VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Troy Taylor and owner Glen Todd won both stakes at Hastings last weekend, and there is an excellent chance they will be in the winner’s enclosure following the running of the $50,000 Emerald Downs for 3-year-old fillies Sunday. After all, they have three of the eight horses entered in the 1 1/16-mile race that goes as race 7.

Heading the list is Evelyn’s Dancer, and Todd was confident about her chances.

“She’ll win by as far as you can throw a rock,” he said.

[bc_video_id:254137:]INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The distance from starting gate to finish wire can be the simplest part of a journey, as the sudden reminder this week at Belmont Park dramatically illustrated.

Briecat and All Star Heart are not Triple Crown colts. They are graded stakes-winning mares who specialize on California turf. They are fast, accomplished, and resilient. But like every other racehorse, they also are fragile. And they cannot win if they do not start.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Charlie Lopresti has settled on entering Successful Dan in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs next weekend, but only as insurance in case Wise Dan is not able to make the race.

Feel the Moment could be tough to handle in a $10,000 claiming race that will serve as Sunday’s feature at Northlands Park. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up drew nine horses and goes as race 7 on an eight-race card that begins at 1  p.m. Mountain.

ELMONT, N.Y. − While the defection of I’ll Have Another will certainly enhance their chances of winning Saturday’s Belmont Stakes, trainers Dale Romans, Michael Matz, and Ken McPeek all expressed sympathy for Doug O’Neill and the connections of the injured horse.

Comments made by trainer Doug O'Neill and owner Paul Reddam on Friday, June 8, announcing I'll Have Another's injury and retirement one day before attempting to sweep the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes. Transcript provided by NYRA.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – June will be a busy month for the 3-year-old filly Starlight Magic.

Her win in an allowance race against older fillies and mares at Betfair Hollywood Park on Thursday convinced trainer Mark Glatt that a turnaround for the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks on June 23 is a reasonable goal.

“It seems as if it was an easy enough race on her,” he said. “With a lack of dirt races for the rest of the season, I think we have to come back relatively quick.”

There is no racing at Belmont Park the day after the Belmont Stakes, but Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park certainly has a distinct New York flavor.

New York-based Grade 1 winners Data Link and Get Stormy head the list of eight horses entered for the Monmouth, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on the turf. The race also includes Presious Passion, the 9-year-old gelding who has won 11 stakes and makes the 52nd start of his career.

FORT ERIE, Ontario – Jockey Juan Crawford came east from Manitoba last fall for a brief spell, found that Fort Erie provided an excellent opportunity for him, and decided to move his tack here this meet.

Crawford spent the previous two years riding mainly at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg while also spending some time at tracks in Western Canada.

Crawford’s timing looks suspect since last Tuesday the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, which manages this border oval, announced the track’s closure as of Dec. 31, 2012.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Consolidator Joe is in with a fighting chance to win his second straight race of the Woodbine meeting Sunday when he races for a $60,000 price in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint also open to second-level allowance horses.

But Consolidator Joe will be a guaranteed winner one week later, as he has been named the Toronto Thoroughbred Racing Club’s “claimer of the year” for 2011 at the group’s annual awards day here next Sunday.