Horse Racing News

Yavapai Downs in Prescott, Ariz., has canceled its 2011 racing meet, just days after the track took entries for its scheduled opening-day card on Saturday, according to published reports.

Game On Dude, who in March won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, will lead a contingent of four horses trainer Bob Baffert plans to run Monday on the Million Day card of stakes at Lone Star Park.

The Sheepshead Bay, run at 1 3/8 miles over the Widener Turf Course, drew a field of seven fillies and mares, including a trio from the Christophe Clement barn.

Trainer Jeff Mullins filed a motion in U.S. Superior Court on Wednesday requesting a stay of a 70-day suspension that he is scheduled to begin serving June 1, citing violations of his due-process rights by the California Horse Racing Board.

St Trinians will have a different rider for the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap on June 18, trainer Mike Mitchell confirmed Tuesday.

Grade 1 winner Paddy O'Prado, who sustained a sesamoid injury in his May 21 victory in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes, has been retired after a career in which he posted five wins, three seconds, and three thirds from 15 starts, with earnings of $1,721,297.

Shackleford, who won the 136th Preakness Stakes on Saturday, came out of the race well, and his chances of running in the Belmont Stakes on June 11 are "better than 50-50," his trainer, Dale Romans, said Sunday morning here at Pimlico.

Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom came out of his second-place finish in Saturday's Preakness at Pimlico tired, but otherwise in good shape and will be under strong consideration to run back in the Belmont Stakes on June 11.

A new racing season showcased the same old Goldikova, who won her 2011 debut Sunday at Longchamp in Paris, taking the Prix d'Ispahan by a neck over Cirrus des Aigles.

Saturday was a tough day for even-money favorites in graded stakes at Hollywood Park.