Wednesday’s opening of the Sonoma County Fair at Santa Rosa will offer three weeks of the “good old days” for racing fans in Northern California.
Santa Rosa is the only Northern California meet racing five-day weeks, and it will offer seven stakes during its 15-day run.
“We think it’s important to run the same schedule as Del Mar,” director of racing Richard Lewis said.
DEL MAR, Calif. - X-rays of jockey Victor Espinoza’s right ankle were negative, and he is expected to ride on Wednesday despite taking a tumble in a three-horse spill in the final race at Del Mar on Sunday, his agent, Brad Pegram, said Monday morning.
“He’s got a little bit of swelling, but the X-rays of the ankle were clean,” Pegram said. “I do think he’ll ride on Wednesday, but I’ll know more [Tuesday].”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario —The speedy Altius and the closer Citius should complement each other perfectly on Wednesday night at Woodbine in the $125,000 Deputy Minister Stakes. They are both trained by Ralph Biamonte, but are not coupled in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.
Altius performed well in each of his four outings at the meet. Two starts ago when fourth in the Bold Ruckus Stakes, he set a fast pace to the benefit of Citius, who came from fourth to win the six-furlong turf sprint.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Mark Frostad had been keeping a relatively low profile at the current Woodbine meeting, with 6 winners from his first 52 starters heading into the latter stages of last Sunday’s program.
But, that situation changed within the span of slightly more than a half-hour as Frostad sent out Windward Islands to capture the Grade 2, $312,600 Nijinsky Stakes and Magic Broomstick to romp in a $77,386 open allowance race.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Coil, who finished second as the heavy favorite in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park on July 9, is headed to the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday at Monmouth Park following a drill at Del Mar on Monday that trainer Bob Baffert called “his best work ever.”
DEL MAR, Calif. – First Dude, who won the Hollywood Gold Cup on July 9, came out of the race with a tendon injury to a front leg and has been retired, trainer Bob Baffert said Monday morning at Del Mar.
“It showed up about a week after the race,” Baffert said. “We walked, jogged, and galloped him, and then it came up. It’s pretty small, but there’s no such thing as a small tendon.”
First Dude remains at Hollywood Park. He did not travel with Baffert’s contingent that is now stabled at Del Mar.
Shanghi Charlie could be the one in what appears to be a wide-open optional $40,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds that will serve as Wednesday’s feature at Northlands Park. The one-mile race drew seven horses, and all of them are looking for their first win at a middle distance.
There is an excellent chance that Shanghi Charlie will do well in his first try around three turns. He is a half-brother to seven route winners, including stakes winners Time to Decide and Simply Runaway.
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.
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.
DEL MAR, Calif. -- Jockey Victor Espinoza has been taken to nearby Scripps Encinitas Hospital for X-rays of an ankle following a terrifying, three-horse spill in the final race on Sunday at Del Mar.
Espinoza was aboard Be Driven, who was midpack in the 12-horse field of $16,000 female claimers when she suffered a catastrophic fracture to her left front leg as the field neared the three-furlong mark of the six-furlong race.
