Derby winner Cross unsure what to do next

FORT ERIE, Ontario - David Cross Jr., the trainer of 1983 Kentucky Derby winner Sunny's Halo, came out of retirement this year and has seven horses in his barn at the Fort. He had packed it in in 2001 while competing in California.

Cross, a native of Victoria, B.C., has had a low profile since returning to work. He has saddled one winner from 11 starts - Caledonna, who won a $5,000 maiden claimer here June 29.

At Woodbine on Sunday, Cross sent out maiden filly One Sixty for her third consecutive second-place finish, and her second at Woodbine. The race was for $50,000 claimers.

Cross is unsure about his future.

"I don't know whether I want to stay, or leave, or what," he said. "I have to make up my mind. I live in Las Vegas. I'm contemplating on staying here, but I'd probably try and get to Woodbine eventually."

Cross trained for 16 years at Woodbine for Pud Foster of Toronto, the owner and breeder of Sunny's Halo.

Pinedale Star to go well, trainer says

Trainer Darrin Palman predicts that his gelding Pinedale Star will run a big race in Sunday's Parnitha, an in-house stakes scheduled for five furlongs on the grass.

On July 13, Pinedale Star, a 5-year-old, upset 1-2 favorite Lucky Tec, a two-time in-house stakes winner at the current Fort Erie meet. Pinedale Star paid $48.20. It was his fourth win but the first in his last 19 starts.

"We found his hole card, what makes him run," said Palman. "He ran a huge race, and we'll prerace him the same way. This is a tricky horse to get a handle on."

Palman, 32, a Fort Erie native, spent 12 years working at Woodbine as an assistant to trainers Mike Wright, Brian Ross, and Darrin Glennon. He returned home in 2000 to start a family.