SAN MATEO, Calif. - Surveying the field for the $100,000 California Sprint Championship at Bay Meadows, trainer Ruben Cardenas told jockey Russell Baze to keep Stoney off what he expected to be an extremely fast pace. He never expected to be last early, however.
Stoney ($4.40) rallied in the stretch, catching El Dorado Shooter inside the sixteenth pole, and pulled away for a 1 1/2-length victory in the six-furlong race for Cal-breds. Winning time for the six furlongs was 1:08.44.
Front-runner Jarf hadn't been able to carry his speed far enough to win a race since last March. Able to set a modest pace early under jockey Clinton Potts, Jarf ($8.60) wired a field of five older horses by 3 1/2 lengths in the $100,000 Kelso Stakes at Delaware Park.
MIAMI - Lawbook served notice he is coming up to the $400,000 In Reality Stakes at Calder in top form by working a half-mile in 47.20 seconds under jockey Roger Velez on Saturday morning.
Lawbook has won his last three starts, including the six-furlong Dr. Fager and seven-furlong Affirmed stakes, the first two legs of the open division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. A victory in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile In Reality would make him the sixth horse to sweep all three legs of the series.
Business was down again at the 22-day fall meet that ended Thursday at Turfway Park, continuing a disturbing trend that began in the late 1990's when riverboat casinos in nearby Indiana became operational alongside the northern Kentucky region in which Turfway is located.
All-sources handle averaged $3,067,184, a 9.4 percent decline from comparable figures from the 2001 fall meet, when 21 programs were run. Ontrack handle averaged $355,507, down 4.7 percent. Attendance figures do not apply because Turfway began offering free admission this fall.
Burning Roma has been stabled at Delaware Park since coming to trainer Heather Giglio's barn in June. But it's clear that The Meadowlands is where Burning Roma feels most at home.
Proving that his 6 1/4-length romp in a minor stakes three weeks ago was no fluke, Burning Roma returned to The Meadowlands on Friday night and defeated 2-1 favorite Volponi by three-quarters of a length in the Grade 2, $400,000 Meadowlands Cup. Windsor Castle finished third, 1 1/14 lengths farther back.
ANDERSON, Ind. - Bare Necessities posted the biggest win of her young career Friday night as she took the $306,400 Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks at Hoosier Park over eight other 3-year-old fillies.
Ridden by Jose Validivia, Bare Necessities settled off the early pace set by Erica's Smile over a muddy surface to stalk the pace in fourth. She moved to challenge through the far turn and caught Erica's Smile nearing the stretch before drawing off to score by eight lengths in the 1 1/16-mile race.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - This side of California, they're still trying to determine who gets to run in the Breeders' Cup Distaff in three weeks. Everyone knows that Azeri, the California dynamo, will be a heavy favorite at Arlington Park in Chicago, but it's the rest of the Distaff field that still requires assembly.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - As a sudden gust of wind blew over a wooden folding chair just a few feet from her, Lisa Honeycutt expressed confidence that business would improve over the $100 or so she was selling in mutuel tickets each race.
"This weather isn't helping, and most people don't know we're out here," Honeycutt said after the fourth race Friday at Keeneland, where, for the first time, some 20 roving mutuel clerks were dispersed throughout the clubhouse and grandstand. "I'm sure it'll get better."
ELMONT, N.Y. - A lot was expected of Harmony Lodge from the day owner Eugene Melnyk plunked down $1.65 million for her at the Fasig-Tipton 2-year-old-in-training sales in February 2000.
After some mixed results, Harmony Lodge may finally be ready to fulfill those expectations beginning Sunday, when she takes on Grade 1 winners Raging Fever and Shine Again in the Grade 2, $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park. A field of six was entered for the Gallant Bloom, run at 6 1/2 furlongs.
ARCADIA, Calif. - There are many different ways to earn a trip to the Breeders' Cup - on the lead, pressing the pace, or rallying from the back.
Front-runner Kela, presser Momentum, and closer Pleasantly Perfect are among nine starters in the Grade 2, $500,000 Goodwood Handicap Sunday at Santa Anita. All three are aiming for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Arlington Park Oct. 26.
"The one we want is the next one," said Momentum's trainer, Craig Dollase. Momentum will be favored in the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood, highlight of a stakes triple-header.
