Wed, 09/04/2013 - 15:38

Arlington Park notes: She’s Offlee Good boosts new stable

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – This first summer of racing for Holmark Stables has been a good one, and the same can be said for the stable’s trainer, Richie Scherer, who is having one of his best Arlington Park meetings. Saturday, Scherer will saddle She’s Offlee Good for Holmark in the Arlington-Washington Lassie, and the way this season has gone for both trainer and owners, don’t be surprised if the filly proves to be a factor.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 15:03

Churchill Downs-Kentucky Downs doubleheader for eight riders via air shuttle

Barbara D. Livingston
Rosie Napravnik is among eight jockeys who will ride in stakes at Kentucky Downs and Churchill Downs within a short time span Saturday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The dilemma of jockeys trying to ride in the rich stakes Saturday at both Kentucky Downs and Churchill Downs when the tracks conduct overlapping programs is being addressed in a familiar way: by air.

Eight jockeys are booked on a charter plane that will originate in Louisville, land at a small airstrip in Tennessee near Kentucky Downs, then return in time for the latter half of the Downs After Dark program at Churchill.

Jockey agent Terry Miller was busy Wednesday with finalizing the logistics of the trip.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 14:57

Presque Isle: Masters champ Groupie Doll faces 10 challengers

Tom Keyser
Groupie Doll, last year's champion female sprinter, will try to win the Grade 2 Presque Isle Masters for a second time Monday.

Groupie Doll will face Judy the Beauty and nine other fillies and mares Monday evening when she defends her title in the seventh running of the Grade 2, $400,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters in Erie, Pa.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 14:42

Louisiana Downs: Redgrass Cat, Love Bullet contrasting Happy Ticket foes

Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography
Redgrass Cat wins the Donnie Wilhite Memorial last month at Louisiana Downs and runs next on Saturday in the Happy Ticket.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Redgrass Cat and Love Bullet each won her last start, and they are going to get considerable attention in Saturday’s $100,000 Happy Ticket Stakes on the Super Derby undercard. That, however, is where the similarities end between the 2-year-old fillies.

Redgrass Cat, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Bluegrass Cat whom Allen Milligan trains for owner-breeder Paul Rigali Jr., comes into the Happy Ticket after winning the $50,000 Donnie Wilhite Memorial at 7 1/2 furlongs here last month. The victory came in her sixth start and her fourth try on the turf.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 14:37

Churchill Downs: Track officials unsure what to expect as September meet begins

Tom Keyser
Ghost Is Clear, first or second in his last three starts, is the 9-5 mornig-line favorite in Friday's $53,000 sprint feature.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Well, here it is. The noble experiment being undertaken by Churchill Downs with a 12-day September meet begins Friday as a welcome replacement for Turfway Park while track officials wonder aloud how it will be received in the local and national marketplaces.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 14:18

Northern California notes: Hernandez continuing run at Golden Gate Fields

Vassar Photography
Positive Response wins the Rolling Green under Russell Baze on Monday at Golden Gate Fields.

When Juan Hernandez won the Sonoma County Fair jockey title in August over Russell Baze it was no fluke. Hernandez edged Baze for the title with 17 victories on 53 mounts for the 13-day meet, while Baze won 16 on 68 mounts.

The two won all six stakes offered at Santa Rosa, with Hernandez winning four while setting turf-course records with his wins aboard Fire With Fire (1:40.67 for 1 1/16 miles) in the Joseph Grace for Neil Drysdale and Ain’t No Other (56.47 for five furlongs) in the Jess Jackson for Jerry Hollendorfer.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 14:11

Woodbine: Regal Warning tries again in Ontario-sired allowance

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Regal Warning made quite a splash on Queen’s Plate Day, July 7, when he killed a ton of pick-four tickets while graduating at first asking from off the pace at 34-1.

Regal Warning tries Ontario-sired allowance company for the second time in the nightcap on Friday’s nine-race card at Woodbine. The race is a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for nonwinners of two.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 13:53

Northlands Park: Short Memo looms huge contender, short price

The $25,000 optional claimer that will serve as Friday’s feature drew 10 horses, but it is hard to go past Short Memo in the one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up. After all, he won his last four races, all going a mile, and his latest tally came in a similar race Aug. 17.

Considering his excellent record and the fact the he is trained by leading trainer Robertino Diodoro and will be ridden by Rico Walcott, who is dominating the rider’s standings at Northlands, he is going to be a very short price.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 13:51

Super Derby: Departing, Bashaar need pace assistance

Coady Photography
Departing will be a heavy favorite in Saturday's Grade 2 Super Derby.

BOSSIER CITY, La. – The trainers of Departing and Bashaar, the top two choices for the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Saturday, are both hoping for an honest pace in the mile and an eighth race, which drew seven horses when entries were taken Wednesday.

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 13:25

Woodbine: Goldstryke Glory gives Callaghan a breakthrough with Inglorious victory

Michael Burns
Goldstryke Glory may start next in the $100,000 Franklin County on Oct. 11 at Keeneland.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Goldstryke Glory showed plenty of promise in her 2-year-old campaign here, winning a maiden race by nine lengths in her second start and then finishing second in the Glorious Song Stakes for trainer Terry Jordan.

But after failing to duplicate that form at Hastings this spring, Goldstryke Glory returned to Woodbine and gave trainer Kelly Callaghan her first stakes success, blowing away her opposition in Monday’s $105,400 Inglorious.