Tue, 07/03/2012 - 12:38

Woodbine: Raincoats’ntuxedos may have company up front in Thursday allowance sprint

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The rapid Raincoats’ntuxedos has run huge from the tricky 1 hole and will break from the rail for the third time in a row in Thursday’s Woodbine headliner, a six-furlong first-level allowance for 3-year-olds. Post time for the first of eight races is 2:10 p.m.

Raincoats’ntuxedos, trained by Abraham Katryan, went to the sidelines for nearly six months after graduating second time out at 2. When he came back to play Nov. 25, he was beaten a neck by Mr. Monty when second in a restricted allowance.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 21:02

Hastings: Gutierrez takes Chris Loseth aboard Devil in Disguise

Barbara D. Livingston
"Vancouver will always be home for me," said Mario Gutierrez after winning the Chris Loseth aboard Devil in Disguise.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Mario Gutierrez received a hero’s welcome at Hastings after winning the $50,000 Chris Loseth for 3-year-olds aboard Devil in Disguise Monday.

Gutierrez was based here before becoming internationally famous as the rider of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner I’ll Have Another.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 18:27

Hansen headed for West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer

Jack Coady/Coady Photography
Hansen, with Ramon Dominguez riding, wins the Iowa Derby.

Mountaineer Park in West Virginia could be getting a surplus of big-name Kentucky horses for its biggest day of the year, Aug. 4.

Not only is Hansen, a 1-10 winner of the Iowa Derby on Saturday night, scheduled to make his next start that day in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby for trainer Mike Maker, but the Garry Simms-trained duo that swept the two big Churchill stakes for 2-year-olds, Blueeyesintherein and Circle Unbroken, also could race on the undercard in the $100,000 Mountaineer Juvenile Fillies and $100,000 Mountaineer Juvenile, respectively.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 17:31

Woodbine: Jenna’s Wabbit runs away with Achievement Stakes

Michael Burns
Jenna's Wabbit, with Eurico Da Silva up, wins the Achievement Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Jenna’s Wabbit outran favored Incredicat for the lead and kept on going to take the $150,000 Achievement Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths at Woodbine on Monday.

With Eurico Da Silva aboard, Jenna’s Wabbit, the 124-pound highweight, covered six furlongs in 1:11.16 after setting fairly quick fractions. Incredicat held off Bear and Rod for second in the six-horse field of Ontario-bred 3-year-olds.

Jenna’s Wabbit ($4.70) collected $90,000 in his fourth stakes victory for trainer Ralph Biamonte.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 17:04

Ruidoso Downs: Champions meet in Rainbow Derby trials

The champion Quarter Horse runners Ochoa and Feature Mr Bojangles will meet in the same trial race Wednesday at Ruidoso Downs, when both attempt to qualify for the Grade 1, $903,687 Rainbow Derby. The horses start in the fourth race, which is one of seven 440-yard time trials that feature a total of 69 runners vying for 10 spots in the July 21 finale.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 16:56

Thistledown: Prospective heads compact Ohio Derby

Michael Burns
Prospective, with Luis Contreras riding, wins the Victoria Park.

Prospective will make his first start since winning the June 10 Victoria Park Stakes when he leaves from post 1 in a field of just five 3-year-olds in the Grade 3, $100,000 Ohio Derby, to be run Saturday for the 78th time at Thistledown in suburban Cleveland.

Prospective, trained by Mark Casse for John Oxley, won the Tampa Bay Derby in March before finishing sixth in the Blue Grass Stakes and 18th in the Kentucky Derby. The son of Malibu Moon then rebounded to win the Victoria Park on June 10 at Woodbine as the 2-5 favorite.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 16:53

Calder: Few shippers make trip for Summit of Speed

Bob Coglianese
Musical Romance figures to be favored in Saturday's Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap.

MIAMI – There used to be a time when northern invaders would ship down in droves and dominate the rich Summit of Speed, leaving town year in and year out with most of the big bucks up for grabs during Calder Race Course’s marquee event.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 16:48

Woodbine: Well Played should take to turf on Wednesday

ETOBICOKE, Ontario —The Canada Day long weekend is over, but the action continues Wednesday night at Woodbine with an eight-race card that includes two turf events.

Well Played has a realistic chance to win his first turf start in the third race of the evening, a six-furlong maiden special.

Well Played finished up the track when he debuted in a difficult five-furlong dash April 7. Three weeks later, with the addition of Lasix, he was a prominent third in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special, while registering a 61 Beyer Speed Figure.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 16:44

Colonial Downs: Guam Typhoon in top form coming into Chesapeake

Guam Typhoon and Hugo, the morning-line favorites, both look solid on Wednesday in the $50,000 stakes that headline the 10-race holiday card starting at 5 p.m. Eastern at Colonial Downs.

Daniel Centeno could be sitting in a sweet spot with mounts on both.

Guam Typhoon, a 6-year-old gelding, is in the best form of his life heading into the Chesapeake at six furlongs on the main track.

He has won five in a row in dominant fashion dating back to Tampa Bay Downs in January, and he seems to improve with every race.

Mon, 07/02/2012 - 16:40

Northlands: Locksley Hall could benefit from hot pace in Wednesday feature

It is tough to separate the five older horses running in a $30,000 claiming race that will serve as Wednesday’s feature at Northlands Park. The six-furlong sprint goes as the fourth of nine races and headlines a card that begins at 6 p.m. Mountain.

Robo Willie and Gatwick figure to be winging it early, and if they get carried away up front, deep closer Swiss Sky is capable of getting up in time. Locksley Hall and Reggie Dunlop are also fast, but can stalk.