INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Killer Graces and Via Villaggio have won their biggest races at Betfair Hollywood Park, which is why trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has opted to run the fillies against each other in Saturday’s $150,000 Hollywood Oaks.
Hollendorfer considered stakes around the country for the fillies, particularly the Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows on June 30, but has decided to stay in California.
“Sometimes the logistics aren’t viable,” he said. “We’ll pass on that.”
OPELOUSAS, La. – In what has become a wonderfully monotonous summertime routine, trainer Al Stall Jr. is putting the finishing touches on Star Guitar’s preparation as he gets ready for yet another defense of his Legends Night Classic title at Evangeline Downs on June 30.
The all-time leading Louisiana-bred earner of more than $1.6 million has won the last three runnings of the Classic against fellow statebreds as well as the last three Evangeline Miles against open company.
ELMONT, N.Y. – It’s not that Draw It hasn’t run well on the dirt since Tom Albertrani has taken over her training. She just hasn’t run well enough to win.
Friday, Albertrani hopes a change of surface will move Draw It up just enough to get to the winner’s circle in a $77,000, first-level allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on the turf at Belmont Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Mother Goose at Belmont Park is a showdown for supremacy in the 3-year-old filly division, pitting Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can against Acorn winner Contested.
Trainer Tom Albertrani hopes to make it more than a two-horse race while getting Zo Impressive mentioned in the conversation of those in the upper echelon of the division.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Marked in Stone has the highest Beyer Speed Figures, but Rising Dough resides in one of the hottest barns at Woodbine. They are the logical contenders in Friday’s featured eighth race, an Ontario-sired allowance sprint for 3-year-olds.
Marked in Stone made the board in all four of his outings, which included a narrow second-out loss at 2, in which he was bet down to 7-10.
AUBURN, Wash. – Malibu Rum, undefeated in two starts this year, and Goggles McCoy, one of the fastest 3-year-olds in California not too long ago, headline the feature race Friday at Emerald Downs. First post is 6 p.m. Pacific, and the feature, a $15,000 claimer at six furlongs, is the sixth of seven races.
Worldventurer was not meant to be a five-furlong horse, but he has been fooling everyone of late. Not only did he win his maiden at the distance by more than eight lengths back in May, last weekend he became a stakes winner at the trip in the $100,000 colts and geldings division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star Park.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Swift Thoroughbreds Inc. has given a strong shot in the arm to the horse population at Hastings with 11 horses they recently bought as a package from Darley Stable.
Double It, one of the horses who came in the package, figures to be one of the favorites in the third race at Hastings Friday. The $40,000 optional maiden claiming race for 3-year-olds and up going 6 1/2 furlongs drew nine horses.
Double It is trained by Dino Condelinios, who trains all of Swift’s horses at Hastings.
Groupie Doll, whose back-to-back wins in Grade 1 races this spring makes her the leading candidate for top filly-mare sprinter honors this year, has returned to the Churchill barn of trainer Buff Bradley after getting a short rest following her record-breaking victory in the Humana Distaff on the May 5 Kentucky Derby undercard.
[bc_video_id:255210:]A competitive field of 10 2-year-old fillies was entered to run Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Debutante Stakes, with Quiet Success, Blueeyesintherein, Floral Sky, and Richie’slilcowgirl likely to vie for favoritism in the six-furlong race.
Richie’slilcowgirl, with Corey Lanerie riding from a favorable outside post, will make her first start since coming into the care of Steve Asmussen following an easy May 11 debut victory at Arlington Park.
