Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra are finalists for 2016 Hall of Fame
class
Legendary mares Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra are among 10 finalists for
induction this year into the Racing Hall of Fame. Also among the nominees
announced on Wednesday are jockeys Ramon Dominguez and Victor Espinoza, and
trainer Steve Asmussen.
Nyquist won’t be running, but
Saturday’s San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita has come up tough with a
seven-horse field that features Mor Spirit and Exaggerator.
Clark H. (G1) winner and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) runner-up
Effinex is the 123-pound highweight in Saturday’s renewal of the $1 million
Santa Anita H. (G1), which highlights a card that also includes the $400,000
Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1), $300,000 San Carlos (G2), and $75,000 China Doll.
Marquee Miss will face five rivals as she tries to continue her sweep of the
Oaklawn Park series of three-year-old filly stakes in Saturday’s Honeybee (G3).
Lining back up against the bay miss will be Nickname and Dorodansa, the
respective second and third-place runners behind her in the Martha Washington S.
Ralis, winner of last year’s Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga, is scheduled to make his
three-year-old bow in the March 19 Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park, trainer Doug
O’Neill has announced. The bay son of Square Eddie followed the Hopeful with
off-the-board runs in the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park and Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland to close out his juvenile campaign.
In his weekly
Kentucky Derby Report, James Scully reviews Shagaf’s Gotham (G3) victory and
is looking forward to a busy weekend with the San Felipe (G2), Tampa Bay Derby
(G2) and Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. John Mucciolo also discussed
Shagaf in the Gotham in his
Aqueduct Notebook.