Sat, 08/04/2012 - 16:20

Saratoga: Air Support gets class relief in attempt to end drought

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Air Support, with Rajiv Maragh riding, wins the Transylvania.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Air Support, winless since rallying to capture the Grade 2 Virginia Derby 13 months ago, will attempt to rectify that situation when he returns to allowance competition in Monday’s co-featured ninth race at Saratoga, carded at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 15:52

Mountaineer: Maybe So turns back strong favorite in Mountaineer Juvenile

Coady Photography
Maybe So, ridden by Mike Smith, wins by a half-length in the Mountaineer Juvenile.

CHESTER, W.Va. – Maybe So outdueled heavily favored Circle Unbroken to open the West Virginia Derby program Saturday at Mountaineer Racetrack, edging ahead in the final half-furlong to prevail by a neck in the $100,000 Mountaineer Juvenile.

Maybe So returned $6.60 after finishing the six-furlong distance in 1:10.09, a stakes record in eight runnings of the Juvenile. Circle Unbroken, the 2-5 favorite off two wins at Churchill Downs, was a neck behind the winner and another seven lengths before third-finisher Pitch N Roll in a field of seven.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 15:39

Parx: Idle Talk faces distance question

Idle Talk, who won a turf stakes at Laurel Park in her season debut in April, owns a class advantage. But will that be enough to overcome the proven form going 1 1/8 miles that Raiders Fan and Starsilhouette share in the intriguing $50,000 feature Tursday at Parx Racing?

Pilot Point Lady and Starsilhouette, the only runners in a field of 10 who have won going nine furlongs on grass, get a weight break from the 6-year-old Idle Talk in a starter allowance for fillies and mares who have started for $16,000 or less the past two seasons.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 15:10

Saratoga: Soon to be Hall of Famers team up in Waya Stakes

Barbara D. Livingston
Starformer is the only member of the Dick Memorial lineup to have won at 1 3/8 miles.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – On Friday, trainer Roger Attfield and jockey John Velazquez will be forever linked as they are formally inducted into Thoroughbred racing’s Hall of Fame. Monday, they hope to be forever linked as the winning connections of the $100,000 Waya Stakes at Saratoga.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 14:58

Woodbine: Buttigieg duo hard to separate in Shepperton

Michael Burns
Gypsy Ring (above) is one of two strong contenders trainer Paul Buttigieg has in Monday's Shepperton.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Owner/trainer Paul Buttigieg should have a powerful one-two punch in the $125,000 Shepperton on holiday Monday, when he runs Gypsy Ring and Royal Egbert in the 6 1/2-furlong Ontario-sired stakes at Woodbine.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 14:47

Northlands: Commander looks strong in Fleming

Commander stands out in the $50,000 Don Fleming Handicap at Northlands Park on Monday. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up drew six horses and headlines the nine-race Heritage Day holiday card that begins at 1 p.m. Mountain.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 14:34

Hastings: Stellar's Jay has competitive field of 10

Coady Photography
Taylors Deal will face nine rivals in the B.C. Cup Stellar's Jay, one of six stakes at Hastings on Monday.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Taylors Deal didn’t scare anyone from running in the $50,000 B.C. Cup Stellar’s Jay at Hastings on Monday. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds drew 10 horses and is easily the most-interesting race on the 10-race B.C. Cup Day card.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 14:31

Del Mar: Claiming rule to be put to the test following Friday breakdown

DEL MAR, Calif. – A controversial new state rule regarding claiming of injured horses will be on the front-burner this month at Del Mar, owing to a protest over the claim of a horse on Friday, and a California Horse Racing Board meeting later this month during which the rule is scheduled to be discussed.

At issue is whether, and when, a claim goes through when a horse suffers a catastrophic injury that necessitates the horse being euthanized.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 14:09

Hastings: Taylor Said to carry 128 pounds in B.C. Cup Classic

Four Footed Fotos
Taylor Said will concede from 13 to 16 pounds to his rivals in the B.C. Cup Classic.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Taylor Said is being asked to tote a heavy load of 128 pounds and go farther than he has ever in his eight-race career. Nonetheless, it is hard to go past him in the $75,000 British Columbia Cup Classic at Hastings on Monday. The 1 1/8-mile Classic for 3-year-olds and up drew five horses and headlines the B.C. Cup Day card that features six stakes races restricted to B.C.-breds. First post for the 10-race card is 12:50 p.m. Pacific.

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 13:46

Fort Erie: Jeffrey Armin tries to stretch speed six furlongs

FORT ERIE, Ontario – Jeffrey Armin, perfect in three starts at five or 5 1/2 furlongs at the Fort Erie meeting, looks like the speed of the speed in Monday’s featured Bob Summers Memorial Cup.

The Summers Memorial Cup honors the late sports writer and columnist for the Buffalo News, who spent many years covering the Thoroughbreds here and at Woodbine.

Nine runners will go to post in the six-furlong Summers Memorial, which offers a purse of $30,000 and is restricted to 3-year-olds and upward who have started at least twice at the 2012 Fort Erie meeting.