Sat, 09/03/2011 - 10:57

Northlands Park: Diodoro has strong one-two punch

It appears any of the five horses entered in a $20,000 claiming race for fillies and mares has a realistic chance of winning the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, which will serve as Monday’s feature.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro has two chances with Miss Opps, who drew the rail, and Come Home Quick, who will be breaking from the outside post.

Sat, 09/03/2011 - 10:44

Finger Lakes stakes favorites look home and dry

Even a novice handicapper should be able to quickly identify the solid favorites in the two Labor Day stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds at Finger Lakes, the Aspirant for colts and geldings and the Lady Finger for fillies. Bay Park Boy and Wildcat’s Smile not only hold a substantial advantage in Beyer Speed Figures following daylight maiden victories at Saratoga, but they each face only one other opponent who has won a race.

Sat, 09/03/2011 - 07:40

Ruidoso Downs: Quarter Horse riding legend Jacky Martin badly injured in spill

Jockey Jacky Martin, who was to ride fastest-qualifier Ochoa in Monday’s Grade 1, $2.4 million All American Futurity for Quarter Horses, sustained neck injuries in a race-riding accident at Ruidoso Downs on Friday. He was airlifted from Lincoln County Medical Center in New Mexico to University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.

Martin, 56, sustained three neck fractures but reportedly is not paralyzed, according to a Ruidoso spokesman. As of Saturday morning, he was in the intensive care unit at University Medical Center, where further evaluations on his condition were to be made.

Sat, 09/03/2011 - 07:36

Remington: Skip a Smile comes through tight quarters to take DeBartolo

Skip a Smile won his second stakes of the young Remington Park meet on Friday night, when he powered up the rail in the $100,000 DeBartolo Memorial Handicap. The win came on the heels of his score in last month’s $100,000 Governor’s Cup. Skip a Smile on Friday night won by a neck over Dakota Gypsy. It was another length and a quarter back to Schramsberg in third.

Fri, 09/02/2011 - 23:15

Saratoga: Spa Babies for Sept. 3, Race 12

Welcome to Spa Babies! I'll break down the statistics for every juvenile contest at the meet and hope for a tidy profit.

In past years, I would list the stats for each horse before writing up my analysis, selections and wagering strategy. In order to streamline the content, this year's Spa Babies will showcase written analyses of each juvenile race. Each analysis will include relevant statistical information. Following the analysis, top three selections and wagering strategy will be provided.

Fri, 09/02/2011 - 23:11

Saratoga: Spa Babies for Sept. 3, Race 7

Welcome to Spa Babies! I'll break down the statistics for every juvenile contest at the meet and hope for a tidy profit.

In past years, I would list the stats for each horse before writing up my analysis, selections and wagering strategy. In order to streamline the content, this year's Spa Babies will showcase written analyses of each juvenile race. Each analysis will include relevant statistical information. Following the analysis, top three selections and wagering strategy will be provided.

Fri, 09/02/2011 - 23:07

Saratoga: Spa Babies for Sept. 3, Race 2

Welcome to Spa Babies! I'll break down the statistics for every juvenile contest at the meet and hope for a tidy profit.

In past years, I would list the stats for each horse before writing up my analysis, selections and wagering strategy. In order to streamline the content, this year's Spa Babies will showcase written analyses of each juvenile race. Each analysis will include relevant statistical information. Following the analysis, top three selections and wagering strategy will be provided.

Fri, 09/02/2011 - 22:31

Woodbine: Defending champs back for Sales Stakes

Michael Burns
Sand Cove, with Richard Dos Ramor riding, wins the Steady Growth.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The four winners of last year’s yearling sales stakes for 3-year-olds and upward will be back to defend their titles on Monday’s program.

Guipago, who captured the Halton over one mile of turf; Mesa Cielo, winner of the 1 1/16-mile Elgin for colts and geldings; Secret Wish, victorious in the 1 1/16-mile Algoma for fillies and mares; and Don’s Folly, who took the six-furlong Kenora, will face varying degrees of difficulty in duplicating those efforts.

Fri, 09/02/2011 - 22:18

Woodbine: Notacloudinthesky brings strong résumé to Muskoka

Michael Burns
Notacloudinthesky, who won the Nandi earlier in the summer, is the lone stakes winner in the Muskoka.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Notacloudinthesky is the lone stakes winner in either of the two $200,000 stakes for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds on Labor Day Monday, the Muskoka and the Simcoe. They are the most lucrative races among six stakes for graduates of local yearling sales on the card, which is a prelude to the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s annual yearling sale this Monday, Tuesday and Saturday at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion.

The other four stakes, which are worth $125,000 each, are the Elgin, Algoma, Halton and Kenora.

Fri, 09/02/2011 - 21:59

Del Mar: Celestic Night fresh and fast in El Cajon victory

DEL MAR, Calif. - Celestic Night, making his first start since being claimed for $80,000 in March, returned in style on Friday at Del Mar by scoring a front-running win in the $100,000 El Cajon Stakes for 3-year-olds.

The wire came just in time for Celestic Night ($36.20), who held off the fast-closing Great Warrior to win by a nose. Nijinsky's Song was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third, with even-money favorite Uncle Sam fourth in the field of eight.