ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – One might think, considering she hasn’t raced since Jan. 22, that the filly Ready to Unleash is coming into Monday’s featured third race at Arlington Park after an injury layoff. Not so, reports trainer David Carroll. The problem has not been getting Ready to Unleash ready to race again; the problem has been finding a race in which to run her.
Haya’s Boy, who began the year running for a $7,500 claiming tag against nonwinners of two lifetime but has improved enough to most recently finish second against open company in a first-level allowance at Aqueduct, may be the horse to beat in Monday’s first stakes of the season at Finger Lakes, the $50,000 George Barker Handicap.
ELMONT, N.Y. – On a humid but dry and sun-filled morning, a trio of Belmont Stakes contenders put in workouts over a drying-out Belmont Park main track.
Meanwhile, Triple Crown candidate I’ll Have Another appeared to have another good morning, galloping seven furlongs over a main track labeled good for morning training.
Street Life, the third-place finisher in the Peter Pan, worked four furlongs in 47.82 seconds under exercise rider Richard Johnson.
ALTOONA, Iowa -- Salty Strike's determined late bid was good enough for a nose victory over the game pacesetter Starlite Starbrite in Friday night's co-featured $60,000 Prairie Rose Stakes at Prairie Meadows.
Under a stiff drive from jockey Shane Laviolette, favorite Salty Strike ($3.80) registered her fifth lifetime tally and her first outside of her favored Churchill Downs main track. Trained by Ken McPeek for owner Craig B. Singer, Salty Strike managed a rally over a sloppy track, covering the six furlongs in 1:09.85.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Bourbon Courage, the flashy 3-year-old who was defeated for the first time when fourth in the April 28 Derby Trial on opening night, could run next in the $400,000 Woody Stephens on the June 9 Belmont Stakes undercard.
"We’re seriously considering it," said Kellyn Gorder, who trains the Lion Heart colt for Bourbon Lane Stable and Lynn Wayne. "It’s seven furlongs, and that figures to be his kind of race. We know it’s coming up tough but we’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse."
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bouquet Booth earned a new lease on her racing career when she ended an eight-race losing streak with aplomb Thursday at Churchill Downs, running off to a six-length victory and earning a career-high 94 Beyer Speed Figure in a six-furlong allowance.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Savvy Supreme returns to the scene of her greatest triumph Sunday as the headliner in the $75,000 Monmouth Beach Stakes for fillies and mares at Monmouth Park.
The 4-year-old trained by Todd Pletcher makes her season debut in the mile and 70-yard contest against five rivals, with Elvis Trujillo set to ride.
Savvy Supreme won three times last year, with her finest moment the 1 3/4-length score in the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks. She earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure that afternoon, equaling her career best.
All systems appear set for another big effort.
Trainer Henry Dominguez is coming at them with numbers Sunday in the $50,000 First Lady at Ruidoso Downs. The six-furlong race for fillies and mares is the first Thoroughbred stakes of the New Mexico meet that opened on Friday.
Dominguez’s representatives are She’smylittleman, winner of the $50,000 Czaria last out at Sunland Park; Bab at the Bowster, who won an allowance at SunRay Park in her last start May 5; and Free Range, who comes off a seven-length score in an optional $25,000 claimer at Sunland.
The NFL quarterback Tim Tebow might have been traded from the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets, but it still could be Tebow Time in Colorado on Sunday. Tebow Time, a 3-year-old stakes winner, will be seeking his third straight win when he starts in the $40,000 Inaugural at Arapahoe Park.
The six-furlong race for 3-year-olds is the first stakes of the meet at the Aurora, Colo., track that opened its meet Saturday.
Contested, who has reeled off three consecutive victories while gradually stretching out, will now attempt one mile for the first time in Monday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Acorn for 3-year-old fillies.
Contested won twice at Santa Anita, at six and 6 1/2 furlongs, before rolling to a 4 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Eight Belles going seven furlongs at Churchill on Oaks Day.
