Chicago Sun-Times

Kentucky Derby will have full field of 20 horses

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:16:00 -0500

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Twenty-one horses have been entered for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, one more than the maximum field of 20. The entry box closed Wednesday morning, with the draw to determine post positions set for later in the afternoon. The field is limited to the top 20 horses based on points earned in designated prep races. Leading the way is undefeated Verrazano, winner of the Wood Memorial. He’s one of five colts trained by Todd Pletcher. Pletcher also will saddle Overanalyze, Revolutionary, Palace Malice, and Charming Kitten. Oxbow and Will Take Charge will be the record 46th and 47th Derby …

Kentucky Derby: Top 10 picks

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:52:20 -0500

Doug O’Neill is gearing up for a Kentucky Derby repeat. A year after winning the Derby with I’ll Have Another, the trainer is going for another — this time with Goldencents.

Departing wins Illinois Derby

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 21:20:01 -0500

Race favorite Departing came on strong at the head of the stretch to win the Grade III $750,000 Illinois Derby by 3º lengths Saturday at Hawthorne Race Course. Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Departing ran 1 1/8 miles race in 1:50.78 on the fast track. Fordubai edged Siete de Oros by a neck for second place, and Abraham finished fourth. “Once he got down the backside, I thought I was on the best horse,” Hernandez said. “He was just kind of cruising and going really easy today. He looks like he’s getting better with distance.” Departing, the Son of War …

Equine virus resurfaces at Hawthorne Race Course

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:26:19 -0500

An equine virus that has caused the deaths of at least four horses and forced a quarantine at Hawthorne Race Course might have claimed another horse last weekend. The latest case comes several weeks after the virus appeared to have run its course after manifesting itself in October. Racing officials were awaiting the results of a necropsy on a 2-year-old filly that had to be euthanized last weekend after exhibiting symptoms of equine herpesvirus, an airborne virus that isn’t always fatal but has no vaccine. The virus isn’t uncommon in equine environments, but it hadn’t been a problem at Hawthorne …

Fort Larned’s Classic stunner tops upset-filled weekend in Breeders’ Cup

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 06:51:51 -0500

ARCADIA, Calif. — Bob Baffert got beat again in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic. Bill Mott settled for half of a repeat sweep in the weekend’s two biggest races. The Hall of Fame trainers could only wince as 9-1 long shot Fort Larned won North America’s richest race on Saturday night, capping a weekend of upsets in the world championships at Santa Anita. Fort Larned ran the race of his life, leading all the way to win by a half-length over Mucho Macho Man. The highly anticipated Classic was strictly a two-horse race to the finish. Game On Dude, …

Bill Mott juiced about potential double double in Classic races

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:48:35 -0500

ARCADIA, Calif. — Bill Mott is in position to duplicate the ultimate daily double. The Hall of Fame trainer swept the $2 million Ladies’ Classic and $5 million Classic at last year’s Breeders’ Cup. He could do it again this weekend, with Royal Delta defending her Ladies’ title and three of his horses running in the big race. The Breeders’ Cup has been dominated by females in recent years, led by Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra and Havre de Grace, whose body of work garnered Horse of the Year honors for each. It could happen again starting Friday, when Royal Delta heads …

Going wire-to-wire, Little Mike captures the Arlington Million for the Vaccarezzas

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:30:49 -0500

Priscilla Vaccarezza was born in Chicago, grew up in Carol Stream and attended Glenbard North High School. But she never had been to Arlington Park until Saturday, when her horse Little Mike won the 30th running of the Arlington Million over British invader Afsare in front of 34,022. Little Mike, who went off at 7-2 and was one of three co-favorites, won the 1¼-mile turf race by 1½ lengths in 2:02.44 with Ramon Dominguez aboard. The Florida-bred 5-year-old trained by Dale Romans paid $9.80 to win in his first Million appearance. “I’ve never been to Arlington, and my aunt, who …

