Horse Racing News

Battle Hardened, given a patient ride by Julien Leparoux, earned the first win of his career when he defeated a big field in the $200,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

After a dip in early nominations to the Triple Crown last year, the numbers came roaring back this year, with 397 3-year-olds -- led by champion 2-year-old colt Hansen -- announced on Saturday as nominees to the 2012 Triple Crown.

Mr. Commons took another step on what his connections hope will be a special campaign when he rallied from off the pace to win the $150,000 Arcadia Stakes on turf Feb. 4 for his second graded win of the Santa Anita meet.

Just as he did when winning the Count Fleet Stakes a month earlier, Alpha easily defeated an overmatched field to take the $200,000 Withers by 3 1/4 lengths Feb. 4 at Aqueduct.

Repole Stable's Calibrachoa overcame a stumbling start to post a second consecutive victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan at Aqueduct, a six-furlong inner dirt dash for older horses.

Already with a slew of top 3-year-olds taking aim at the Triple Crown, Todd Pletcher will send out yet another prospect in the $250,000 Sam F. Davis, a race he has won four of the last six years.

Alpha opened his three-year-old season with a 2 1/2-length score in the January 7 Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct and will remain on the inner track for Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes.

Separated by less than a length in two stakes at Hollywood Park last fall, Liaison and Rousing Sermon will renew acquaintance in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita.

The Maryland Jockey Club will honor the connections of Rapid Redux on February 18. Rapid Redux has won 22 consecutive races, including a perfect 19-for-19 season a year ago and took home a pair of national awards last month.

Game On Dude was less than sixteenth of a mile from winning the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs last November when jockey Chantal Sutherland sensed victory.