2BETDSI Sports News - Latest US and International Sporting News

Two-Year-Old Champ Returns to the Races

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:48:42 GMT

Lookin At Lucky's 2010 journey begins this Saturday in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park as the three time Grade 1 winner hasn't raced since a three- quarter length win over Noble's Promise in the Cash Call Futurity at Santa Anita last December. The son of Smart Strike sports five wins in six career starts, with the lone defeat coming by only a head in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, a race he began from post 13.

Will he be able to make his return to the track a winning one? If the answer is yes, then he will cert

Lookin at Lucky highlights Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:43:53 GMT

The Rebel is the final local prep race before the $1 million Arkansas Derby, set for Saturday, April 10.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Lookin at Lucky will be ridden by Garrett Gomez and leave from the two post. The Rebel will be the colt's first start outside of California.

Zenyatta to face eight in Santa Margarita

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:05:10 GMT

The six-year-old will take on eight other older females in the 1 1/8- mile race.

Zenyatta, trained by John Shirreffs, will start from post eight with Mike Smith again having the mount. Owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, Zenyatta is undefeated in 14 career starts for nearly $5.5 million.

Seven set for Tampa Bay Derby

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:17:48 GMT

In recent years the event has become an important prep for the Triple Crown races.

Three years ago Street Sense won the Tampa Bay Derby before capturing the Run for the Roses. Last year's race was won by Musket Man, who went on to win the Illinois Derby and finish third in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Turf to Dirt Angle Works Best

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:28:52 GMT

Awesome Act was favored in the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes despite not having raced since November 7, 2009. His most recent effort was a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last November.

The chestnut colt came into the race with only a maiden turf victory under his belt in six career starts. He also had never been on conventional dirt with five grass races and one start on Polytrack in England.

Rachel Alexandra debuts in New Orleans Ladies

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:27:47 GMT

Owned by Jess Jackson and Hal McCormick, Rachel Alexandra has drawn post two with Calvin Borel once again in the saddle. The filly is trained by Eclipse Award winning trainer Steve Asmussen.

"It was just an easy half," Asmussen said about Monday's final workout before Saturday.

Field and Eskendereya top second Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:34:54 GMT

Of the 24 available betting interests in the pool, the mutuel field closed as the 3-1 favorite after opening as the 7-2 morning-line favorite. When wagering ended on the first Future Wager last month, the mutuel field was the 3-2 favorite.

The top horse listed was Eskendereya, who was bet down to 5-1. He, along with Lookin at Lucky, were each 6-1 when wagering began Friday. Lookin at Lucky finished as the 9-1 third selection.

Misremembered wins Big 'Cap and Alphie's Bet takes Sham

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:46:14 GMT

The four-year-old covered the 1 1/4-miles in 2:00.20.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Misremembered was trying to snap a three-race losing streak, where he was second in each attempt. He was coming off a loss to Jeranimo as the 7-10 favorite in the Strub Stakes at Santa Anita.

Awesome Act gets Gotham Stakes victory

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:03:37 GMT

Sent off as the 5-2 favorite, Awesome Act had been the 7-2 morning-line favorite as well in the 10-horse field. The chestnut colt was making his first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last November.

Trained by Jeremy Noseda, the three-year-old was racing just off the pace that was being set by Wow Wow Wow. Running in second up the backstretch was Whirlaway Stakes winner Peppi Knows with Three Day Rush racing in third.

Three-Year-Olds Regain Spotlight on Saturday

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:05:30 GMT

Eight of the 10 earlier Sham combatants will fight it out as Straightomidnight and Viva Macho have been replaced by Marcello and Boulder Creek. Unfortunately, the weather might not cooperate once again, as more rain is in the forecast. In the event Saturday's card gets washed away, the race will be run on Sunday.

Coinciding with the two stakes races, the second batch of 23 three-year-olds were announced earlier in the week for Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

St Trinians tries boys in Saturday's Big 'Cap

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:10:30 GMT

The lone female in the field is Santa Maria Handicap winner St Trinians. The five-year-old mare would become the first female to win the Big 'Cap which was first run in 1935.

In 2004, four-year-old filly Island Fashion was second behind Southern Image.

Gotham Stakes attracts 10 three-year-olds

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:51:15 GMT

Topping the field of three-year-olds is Whirlaway Stakes winner Peppi Knows. Trained by Timothy Kreiser, the gelding will start from post six with Richard Migliore back to ride.

Peppi Knows, owned by Philip Messina, is the winner of four of six lifetime starts for $178,400. As a two-year-old last year he won his first two starts at Penn National and closed 2009 in the Remsen with a second behind Buddy's Saint in November.

Mutuel Field early favorite in second Kentucky Derby Future Wager

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:46:06 GMT

The pool begins Friday at noon (et) and runs through Sunday at 6 p.m. (et). Along with the mutuel field there are 23 individual three-year-olds on which to bet.