Local hope Helicopter takes aim at $400,000 American St. Leger

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 06:20:58 -0500

When the 12-race International Festival of Racing begins Saturday at Arlington Park, it won’t just be about who will win the three Grade I stakes races: the $500,000 Secretariat Stakes, the $750,000 Beverly D. and Arlington Million. This year, the festival features the inaugural running of the $400,000 American St. Leger, the longest race of the day at 111/16 miles on the turf for 3-year-olds and up. For one local trainer, Larry Rivelli of Lake in the Hills, the St. Leger will be a test for his horse, Helicopter. ‘‘It’s kind of a step up for him, and he’s earned …

Local hope Willcox Inn will give it a shot in Arlington Million

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:09:16 -0500

There’s no aspect of the 30th running of the Arlington Million that Marty Nixon hasn’t enjoyed. The Palatine native is the owner, along with Lael Stable and All In Stable, of Willcox Inn, who drew the seventh post position during the unveiling Wednesday of the Million lineup. Willcox Inn is 12-1 to win the 11/4-mile race on the turf Saturday at Arlington Park’s International Festival of Racing. It’s the first horse Nixon has entered in the Million. In 2011, Willcox Inn, a 4-year-old, finished fifth in the Secretariat Stakes during the Festival of Racing. Willcox Inn won his season-opening race …

Legal problems mounting for jockey Robby Albarado

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:54:01 -0500

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jockey Robby Albarado was fined $500 on Tuesday for a misdemeanor assault conviction stemming from a scuffle with his former girlfriend, but the Preakness-winning rider’s legal problems aren’t behind him yet. At the sentencing, Judge Ann Bailey Smith set a Nov. 14 hearing to decide whether Albarado violated conditions of his release in a previous assault case. Albarado could be sent to jail for up to a year if he’s found to have violated those terms. Albarado was sentenced Tuesday for his conviction on a fourth-degree assault charge last month in Jefferson County District Court. The jury …

Frank Martin, trainer of Sham, dies at 86

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:02:00 -0500

Hall of Fame trainer Frank “Pancho” Martin, who oversaw 1973 Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up Sham, has died. He was 86.

I’ll Have Another was reportedly ailing before Belmont

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 11:10:00 -0500

NEW YORK — Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another was ailing well before he was retired from racing with a tendon injury the day ahead of his bid to win the Belmont Stakes and become the first Triple Crown champion in 34 years. The New York Times reports in a story Wednesday that veterinary records obtained from New York state racing officials show that I’ll Have Another was being treated with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs in the weeks after his win in the Preakness on May 19 and before the Belmont, which was June 9. According to the …

Jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. balancing motherhood with racing career

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 06:07:07 -0500

It couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. Jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr. found out she was pregnant at the peak of her career. ‘‘The week before I found out, I rode six races and won five,’’ Homeister, 39, said. ‘‘I was stunned, and I was in shock. I went through an emotional roller coaster. In racing, you don’t want to lose your business.’’ Homeister gave birth to Victoria Rose nine months ago. And what was a terrifying thought at first — a surprise pregnancy — turned into one of the best things that could have happened to her. Whatever …

Union Rags rides rail to victory in Belmont Stakes

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 10:36:03 -0500

NEW YORK — Union Rags picked up where I’ll Have Another left off, coming from behind to catch a Bob Baffert-trained horse at the finish in a Triple Crown race. Union Rags rallied through an opening on the rail Saturday to edge Paynter by a neck in the Belmont Stakes, dealing Baffert a third loss this year in the Triple Crown series. I’ll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with stirring stretch drives over Baffert’s Bodemeister. But the champion stunned the racing world Friday when he was scratched from the Belmont and retired because of a tendon injury, …

Union Rags nips Paynter to win Belmont Stakes

Sat, 09 Jun 2012 20:29:29 -0500

NEW YORK — Union Rags picked up right where I’ll Have Another left off, coming from behind to catch a Bob Baffert-trained horse at the finish in a Triple Crown race. In Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, it was another photo finish decided by a neck. Just like the Preakness. The 3-year-old bay colt barreled through a slim opening on the rail to edge Paynter, dealing Baffert, jockey Mike Smith and owner Ahmed Zayat a third loss in this year’s Triple Crown series. “We needed every bit of the mile and a half,” winning trainer Michael Matz said. I’ll Have Another won …