BOSSIER CITY, La. – Father and son riding combinations, while uncommon, are not all that rare, especially in Louisiana which has produced so many jockeys through the years.
What is a bit unusual, is the magnitude of success Gerard Melancon and his son, Jansen, have had this summer while plying their trade at opposite ends of the state.
POMONA, Calif. – Does the path to the Breeders’ Cup run through Fairplex Park?
It might for Candrea, the 2-year-old filly expected to be heavily favored Friday in the $50,000 Phil D. Shepherd Stakes at the Los Angeles County Fair.
Bob Baffert trains Candrea, whose auspicious debut was a July 7 maiden race at Hollywood Park that she won by more than three lengths while geared down, earning a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.
Notoriously, the top older mare in Alberta, will be looking for a third straight stakes success when she journeys to Assiniboia Downs for Friday’s $50,000 Matron.
The Matron, a 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares, has an interesting and competitive field of nine which also includes Alberta shipper Miss Victoriana, who is the defending champion, and Fleet Mama.
Notoriously, a 4-year-old who is conditioned by Rod Cone, has been lightly raced this year and comes in off victories in the 1 1/16-mile Madamoiselle and 1 1/16-mile City of Edmonton at Northlands Park.
Golden Gate Fields general manager Robert Hartman, who said last month that he would leave his position after the current meet ends Oct. 2, has been named chief executive officer of the American Contract Bridge League.
Hartman, who is a bridge life master, has served as Golden Gate’s general manager for six years. Prior to that, he was an associate athletic director at the University of California.
“It was more the opportunity to take on new challenges,” Hartman said of his decision to leave.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Dave Cotey is rolling the dice with Riding the River.
Cotey, who purchased Riding the River for $3,500 at the Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale of 2008, will be looking to add a lucrative chapter to the rags-to-riches story in Sunday’s $1 million Woodbine Mile.
WOODBINE MILE: Watch the post-position draw live on DRF.com Thursday at noon ET »
A dispute between Dr. Bryce Peckham, the chief racing veterinarian in Kentucky, and the massive stable run by owner Billy Hays and trainer Joe Woodard led to multiple scratches at Turfway Park last week amid the possibility that Hays and Woodard may continue an indefinite boycott of the circuit.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The four-horse European contingent for Sunday’s Woodbine Mile card arrived on a flight from Amsterdam on Tuesday evening and were finally bedded down at about 11:30 p.m.
Side Glance, Dance and Dance, and Forte dei Marmi all are here for the $1 million Woodbine Mile, one of two Grade 1 turf races on the card.
WOODBINE MILE: Watch the post-position draw live on DRF.com this Thursday at noon ET »
Wigmore Hall is invading for the $500,000 Northern Dancer at 1 1/2 miles.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ashlee Brnjas, who trains exclusively for Colebrook Farm, had an unforgettable last week, during which she won with three of 10 starters and got married to boot.
Brnjas sends out Big Bold Dog in Friday’s seventh race at Woodbine. Big Bold Dog should be among the favorites in the Ontario-sired allowance route for nonwinners of three lifetime.
Arlington-based Caleb’s Posse, winner of the Amsterdam and King’s Bishop stakes – beating 2-year-old champ Uncle Mo in the latter – will make his next start Oct. 1 at Hoosier Park in the $500,000 Indiana Derby, trainer Donnie von Hemel said Tuesday.
Rocket Twentyone, the filly who won the Arlington-Washington Lassie on Saturday, also is likely to head to Keeneland for her next start, the Oct. 7 Alibiades Stakes, trainer Tom Howard said Tuesday.
“She came back out of her race real well,” said Howard. “We’re leaning toward the race at Keeneland.”
