Stevens launches training stable

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens launched a training operation today in California.

The Gary Stevens Racing Stable will have its base at Santa Anita Park and will ship runners to locations across the country.

Stevens, who retired from riding in 2005, worked as an assistant trainer with the Thoroughbred Corporation (managing such stars as juvenile champion Anees) during a brief retirement in 2000. He also served as a consultant for IEAH Stables. He will be assisted by his son, T.C., who worked at Ashford Stud.

Stevens won over 5,000 races in 27 years, including three Kentucky Derbies with Winning Colors, Thunder Gulch and Silver Charm. He also won the Preakness twice, Belmont three times, and eight Breeders’ Cup races. He currently works as an analyst for NBC and HRTV.

Albarado, Emigh reach milestones

Two North American riders, Robby Albarado and Chris Emigh, reached career milestones Saturday. Albarado earned career win No. 4,000 while Emigh won his 3,000th race.

Albarado earned his milestone win on Keertana (Johar-Motokiks, by Storm Cat) in the ninth race at Churchill Downs Saturday. He is the 56th North American rider to reach the mark.

Albarado, 35, was the regular rider for 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year Curlin, as well as 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft.

Emigh got his 3,000th win on Thanks Lord (Classified Facts-Fantasy Leap, by Moscow Ballet) in Saturday’s fourth race at Arlington.

A resident of Illinois, Emigh has ridden in Chicago since 1996. He won the riding title at Arlington three years ago.

Final preparations for Belmont underway

Several contenders for the Belmont Stakes, now just a week away, turned in their final serious works at Belmont Saturday morning.

Nick Zito’s pair of Tesio winner Miner’s Escape (Mineshaft-Spy Novel, by Broad Brush) and Brave Victory (Lion Heart-I’m In Celebration, by Copelan) worked four furlongs together in :48.66. It was the fifth-fastest of nine times at the distance. Both horses will be new to the Triple Crown series.

Zito, a native New Yorker, has won the Belmont twice; with Birdstone in 2004 and Da’Tara last year.

Summer Bird (Birdstone- Hong Kong Squall, by Summer Squall) breezed five furlongs in 1:01.89 under jockey Kent Desormeaux. The colt only has a maiden win, but was a closing third in the Arkansas Derby and rallied mildly for sixth in the Derby. He comes into this off a five-week break.

Desormeaux is 0-for-6 in the Belmont, including losses on two Triple Crown contenders, Real Quiet in 1998 and Big Brown in 2008.

Rachel to skip Belmont

Preakness heroine Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro-Lotta Kim, by Roar) will not start in the June 6 Belmont Stakes, owner Jess Jackson announced Friday.

Rachel Alexandra became the first filly since 1924 to win the Preakness, defeating a field of 12 colts. It was her sixth straight win; she also took the Kentucky Oaks on May 1. Jackson feels the filly deserves a vacation after her efforts.

With Rachel Alexandra out, jockey Calvin Borel will be back aboard Mine That Bird (Birdstone-Mining My Own, by Smart Strike), who he rode to the Kentucky Derby win. Chip Woolley had been leaving the mount open in hopes of retaining Borel, and the move paid off; the trainer announced Friday that Borel woul indeed be back aboard.

No rider decision yet for Derby winner

Chip Woolley, trainer of Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness runner-up Mine That Bird (Birdstone-Mining My Own, by Smart Strike) is waiting until next week to name a rider for his gelding for the Belmont Stakes.

The reason for the indecision is because Jess Jackson, owner of Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d’Oro-Lotta Kim, by Roar), has not yet announced plans for his superstar filly.

Calvin Borel rode Rachel Alexandra to five straight stakes wins, including the Kentucky Oaks. The following day, he rode Mine That Bird for the first time, piloting him to a shocking Derby upset.

In the two weeks leading up to the Preakness, Jackson purchased Rachel Alexandra and entered her in the Preakness, forcing Borel to make a decision. He chose to ride Rachel Alexandra, who he’s called the best horse he’s ever ridden. The filly held off a hard-charging Mine That Bird to win by about two lengths.

Mike Smith rode Mine That Bird in the Preakness, but won’t be aboard in the Belmont because he’s committed to ride another horse in California that day.

Jackson has not yet announced if Rachel Alexandra will run in the Belmont, but Borel would presumably choose to ride her if she is entered. Woolley has chosen not to name a backup rider for Mine That Bird yet, hoping Borel will ride the gelding if his filly is not entered.

The deadline for Belmont entries is Wednesday morning.

Lukas running two in Belmont

Trainer Wayne Lukas, who has won the Belmont stakes four times, will saddle two horses in this year’s running. Both will be familiar to fans who have followed the Triple Crown trail.

Flying Private (Fusaichi Pegasus-Beautiful Treasure, by Unbridled) will enter the Belmont off a much-improved performance in the Preakness. After running last of 19 horses in the Derby, the colt rebounded to be a closing fourth at Pimlico, just about four lengths behind the winners.

Luv Gov (Ten Most Wanted-City of Silver, by Nepal) took 10 tries to break his maiden, winning a maiden race on the Derby undercard. He then entered the Preakness, where he finished eighth.

Lukas says that the Belmont has been the ultimate goal for both colts all spring.

The trainer won the race in 1994 with Tabasco Cat, 1995 with Thunder Gulch, 1996 with Editor’s Note and 2000 with Commendable. A fifth win in the race would put him into a tie with Woody Stephens for most Belmonts all-time.

McPeek gets No. 1000

Traner Ken McPeek celebrated Memorial Day by getting his 1,000th career win at Churchill Downs.

Old Man Buck (Hold That Tiger-Victorian Woman, by Jeblar), winner of the 2007 Cradle Stakes, took the eighth race on the card, an allowance/optional claimer for McPeek.

McPeek, 46, got his trainer’s license in 1985; his father was his first client. Some of his career highlights include training millionaire Tejano Run, who was second in the 1994 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the Kentucky Derby the following spring; 2002 Belmont winner Sarava; Harlan’s Holiday, winner of the Florida Derby, Blue Grass and Donn Handicap; multiple grade I winning globetrotter Hard Buck; and Dream Empress, who won last summer’s Alcibiades and was second in the Juvenile Fillies.

Douglas may not walk again

Jockey Rene Douglas, who was involved in a spill at Arlington on Saturday, come out of surgery Sunday morning without feeling in his lower extremities and doctors say the rider may not walk again.

Douglas was riding Born To Be (AP Indy-Susan Powter, by Native Prospector) in the Arlington Matron when the filly was bumped and clipped heels at the top of the stretch, falling and landing on top of Douglas. He was rushed to Northwest Hospital and later transferred to another hospital, Northwestern, by helicopter. He underwent a seven-hour surgery that ended at about 9:30 a.m. Central time. Doctors worked to repair compressed vertebrae and damage to his neck and spinal cord.

Douglas was alert and able to speak with his wife before the surgery in “fair” condition following his surgery. He will remain in the intensive care unit for two weeks and then move to rehab.

Douglas has been the leading rider at Arlington six times and was the leading rider at the current meet entering Saturday’s card. He won the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Dreaming of Anna and the 1996 Belmont aboard Editor’s Note.

Born To Be was knocked unconscious when she fell and was taken off the track by ambulance because she was unable to stand. The filly remained in her stall overnight, but was euthanized on Sunday due to her injuries. The 4-year-old was 11-3-1-3 lifetime and multiple stakes placed.