When it comes to Saturday’s $100,000 Troy Stakes – as with most turf sprints – in the final analysis it all comes down to the trip. Specifically, what kind of trip jockey Kendrick Carmouche can work out for Shore Runner, who won a similar overnight stakes despite significant traffic issues earlier in the meet.
The Texas Thoroughbred Association on Thursday issued a statement supporting historical racing in advance of a Texas Racing Commission meeting at which the panel will consider repealing rules passed last year that provide for the electronic parimutuel game. The commission meeting is Tuesday in Austin.
Page McKenney, second or third in each of his last four starts against graded stakes-caliber competition on dirt, switches surfaces and drops into restricted company Saturday in the $75,000 Robellino Stakes at Penn National.
All systems remain on go for Unbridled Forever’s bid to get that elusive Grade 1 victory after she breezed five furlongs over the main track on Thursday.
It may be true that championships are decided in the fall, but Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga should go a long way in determining the title in the 3-year-old filly division.
Days with lousy weather forecasts are very tricky to prepare for, especially for an avowed fan of grass racing such as myself. At the moment, it appears that rain might be starting Thursday evening and could return Friday. I'm going to simplify my life by avoiding Friday's grass races all together. If they end up staying on, perhaps I'll take a look on the fly.
As most of you probably know, I compile a list we call Sharp Horses and Track Trends for DRF Harness bi-weekly. It's a list of horses to watch and includes track biases. Sometimes I find it helpful to go back over the horses to see which ones won their next start or which horses disappointed.
Prominent Kentucky breeder Kathryn Martin West died Tuesday in her Midway, Ky. residence at age 91. West and her late husband, Robert Smiser West, developed Waterford Farm in Midway, Ky., into a leading commercial breeding and consignment operation, breeding most of their horses in partnership with Hall of Fame trainer MacKenzie Miller and his wife Martha.
Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has faith in the mare Beholder, a two-time Eclipse Award winner, facing males for the first time in her 19th start in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar.
A week of upsets in Group 1 races continued at York Racecourse in England on Thursday when Pleascach (8-1) outran 15-8 favorite Covert Love to win the $522,600 Yorkshire Oaks for fillies and mares.
