AUBURN, Wash. – Winning Machine, the little engine that could, will be among the leading contenders Sunday in the $50,000 Budweiser Handicap at Emerald Downs. But despite his recent victory over stakes foes, he’s liable to be overlooked in the wagering. Such is life in the shadow of Noosa Beach.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Terri Pompay is proud of the effort by Currency Swap in his runner-up finish to Trinniberg in the Woody Stephens Stakes last weekend at Belmont Park.
“He ran terrific,” Pompay said. “He ran a 102 Beyer, which is his lifetime best.”
There was no catching Trinniberg that afternoon, although Currency Swap and jockey Rajiv Maragh made it a contest. They pressed the leader throughout and were beaten only 1 3/4 lengths in the seven-furlong stakes.
The dispute that has led to the temporary cancellation of live racing at Indiana Downs originated with a complaint by the track’s Thoroughbred horsemen that the track was too hard, an official of the Indiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association said Friday.
Came West can help move her jockey, Isaias Enriquez, closer to a career milestone Sunday if she wins the $40,000 Molly Brown for fillies and mares at Arapahoe Park. Enriquez through Thursday was at 997 Thoroughbred wins. He is in from New Mexico to ride Came West, the winner of the $50,000 First Lady at Ruidoso Downs in her last start May 27.
Will Rogers Downs in Claremore, Okla., experienced a more than 40 percent increase in handle on its races during the 31-date meet that closed in late May. The track handled an average $661,742 a card on its races from all sources, compared with $451,398 during the corresponding, 32-date meet in 2011.
Of the total amount, Will Rogers handled an average $636,908 a day on its races offtrack, compared with $426,110 in 2011. Ontrack, handle on the live card averaged $24,834 a day versus $25,287, the slight dip attributed to Will Rogers opening two new off-track betting sties.
Rachel Alexandra tops of the list of horses Jimmy Dodwell has developed in his role as farm trainer for Diamond D Ranch in Lone Oak, Texas. But recent Lone Star Park maiden winner Greybill also ranks high on Dodwell’s list of favorites.
Greybill gave Dodwell his first official win as a trainer on May 24, when he rolled by six lengths in a maiden special weight. The horse was Dodwell’s fifth starter, and on Thursday night he collected another win with his sixth starter, I’m Denny Crane, a 2-year-old who could be headed to Del Mar.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Kathy Ritvo had two horses to run on Friday’s card at Belmont Park. But she shipped three down from her base at Saratoga.
One of the three was Mucho Macho Man, who breezed four furlongs in 46.75 seconds Friday morning over the Belmont training track. It was the fastest by one full second of 29 moves at the distance.
Canterbury Park announced a new addition to its stakes schedule on Friday, the $150,000-added Mystic Lake Derby. The race will be restricted to 3-year-olds going a mile over the turf course and will be run on July 28.
“The Mystic Lake Derby will offer the largest purse paid at Canterbury since its early years and will increase next season as we expand our stakes schedule,” track president and CEO Randy Sampson said.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Belle Royale, who has risen to the top of California’s female turf division in recent months, may start in the $100,000 Beverly Hills Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 24.
Trainer Simon Callaghan said on Thursday that Belle Royale emerged from her victory in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes on May 28 in excellent condition. He said the Grade 3 Beverly Hills Handicap over 1 1/4 miles on turf would serve as a prep race for the $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park on Aug. 18, the main goal of the summer for the 4-year-old Belle Royale.
Here's my race-by-race rundown of Saturday's pick four at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 16, 2012. I'm building my wager with TicketMaker, found exclusively on DRF.com.
