Although the $100,000 Cary Grant Stakes this year is similar to the Cary Grant last year, a key element is missing from the statebred sprint stakes Saturday at Del Mar.
The Chosen Vron, the most accomplished sprinter in California and winner of the Cary Grant the past two years, is out until March. His absence creates a void in the West Coast sprint division and an opportunity for last year’s 2-3-4 Cary Grant finishers to improve their position.
Recency bias has colored the morning line for the Grade 3 River City Stakes on Saturday at Churchill Downs. If it bleeds into the betting market, the race should present a value-laden proposition.
The River City, a 1 1/8-mile grass race for older horses, drew 10 entrants, though no more than nine will start, with Harlan Estate’s connections opting for a Thursday turf allowance.
The linemaker opted to list Cash Equity, drawn on the far outside, as the 5-2 favorite in the Grade 3, $300,000 River City. A shaky favorite he would be.
Spirit Wind was entered in this week’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale, but was ultimately withdrawn to continue racing for her current connections. She’ll look to give Miller Racing and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. a payday in return as she sails into Saturday’s $300,000 Dream Supreme Stakes as the favorite off a campaign against stiff competition.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The last two King’s Plate winners will compete on Saturday’s outstanding Woodbine card, but not against each other. Caitlinhergrtness goes the 1 1/4-mile Plate distance in the Grade 3 Maple Leaf and Paramount Prince will try to wire the field over 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2, $175,000 Autumn.
Fresh off winning last Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf with Moira, trainer Kevin Attard sends out Caitlinhergrtness and Fashionably Fab in the $135,000 Maple Leaf.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Love to Shop and A Game will clash again in Saturday’s Grade 3, $135,000 Bessarabian, a wide-open seven-furlong stakes that attracted 14 fillies and mares.
Love to Shop is arguably the one to beat in her third race off an extended layoff. She rallied four wide from seventh to lose a nail-biter to A Game in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion, a six-furlong Tapeta sprint Oct. 12.
There are four open-company stakes Friday night at Delta Downs, but all eyes will be on a pair of Louisiana-breds: Free Like a Girl and Touchuponastar.
Free Like a Girl can go over $2 million in career earnings in the $100,000 Treasure Chest, while reigning Louisiana-bred of the year Touchuponastar returns from a freshening to defend his title in the $100,000 Delta Mile.
The card’s offering includes a pair of two-turn stakes for 2-year-olds in the $100,000 Jean Lafitte and the $100,000 My Trusty Cat.
Xy Speed is the kind of horse who likes to hear his feet rattle, and his connections are hoping he gets his favorite course condition for Friday’s eighth race at Gulfstream Park.
“It’s real important it stays on firm turf,” trainer Michael Lerman said.
Xy Speed is part of a field of seven for the no-conditions allowance at five furlongs on the grass. The field includes Reef Runner, winner of the off-the-turf Bob Umphrey Sprint.
Xy Speed was scratched from that race after it was moved to Tapeta. There is a 24 percent chance of rain in the forecast for Friday.
