Horse Racing News

Team Block's Never Retreat, coming off her first graded coup in the March 5 Grade 3 Honey Fox at Gulfstream Park, made it a double against a considerably higher-caliber of opposition in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland.

Aikenite rallied to the lead in deep stretch and drew clear to a 2 1/4-length decision in Saturday's Grade 2 Commonwealth.

Nicole H returned from her winter break as good if not better than she went into it, sailing through the wind and rain at Aqueduct to take Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff Handicap by 2 1/2 lengths.

Odds-on choice Regally Ready set a blazing pace coming down the Santa Anita hillside turf course, staving off the fast-closing Camp Victory by a nose for his first graded stakes win in the $100,000 San Simeon Handicap April 16.

Havre de Grace overcame a modest pace to run down a determined Switch and become both a Grade 1 winner and millionaire Friday in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

While Sullimar Stables' homebred Get Stormy would have appealed to hunch players on a rainy Friday at Keeneland, the multiple Grade 2 hero had more tangible credentials to recommend him in the Grade 1, $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile.

Shotgun Gulch rallied from last and passed favored Amen Hallelujah in deep stretch to post an 11-1 upset in the Grade 1, $300,000 Vinery Madison April 14 at Keeneland.

For all Smiling Tiger accomplished last year at 3 -- knocking off older horses in the both the Bing Crosby and Ancient Title and running third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint -- there are reasons to believe he will be even better this season.

The connections of Uncle Mo believe they have a reason why their horse did not run up to expectations in last weekend's $1 million Wood Memorial, and are still hoping to get last year's 2-year-old champion to the Kentucky Derby on May 7.

Jockey Rafael Bejarano rode Malibu Pier to a victory in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita last month but will ride the runner-up from that race, Turning Top, in Saturday's $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap.