OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It would be a fitting tribute to the longtime New York breeder/owner Herbert Schwartz if Be Bullish won Sunday’s $75,000 Fabersham Stakes, the closing day feature at Aqueduct.
Schwartz, who counts Be Bullish among the bevy of stakes winners he owned and bred over the years, died Thursday at the age of 80. Herbert and his wife Carol bred Be Bullish and campaigned him for 39 races from the fall of 2007 through July 25, 2010 before the horse was claimed from him for $50,000.
AUBURN, Wash. – Handicappers were forced to dig deep to find a decent price during the first few days of the new meeting at Emerald Downs. The betting favorite won 16 of the 26 races during the three-day opening last weekend, and several favorites look formidable Sunday on an nine-race card that kicks off at 2 p.m. Pacific.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority’s board of commissioners has accepted a hearing officer’s conclusion that a complaint filed by Hialeah Park owner John J. Brunetti seeking to reopen bidding for a lease of the authority’s Monmouth Park should be dismissed.
Hard Not to Like, who is headed for the May 4 Kentucky Oaks, breezed four furlongs in 52.20 seconds on the dirt training track at Woodbine on Friday morning.
“She went a very easy half,” said Gail Cox, who trains Hard Not to Like and was in the irons for the exercise. “I was going to two-minute lick her, but that’s very hard to do with her. She was extremely hard to pull up.”
Duplicating the success of early April may be impossible for Quarter Horse owner-breeder Mimi Wells in coming days.
On April 5-6, Wells won the El Primero Del Ano Derby at Los Alamitos with New Look, saw her 2-year-old maiden Chics on Fire win at Los Alamitos, and qualified Better than Ever and Kool Baby for the President’s Open Sprint Futurity at Turf Paradise. The final of that race is Friday.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Atlantic Hurricane capped her sensational 2011 campaign with a dominating performance in the Grade 3 Bessarabian Stakes, a victory that helped her to nail down the Sovereign Award for Canadian female champion sprinter. On Sunday at Woodbine she’ll try to pick up right where she left off last year in the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes, a six-furlong sprint worth $150,000.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Bold Pretense looks like the one to beat in a first-level $50,000 optional claiming race that will serve as Sunday’s feature at Hastings. The six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies goes as race 7.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two down, one to go.
Charlie Lopresti spent many a waking moment this winter focused on how the three star older horses in his stable would perform in their returns to action at the Keeneland spring meet. And after terrific efforts by Successful Dan and Turallure, Lopresti will send out Wise Dan to try to complete that trifecta of sorts in the Grade 3, $150,000 Ben Ali Stakes at Keeneland.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – After the first weekend of racing at Hastings, Fernando Perez held a one-win lead over Richard Hamel in the jockey standings. It is a bit early to make predictions, but it is very likely that Perez will battle it out with Hamel for leading rider this year, thanks in large part to his alliance with the powerful team of owner Glen Todd and trainer Troy Taylor.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sweet Cassiopeia ended last year on a high note with victories in her last three outings. On Sunday, Sweet Cassiopeia will be looking to continue those winning ways in headier company when she faces nine rivals in the six-furlong Whimsical Stakes at Woodbine.
“She’s been excellent,” said Barbara Minshall, who trains the homebred 4-year-old for owners Dan Considine and Steve Snowden. “She’s training really well.”
