ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The first wave of the European invasion checked in late Monday evening with five candidates for the $1.5 million Canadian International and four for the $1 million E.P. Taylor arriving following a flight from Amsterdam.
Quest for Peace and Arctic Cosmos, the 1-2 finishers in the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes over 1 1/2 miles on good going at Ascot, head the early arrivals for the Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and upward.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A magnetic resonance imaging test taken Tuesday on the right arm of Julien Leparoux revealed no soft-tissue damage, which clears the 28-year-old jockey to continue riding this week at Keeneland Race Course. Leparoux was thrown from his mount, Here Comes Frazier, in midstretch of the Bourbon Stakes on Sunday.
MIAMI, Fla. – What a difference a few feet can make. That was the distance Musical Romance came from winning Saturday’s Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland and an automatic berth into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
Musical Romance, who was officially beaten a head by Holiday for Kitten in the TCA, returned to Calder on Tuesday and is doing well, according to trainer Bill Kaplan, who owns Musical Romance, a daughter of Concorde’s Tune, in partnership with Pinnacle Racing Stable.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Rahystrada, at age 7, already has put together the most productive campaign of his career with victories in the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup and the $100,000 Kentucky Turf Cup.
On Sunday, Rahystrada will be looking to take his game to a even higher level when he goes postward here at Woodbine in the Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up that offers Grade 1 status and a purse of $1.5 million.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Michael Matz has an unbeaten 2-year-old colt for the Breeders’ Cup, so how about an unbeaten filly for it, too?
Matz got a tremendous thrill last weekend when Union Rags stamped himself as the likely favorite for the BC Juvenile by remaining undefeated with a romping victory in the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, and the widely admired trainer might be in a position for something similar Thursday at Keeneland, where he will send out Somali Lemonade as a major contender in the Grade 3, $150,000 Jessamine Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
This weekend’s racing at the Big Fresno Fair marks the culmination of what has been a good fairs season and includes two Thoroughbred stakes and special races for mules, Arabians and Quarter Horses. In addition, three starter allowance races will be offered, each with a $25,000 purse and for runners who have competed for a tag of $8,000 or less during the fair circuit.
“If the races in the condition book go Sunday, we’ll give out the most money in the history of the Big Fresno Fair,” said the fair circuit’s racing secretary Tom Doutrich.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Phil Gracey sends out the uncoupled twosome of Candy Bull and Jolson in Thursday’s third race at Woodbine, a six-furlong sprint for $40,000 nonwinners-of-two stock.
Candy Bull, a 4-year-old Candy Ride gelding, is competing in the selling ranks for the first time. He showed some promise when he debuted in June, finishing second in a seven-furlong maiden special.
ARCADIA, Calif. - At 7, California Flag can still duel with the best turf sprinters at Santa Anita.
California Flag won the $100,000 Morvich Stakes for a record third time on Monday, ending a four-race losing streak dating back to the Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar in August 2010.
Elusive Pearl, who won the Riskaverse Stakes at Saratoga in her turf debut, shipped back from Fair Hill, Md., to win Monday's 19th running of the $100,000 Pebbles Stakes as much the best at Belmont Park.
