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The top 3-year-old male pacers in North America meet Saturday in the $500,000 Max C. Hempt Memorial at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, but with trainer Tony Alagna expecting the group to “trade punches all year,” the event might as well be called “Round Two.”
Hazel Park Raceway announced a 5 percent purse reduction on Tuesday, effective July 10, marking the track’s second purse cut in the last month. The Detroit-area racetrack previously scaled back overnight purses by 15 percent on June 12, citing a decline in purse-fund revenue from simulcast wagering.
Cocked and Loaded, who shipped from Arlington to win the Tremont Stakes on June 5 at Belmont Park, remained on track for a return trip to New York and a start July 25 in the Grade 3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga when he worked five furlongs in 1:02 last week over Arlington’s main track.
It’s supposed to be tough times when a jockey loses his apprentice weight allowance, but that hasn’t been the case with Mitchell Murrill, who entered this week’s racing atop the Arlington Park jockey standings with 35 wins, 14 more than the next-best total.
Ruidoso Downs is putting on 32 trials for its $1 million Rainbow Futurity over its Friday and Saturday cards in New Mexico
Lewis Vale seemed to find a home on turf last out, winning a first-level allowance race at Arlington Park with a solid closing kick, and should have a chance to make it two straight on Friday in the featured second race, an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
The second annual Stars and Stripes card, scheduled for Saturday at Belmont Park, definitely will have an all-American feel to it.
The Pickett Factor, a winner of two of his three career starts, will move to two turns Friday at Louisiana Downs. He goes in the sixth race, a mile-and-70-yard allowance route for 3-year-olds and up bred in Louisiana.
Trainer Mike Stidham, in the midst of an excellent Arlington meet, will be in stakes action from Woodbine to Del Mar in coming weeks.
Private Zone, who has won three Grade 1 races in New York, drew post 3 and heads an eight-horse field in Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Belmont Sprint Championship at seven furlongs.
