Tag: People

Champion Maryland jockey Sheldon Russell is nearing a return to the races more than nine months after being hurt in a pre-race spill at Laurel Park.

“He's doing great,” Russell's agent Marty Leonard said. “He's been getting back on horses for a couple weeks now and feeling good. He's really close to returning to riding.”

The 34-year-old Russell was originally hurt last September 9 when 2-year-old Maryland-bred filly Little Bit of That got spooked and reared heading to the track before what was to be her career debut. Russell was unseated and landed on his right foot, toes-first, and was diagnosed with a Lisfranc injury, involving both the bones and ligaments in the middle part of his foot.

Russell underwent successful surgery to repair the injury and, following a long recovery and rehab, began getting on horses again in April but was back on the sidelines after breaking his collarbone during morning training.

“He was probably about a week away from returning when that happened, so it was another minor setback,” Leonard said. “It was about an eight- to 10-week injury.”

Russell is married to Brittany Russell, leading trainer this year during Laurel's spring stand as well as the subsequent Preakness Meet at Pimlico Race Course. Interestingly, it was Little Bit of That's victory on Mother's Day, May 8, that clinched the mom-of-two's first meet championship.

At the time of his injury last fall, Russell led all jockeys in Maryland in purses earned and was second in wins. He has won more than 1,500 races and $43 million in purses since 2007, overcoming several injuries during his career.

“He's gone through this a few times. He's resilient and relentless, he really is,” Leonard said. “We're just going day by day and we're going to let him tell us when he's ready to go. When he's ready to go, I'm sure we'll have a horse to get on.”

The post Jockey Sheldon Russell Nearing Comeback From Injury appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Lugamo Racing Stable and J R Sanchez Racing Stable's Askin for a Baskin swept past dueling pacesetters Imperial King and Jimmy the Kid in deep stretch and edged clear in Race 9 Friday at Laurel Park to complete a four-win day for trainer Rudy Sanchez-Salomon at the Maryland track.

Askin for a Baskin ($6.60) and Jimmy the Kid, both recent claims by Sanchez-Salomon, finished 1 ¼ lengths apart in the starter-optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up sprinting six furlongs on a fast main track, with Imperial King another 3 ¼ lengths back in third. The winning time was 1:10.98.

“It's a blessed day. It's an awesome, blessed day,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “It happens once in a blue moon, and it happened to me today.”

It was the first four-win day for Sanchez-Salomon, a 50-year-old native of Mexico who by Equibase statistics has won 135 races since launching his career in 2017 after working under trainers Scott Lake and Dane Kobiskie. He won his first race with Nairet May 28, 2017, at historic Pimlico Race Course.

“I thought the horses were in some good spots and with some luck we could win a couple races,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “In the last race, they scratched the favorite and that horse is a runner. That was in our favor.”

Stroll Smokin, a 13-time winner including two straight, was scratched after warming up for Race 9, where the 7-year-old gelding was the 2-5 favorite. Jimmy the Kid and Imperial King were inseparable through splits of 23.04 and 46.35 seconds when Askin for a Baskin, who had tracked the pair in third, came rolling on the far outside.

“It feels awesome,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “The horse that ran second I just claimed not that long ago and I like that horse. He's got speed and heart, as well. He was in a battle and the other horse was going good and I said, 'He's got a shot to win this one.' It's a great day.”

Sanchez-Solomon's other wins came with Designated Hitters Racing's Albertano ($26.80) in Race 4, J R Sanchez Racing Stable's Samui Sunset ($17.80) in Race 6 and Joanne Shankle's The Wolfman ($3.40) in Race 8, a six-furlong starter allowance for 3-year-olds and up. The Wolfman came back five days after running ninth in the $75,000 Find going 1 1/16 miles on the Laurel turf.

“The other day, he just went over there just to go around. That was my plan. It was time to figure out if he was going to like the turf going long or not,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “I told the jockey, 'Listen, just let him run his race. Don't ask him for anything. Let him be himself,' and he did. He proved it today that he was ready for this race.”

Sanchez-Salomon now has six wins from 23 starters at Laurel's 37-day summer meet, which began June 3. He was second with Can the Queen in the $75,000 All Brandy June 19 while attempting to stretch the two-time turf sprint stakes winner's speed around two turns.

