Fri, 08/31/2012 - 14:39

Fair Grounds cancels rest of Quarter Horse meet following hurricane

Fair Grounds in New Orleans has canceled the remainder of its Quarter Horse meet in the wake of the “trying circumstances” Hurricane Isaac has created in southeastern Louisiana, track official Eric Halstrom said. The decision was made Friday after Fair Grounds management consulted with the Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and the Louisiana Racing Commission. It is pending final approval from the commission.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 14:21

Woodbine: Wise Dan tops nominees for Woodbine Mile

Tom Keyser
Wise Dan is being pointed to the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Sept. 16.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Charlie Lopresti won last year’s Woodbine Mile with Turallure, who went on to finish the closest of seconds in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs.

And while Turralure had his troubles this year, going to the sidelines in early July, Lopresti is planning to return with an equally formidable competitor in Wise Dan.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 14:20

Canterbury Park: Minnesota Festival of Champions offers more then $400,000 in purses

SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Canterbury Park will showcase statebred talent on Minnesota Festival of Champions Day on Sunday. Over $400,000 in purses will be up for grabs on the 11-race card, which includes two Quarter Horse and six Thoroughbred stakes, many of which will help to determine Minnesota divisional championships.

Post time for Festival Day is 1:30 p.m. Central. Canterbury Park concludes its meet Monday with a Labor Day card.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 14:06

Woodbine: Jenna's Wabbit goes longer on turf in Vice Regent Stakes

Michael Burns
Jenna’s Wabbit has won all three of his starts this season and will test his speed at a mile in the Vice Regent.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ralph Biamonte sends out favored Jenna’s Wabbit and longshot Run in Aruba in Sunday’s $125,000 Vice Regent Stakes at Woodbine, and the personable trainer thinks they both should acquit themselves well in the one-mile turf route for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.

For the most part, Jenna’s Wabbit has used his breakaway speed to win six of nine outings. He is unbeaten in three starts this year, including sprint stakes scores on the Polytrack in the Achievement and Deputy Minister.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 14:01

Fort Erie: Alamanda Drive brings good turf form into Labatt Cup

FORT ERIE, Ontario – Alamanda Drive, a 6-year-old mare who is 4 for 17 on the turf, heads a field of 12 fillies and mares for Sunday’s $30,000 Labatt Cup at Fort Erie. The 1 1/16-mile turf race is restricted to horses who have run at least three times this year at Fort Erie.

Alamanda Drive, trained by Marilyn McMullen, went gate-to-wire two starts back over one mile while competing without the price in a second-level optional $20,000 claiming race.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 13:56

Del Mar Derby sees My Best Brother, Old Time Hockey renew rivalry

Benoit & Associates
Old Time Hockey beat My Best Brother by a nose in the La Jolla Handicap.

DEL MAR, Calif. – My Best Brother got the best of Old Time Hockey on opening day July 18 in a division of the Oceanside Stakes, but then Old Time Hockey hung a nose on My Best Brother in the La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 11. Round Three of their budding rivalry is Sunday in the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Derby, but this field has quite a bit of depth, including Eastern invader Howe Great, and Midnight Crooner, who won the other Oceanside division.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 13:40

Arlington: Maude S. would benefit if turf feature moved to Polytrack

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The remnants of Hurricane Isaac could affect Arlington’s featured race on Sunday.

Race 7, a third-level optional $80,000 claimer for fillies and mares, is carded for about one mile on turf, but with the scattered bits of Isaac forecast to wander into the Chicago area this weekend, turf races could easily wind up on the main track.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 13:39

Saratoga: Spurious Precision tunes up for Champagne

Tom Keyser
Spurious Passion could start in Sunday's Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes.

Spurious Precision, the leader of the 2-year-old division coming off his extremely impressive victory in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special earlier in the meet, breezed an easy half-mile in 48.12 seconds over the main track on Friday. The work was the first for Spurious Precision since the Special.

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 13:32

Saratoga: Lucky Chappy looking for breakthrough in Saranac

Tom Keyser
Lucky Chappy has yet to win a race at 3.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Lucky Chappy is surely one of the best 3-year-olds not to have won a race this year. He will attempt to remedy that dubious honor Sunday at Saratoga when he takes on nine rivals in the $150,000 Saranac.

[Complete coverage of racing at Saratoga: News, PPs, and video]

Thu, 08/30/2012 - 21:53

Del Mar: Friday's pick-six carryover is $432,000

DEL MAR, Calif. - For the second time in less than a week, there is a two-day carryover in the pick six at Del Mar.

Going into last Sunday’s program, the pick six carryover was $570,012. For Friday’s seven-race program, the pick six carryover is $432,260.

Friday, the pick six covers the second through seventh races on a program that begins at 4 p.m. Pacific. The pool of new money could approach $2 million.

[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]