Belmont Stakes (gr. I) while training superbly at Palm Meadows. The race will serve as Animal Kingdom’s only prep for the $10 million Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) March 31. More info...

Feb 13, 2012
Union Rags Breezes for Fountain of Youth
Palm Meadows Training Center
One day after losing his regular rider, Javier Castellano, for his 2012 debut in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II), Union Rags was out on the track at Palm Meadows Training Center for a five-furlong breeze in 1:03.08, the ninth fastest work of the 12 works at the distance Feb. 13.

In a Twitter post shortly after Castellano’s decision was announced, jockey Julien Leparoux expressed his excitement about picking up the mount on last year’s Champagne Stakes (gr. I) and Saratoga Special (gr. II) winner. Leparoux was aboard the son of Dixie Union for Monday's work.

Brian Walls, clocker at Palm Meadows, said it was the best Union Rags has looked all winter. The colt is trained by Michael Matz for owner/breeder Phyllis Wyeth.

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Feb 13, 2012
Sharp Work for Force Freeze at Gulfstream
Gulfstream Park, Florida
Force Freeze worked a strong half-mile in :47 2/5 from the gate Feb. 12 at Gulfstream Park in preparation for the upcoming $150,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship (gr. II).

The runner-up in last fall's Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) is likely the horse to beat in the seven-furlong Sprint Championship Feb. 18.

“That (work) put the finishing touches on him and we just have to keep him happy up to the race,” said trainer Peter Walder later in the morning. “My only concern is the distance, particularly coming off the layoff. Seven furlongs is a tricky distance. I think he can run with any horse in the country at six furlongs. Paco (Lopez) is confident that the distance will be no problem. I’m excited to get him started back.”
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