Based at Laurel, Sanchez-Salomon said that claimer-turned-multiple stakes winner Shake Em Loose, a late Triple Crown nominee that was considered for a start in the 147^th Preakness Stakes (G1), remains on summer vacation. He was most recently sixth in the one-mile James W. Murphy for 3-year-olds on turf on the Preakness undercard May 21.

“He's doing good,” Sanchez-Salomon said. “He's taking some time off at the farm. I wanted to give him a little bit of time off and he's doing awesome.”

The post Trainer Rudy Sanchez-Salomon Notches Four Winners At Laurel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Edgard Zayas had spent quality time with his family during his six-months on the sidelines, and wife Ashley and daughters Lilah (18 months) and Lillian (5) were the first to greet the 28-year-old jockey following his first race back at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., on Friday afternoon.

Following surgery on his left shoulder and a lengthy rehabilitation period, Zayas had three mounts on Friday's program, including Flag Woman, who set the pace before fading to fifth in Race 3.

“It feels good, getting back after six months,” Zayas said.  “The shoulder felt great, no problem at all. I was hoping for better results but I'm happy to be back.”

Zayas also rode Don't Get Khozy, who finished fifth in Race 7, and Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Li Li Bear, who checked in eighth in Race 8.

Zayas has ridden 1,930 winners since venturing to South Florida to launch his career in late 2012, benefitting from early mentoring from Hall of Famers Angel Cordero and Edgar Prado. He was an Eclipse Award finalist for outstanding apprentice jockey in 2013 after riding more than 200 winners and notching a Grade 1 victory aboard Starship Truffles in the Princess Rooney at Calder. Zayas, who has gone on to ride more than 200 winners in six of nine complete years of his career, while winning numerous riding titles at Gulfstream and Gulfstream Park West.

Edgar Perez Rides Five Winners at Gulfstream Friday

Jockey Edgar Perez continued a very solid Royal Palm Meet at Gulfstream Park Friday, riding five winners on the 10-race program. Perez rode three straight winners – Alternate Rock ($9) in Race 3, Great Uncle ($5.40) in Race 4 and Laniakea Storm ($6.40) in Race 5 – before scoring back-to-back aboard Dignified ($41.60) in Race 8 and Sequin Lady ($6) in Race 9.

“It's been a great day, unbelievable,” Perez said.

The Venezuela native, who had been a fixture on the Chicago circuit for years after riding his first U.S. race in South Florida in 2009, switched his tack to Gulfstream this spring and summer due to the closure of Arlington Park.

“I'm thankful for the opportunities. My agent [Rene Douglas] told me I will do good here,” Perez said. “I like it here. I like the Tapeta, everything.”

Three of Perez's victories were on the all-weather surface Friday.

In Race 7, a seven-furlong starter allowance for fillies, jockey Franklin Gonzalez Jr. notched his first U.S. victory aboard Awesome Annmarie ($19.20). The Venezuela native had been winless in 32 races since making his U.S. debut April 28 at Gulfstream.

Saturday's Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $200,000       

The Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $200,000 Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for five racing days following a June 11 mandatory payout.

The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 7-12, including the $75,000 Powder Break, a mile-and-70-yard stakes for fillies and mares on Tapeta, in Race 10.  David Fawkes-trained Grand Ave Girl, who captured the Monroe Stakes on turf last time out, is rated as the 7-5 morning-line favorite.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

The post ‘Happy To Be Back’: Zayas Returns To Race Riding At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockey Ruben Fuentes was seriously injured in a spill on Thursday at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn., reports the Star Tribune. The 24-year-old rider suffered injuries to his skull, vertebrae, and collarbone, but was able to move all his limbs.

A Facebook post from Fuentes' girlfriend, Sydni Thompson, said he was in stable condition with surgery scheduled for Monday.

The incident occurred in the fifth race, when Malintent, a 3-year-old trained by Ronald Westermann, suffered a non-recoverable injury to his front leg and fell. Fuentes appeared to go over the horse's head, and the horse appeared to roll over him.

Malintent was euthanized on the track, and Minnesota Racing Commission chief veterinarian Dr. Lynn Hovda said a complete necropsy will be performed.

Hpnotiq Rhythm fell over the downed horse, but escaped major injury, as did that horse's rider, Roimes Chirinos.

Read more at the Star Tribune.

The post Ruben Fuentes Sustains Multiple Injuries, Remains Hospitalized After Canterbury Spill appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post