The decision by Emerald Downs to move opening day back a few weeks and start the meet on a Sunday paid dividends when 78 horses were entered for the 10-race card, which begins at 2 p.m. Pacific. Compare that with 2017, when just 47 horses started on the seven-race opening-day card.
This is the first time Emerald has started its meet on a Sunday, and having just one day to fill instead of the traditional two made life considerably easier for racing secretary Brett Anderson.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – With just one stakes remaining at a dwindling spring meet at Keeneland, three first-level allowances will serve as co-features on a nine-race Sunday card that starts at 1:05 p.m. Eastern.
Each carries a purse of up to $76,000, including Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund bonuses.
Perhaps the deepest of the trio is race 8, a 1 1/2-mile turf race that drew an oversubscribed lineup of older horses. Focus Group, trained by Chad Brown, could come favored when he breaks from post 11 under Jose Ortiz despite having been away nearly six months.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Trainer Ron Moquett lived in such close proximity to Oaklawn Park that he said the roar from a massive crowd “made my water bottle shake like it was Jurassic Park” when Whitmore rallied to win the Grade 3 Count Fleet last Saturday.
“It was surreal,” Moquett said.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The undefeated King Humor will venture into stakes company for the first time here Saturday when he takes on seven rivals in the $75,000 Roar, a seven-furlong dash restricted to 3-year-olds who have never won a stakes. The Roar will share top billing on the 12-race card with its filly counterpart, the $75,000 Game Face.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It was 73 degrees, the wind was calm, the sky was sunny, and the racetrack in perfect condition when Kentucky Derby contender Enticed and his multiple Grade 2-placed workmate Take Charge Paula came out to breeze shortly after the renovation break Thursday at Palm Meadows. Conditions were so perfect that trainer Kiaran McLaughlin may never want to leave South Florida this spring.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The 52-day meet at Hastings opens Saturday with more of a whimper than a bang. Just 41 horses are entered for the seven-race card, which begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific. The meet concludes Oct. 14.
The weather this spring has a lot to do with the small fields. It has been raining incessantly since Hastings opened for training in early February, and eight training days were lost when the track was frozen.
The revived Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship series will now award $5,000 bonuses to the breeder of each of the top points earners among males and females in each of the four participating states, the administrators of the series announced Thursday.
The bonuses will be funded by breeders’ organizations in the four states – Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware, according to the organizers.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The unstoppable sprinter Pink Lloyd heads Saturday’s $100,000 Jacques Cartier Stakes, the feature on opening day of the 133-day Woodbine meet, which is scheduled to wrap up Dec. 16.
The meet highlights include the 159th running of the $1 million Queen’s Plate on June 30; the Grade 1, $800,000 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 15; and the Grade 1, $800,000 Canadian International on Oct. 13.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Saturday’s $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf drew a field of only five, led by Archaggelos, the winner of last fall’s Grade 3 Grey Stakes at Woodbine.
Archaggelos, a son of Temple City trained by Michael Dickinson, finished 11th of 12 in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park in March. He will be running on turf for the first time since he won a maiden race on grass last September at Laurel.
