GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas − Global Gaming Solutions, which took over ownership of Lone Star Park in May, will jump into a series of projects designed to improve the track’s facilities and enhance its operations once the meet closes Sunday.
“We’ll spend millions before the end of this calendar,” said John Elliott, the 53-year-old chief executive officer of Global and a native of Australia.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bay to Bay seemed to benefit from some give in the ground when she captured the Grade 2 Nassau Stakes, and it will be interesting to see how she’ll handle a much harder turf course Sunday at Woodbine in the Grade 2, $300,000 Dance Smartly Stakes.
Bay to Bay, a 4-year-old trained by Brian Lynch, won the Grade 3 Natalma Stakes at 2, and the American 1000 Guineas as a 3-year-old at Arlington. She ran twice this year at Gulfstream, finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Honey Fox and second in a demanding optional claimer.
MIAMI – Trainer Michael Yates will be hoping the rain finally holds off long enough this weekend for the turf course to reopen for Sunday’s $31,800 allowance feature. His Tripski, who is winless on dirt but undefeated in three starts on grass,will be tough if the race stays on the turf.
AUBURN, Wash. − Noosa Beach took the track Thursday morning for a four-furlong maintenance work, the latest step in an unfolding saga that could land the king of Emerald Downs on North American racing’s biggest stage – the Breeders’ Cup in November.
Victorious in 9 of his last 10 starts, all stakes, Noosa Beach was timed in 49.20 seconds under regular rider Gallyn Mitchell. Trainer Doris Harwood said the workout went mostly according to script, though Noosa Beach had to pull up and then restart to avoid a loose horse in the stretch.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Belle Watling arrived from Chile with a glittering reputation
She hasn’t lived up to the advanced hype, going winless in five races in the U.S. this year in the care of Patrick Biancone.
Following a disappointing ninth last weekend in the 1 3/8-mile, Grade 1 United Nations Stakes with Edgar Prado aboard, Belle Watling underwent a myectomy on Wednesday, a relatively minor procedure to improve air flow.
“She just did not run,” Biancone said. “The jockey said she choked. It should help her.”
Santa Anita will begin a renovation of its main track Monday to reduce clay content and add sand, a project expected to take at least 10 days and cause some disruption to training on the circuit.
The project has been planned for months after studies conducted on the main track during the winter-spring meeting found the combination of sand, silt, and clay to be different than what was recommended when the track was installed last fall.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Jockey Ismael Mosqueira was hoping the lessons he learned over the winter riding at Calder and Gulfstream would help him get off to a strong start at Hastings this year. His plans went awry when he stopped off at Emerald Downs to visit a friend on his way to Vancouver.
“I went to visit a few trainers I know and I was standing around and got kicked by a horse and fractured my elbow,” said Mosqueira. “I’ve been back riding for four weeks and I’m feeling a hundred percent now.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ray Sabourin, who rode 1,533 winners for purses of almost $40 million before hanging up his tack in 2009, has moved into the jockey agent profession and is representing apprentice Reshawn Latchman and journeyman Sunny Singh.
“I’ve done this before, but then I was booking my own mounts,” said Sabourin.
Motega attempts to go 2 for 2 when she faces 11 other Ohio-bred 2-year-olds in the $50,000 Hoover at River Downs. The Joe Martin-trained filly won at first asking June 24 at Mountaineer Park by 2 3/4 lengths in an open maiden special weight. That event was at 4 1/2 furlongs and the Hoover will be contested at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Motega will wear blinkers for the first time. Because a change of equipment is not normally allowed after a win, special permission was granted by the River Downs stewards.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Todd Pletcher has the inside and the outside covered in the highly competitive $75,000 Dearly Precious Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters on Sunday at Monmouth Park.
Pletcher sends out Savvy Supreme from the rail in the six-furlong race, while Maple Forest has the outside slot in the seven-horse field.
The deep lineup also includes Bold Affair, who captured the $200,000 Jostle at Parx Racing last time out, and the first three finishers from the Lady Charles Town.