When wagering ended on the first Future Wager last month the mutuel field was the 3-2 favorite.

Rachel Alexandra has last work before year's debut

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:32:49 GMT

With regular exercise rider Dominic Terry aboard, Rachel went the six-furlongs in 1:13 3/5 on a track listed as fast. She went seven-furlongs in 1:26 2/5 and 1:41 1/5 for a mile.

"I was hoping she'd go a little quicker," trainer Steve Asmussen said. "She settled off the other horse (Depaul) really nicely. She stayed with her left lead trying to stay with the other horse, then she switched to her right lead and accelerated.

Older Horses on Display at Gulfstream Park

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:50:07 GMT

Hold Me Back, the 12th place finisher in last year's Run for the Roses, makes his 2010 debut in an optional claiming allowance event at one-mile - the third race on the card.

After the Kentucky Derby, Hold Me Back ran fifth on the turf in the Virginia Derby then was a game second in the Travers to Summer Bird. His three-year-old season ended with an unthreatening sixth in the Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park as the 4-5 favorite.

Opening poll starts where previous left off

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:07:21 GMT

The final poll of last year came out after the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park.

Finishing in first-place was Zenyatta, the first female to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. In second-place was leading three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra.

Santa Anita forced to reschedule another Derby prep

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 16:36:09 GMT

The $150,000 Sham Stakes for three-year-olds at 1 1/16-miles will be redrawn and run this coming Saturday, March 6.

The Sham, which drew a field of 10 Kentucky Derby hopefuls, will serve as a supporting stakes to the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap.

Kettle River one to beat in Sham Stakes

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:42:02 GMT

Trainer Eoin Harty sends out Kettle River for Darley Stable in the Sham. In his fourth career start the colt will break from post two with Brice Blanc riding.

"I can't imagine I'm in much of a different position than anybody else in the race," Harty said. "The horse is training well and this looks like a good spot to see what he can do." Since finishing sixth in his debut race at Saratoga last August, Kettle River has won two straight. He began 2010 with an allowance race victory at Santa Anita on January 6. Kettle River has earnings of $52,000 coming into his stakes debut.

Rachel Alexandra stretches out for latest work

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:48:42 GMT

With regular exercise rider Dominic Terry aboard, Rachel went the six-furlongs in 1:14 and galloped out seven-furlongs in 1:27.

"Dom (Terry) split off 'the right way' with her, galloped her around the pole and let her work," said trainer Steve Asmussen. "Dom did it to a 'T' and if I wanted something different I should have asked him." Owned by Jess Jackson and Hal McCormick, Rachel Alexandra will follow her start in March with an ultimate showdown with Zenyatta.

Three-bagger for Pletcher on Saturday

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:27:26 GMT

That's what happened for trainer Todd Pletcher this past Saturday in three separate stakes races for three-year-olds. Eskendereya, Discreet Mine and Connemara all recorded victories with different styles of racing.

First up in the $250,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park was Eskendereya. Ridden by John Velazquez, Eskendereya was stalking the pace being set by longshot Lost Aptitude. Pletcher's horse ran away from the field down the stretch to post a most impressive 8 1/2-length win over highly regarded Jackson Bend.

Pletcher: King of the Weekend

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:02:55 GMT

Todd Pletcher, who has had 24 career Kentucky Derby starters without bringing home the roses, is in great position for win number one. Three of the four two-turn prep winners Saturday came from his barn, highlighted by Eskendereya's victory in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The colt came into the race undefeated on true dirt and left maintaining that record with an 8 1/2-length triumph as the 7-2 third choice. The son of Giant's Causeway left second-place finisher Jackson Bend in the dust at the top of the lane stretching a one-length lead to three in a matter of seconds.

Connemara rebounds to win at Golden Gate

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:06:26 GMT

The three-year-old covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.26 on the track's synthetic surface.

Ridden by Russell Baze, Connemara was last in the nine horse field through the opening half of the race.

Conveyance wins Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:41:39 GMT

The one-mile Southwest is the first of three Kentucky Derby preps at Oaklawn.

Sent off as the 9-5 favorite in the 10-horse field, Conveyance is now perfect in four career starts, including a victory at last month's San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita.

Discreetly Mine takes Risen Star Stakes

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:49:50 GMT

Discreetly Mine, ridden by Javier Castellano, took the lead shortly after the start and was able to repulse any challenge on his way to a 1 1/2-length win.

Running second most of the race and remaining their at the finish was Tempted to Tapit.

Eskendereya captures Fountain of Youth

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:30:57 GMT

Eskendereya was stalking the pace being set by longshot Lost Aptitude. Running third was Positive Split with Jackson Bend in fourth. Heading into the far turn Eskendereya took the lead and was joined by Jackson Bend.

The two colts were together on the final turn when Eskendereya pulled away from the competition. Velazquez got his mount to open up down the stretch and record an 8 1/2-length win over Jackson Bend.