Dixiana Farms' homebred Hayes Strike (Connect) along with Mendelssohns March (Mendelssohn), owned by Harold Lerner, Nehoc Stables, AWC Stables and Team Stallion Racing Stable, tuned up for expected starts in Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. by working 5 furlongs in 1:00.60 in company together.

Hayes Strike comes into the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass off a victory in the Private Terms S. at Laurel March 18.

“I don't run many horses in Maryland,” trainer Kenny McPeek said of Hayes Strike. “His race at Turfway (in the Leonatus Stakes on Jan. 21 in which he finished ninth) … nothing went right. He didn't ship well, and he didn't handle the synthetic surface at all. I just needed to get him back on the dirt and get him back to winning.”

Mendelssohns March has two wins in two starts with victories on the turf at Fair Grounds and on a sloppy dirt track at Oaklawn Park.

McPeek is the most recent of six trainers to have swept the GI Central Bank Ashland and Toyota Blue Grass in the same year. McPeek, who first accomplished the double in 2002 with Take Charge Lady and Harlan's Holiday, is expected to send out Magdalena Racing, Colette Marie Vanmatre and James Ball's Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) in the Ashland. Defining Purpose worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.20.

Half-mile workers included Mr. and Mrs. Tsunebumi Yoshihara's Yuugiri (Shackleford) who went in :48.80 in preparation for the GI Madison S. for trainer Rodolphe Brisset; Tom Durant's Run Classic (Runhappy) who worked a half in :47.80 for the GIII Commonwealth S. for trainer Bret Calhoun; and Michael J. Ryan's Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) in :49.80 for the GII Appalachian S. for trainer Horacio De Paz.

Also working Sunday morning was West Coast Stables' Pride of the Nile (Pioneerof the Nile), currently 28th on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with 17 points, who drilled 6 furlongs in 1:16 on the main track under Ferrin Peterson for trainer Doug O'Neill in preparation for Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Pride of the Nile shipped to Keeneland the middle of last month after a troubled trip in the GIII Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita March 5.

“I was glad to get her,” said Stephanie Murray, who oversees the O'Neill string at Keeneland. “Today was her third work here. The first time, she worked on the (all-weather) training track because of the rain.”

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“Many of my new ideas came from US racing and from my hometown, Pisa's San Rossore racetrack, where thoroughbred racing has always been an unparalleled passion,” said Lorenzo Stoppini, the new Director of BU Ippodromi at Snaitech. “I want to give most of the credit to our San Siro marketing staff that were able to promote our racing season all over the vibrant city of Milan, with more than 1.3 million people [which has a] great tradition of fashion, design and top sport[ing] events.”

The post San Siro Hosts A Successful Start To The Flat Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Post time on Fridays throughout the 53-day meet will be 5 p.m.

The lone exception to the new 12:15 post time, as well as to the free parking and admission policy, will be July 17, when the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes will be contested for the 54th time.

Monmouth Park's live racing schedule runs through Sept. 26.

“With the overwhelming response from horsemen for stall space and fans able to return in greater numbers there's a renewed sense of optimism and excitement for this meet, especially after the challenges we faced a year ago due to COVID-19,” said Dennis Drazin, Chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, operators of Monmouth Park. “I think everyone is looking forward to what should be a very special year of racing at Monmouth Park. All of the indicators are that it will be.”

Opening weekend will feature four straight days of live racing from Friday through Monday over the Memorial Day weekend that starts on May 28. Starting in June, and running through the end of August, live racing will operate on a Friday through Sunday schedule.

In a continuation of the policy from a year ago, no outside food or drink will be permitted.

Monmouth Park will offer 46 stakes races worth $6.15 million this year, including 10 graded stakes. There are 10 stakes races restricted to New Jersey-bred horses, with the highlight for state-breds being the 19th annual New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival on Aug. 29.

Haskell Day will again feature six stakes races, including the Grade 1 United Nations, which will see a purse boost from $300,000 to $500,000. Horse of the Year Authentic won the Haskell last summer, eventually going on to win the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic.

The post Monmouth Moves To 12:15 Post Time On Saturdays And Sundays appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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