Horse Racing News

Janis Whitham's homebred Fort Larned, who has not started since his gutsy victory in the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Classic, will face just five opponents when he makes his 5-year-old debut March 9 in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

Highly-regarded sophomore Verrazano makes his stakes debut against eight others March 9 in the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs, rolling in off an impressive 16 3/4-length allowance optional claiming win at Gulfstream Park.

Flashback and Goldencents, acknowledged by most as the leading 3-year-old males in Southern California, meet for the first time in the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes March 9 at Santa Anita Park.

Joel Rosario has sure gotten some live pick-up mounts following his decision to ride Speak Logistics instead of Orb, on whom he had won two in a row, in the Besilu Fountain of Youth Stakes.

Oliver Tait, Darley's chief operating officer, has resigned from the board of the Breeders' Cup because of the organization's medication policy.

Game On Dude erased any doubts about his ability to get 1 1/4 miles and proved once more that he's the king of Santa Anita Park with a breathtaking front-running score in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap March 2.

Pozo de Luna's Suggestive Boy just staved off the late thrust of Silentio by a nose in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,750 Frank E. Kilroe Mile, handing Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally a milestone 700th Santa Anita win.

Spendthrift Farm's Beholder proved to be fully recovered from a throat ulcer that was discovered after her runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez when wiring Saturday's Grade 1, $250,750 Las Virgenes at Santa Anita.

Favored Comma to the Top, making just his second appearance outside of California, proved a tenacious winner of the $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap March 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack, just a week after making his last start.

Although 8-5 favorite Tuttipaesi failed to quicken as expected in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Herecomesthebride, English-born trainer Graham Motion still came away with a victory when Kitten's Point posted the mild 6-1 upset.