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.
Sweet Dixie Van could get an ideal stalking trip on Sunday, when she seeks her first stakes win against open company in the $40,000 Front Range for 3-year-old fillies at Arapahoe Park. Sweet Dixie Van is a two-time stakes winner against Colorado-breds, and as a result will start as one of the top contenders in the seven-furlong race, which drew eight others including New Mexico stakes winner Golden Springs.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Fillies beating colts and geldings in an abbreviated sprint going 3 1/2 furlongs is one thing. Beating males in a more demanding distance of 6 1/2 furlongs is a more difficult assignment. Nonetheless, Century Union looks like the one to beat when she tackles the boys in the $50,000 New Westminster for 2-year-olds at Hastings, which drew seven horses.
FORT ERIE, Ontario – One of the key posts in the racing operation at Fort Erie will undergo a change this coming week as racing secretary John Whitson will leave to move on to other endeavors.
Whitson, who took over the role under the direction of the Fort Erie Consortium in 2010, brought along a wealth of experience from his many years in management roles at Woodbine Racetrack. Whitson came out of retirement for the challenging task of racing secretary, saying at the time that he “missed the racing world and the action.”
Miss Buxley is stepping up in class but she should appreciate the added distance when she runs in a first-level allowance race that carries a $32,000 claiming option for 3-year-old fillies at Northlands Park Sunday. The one-mile feature attracted eight horses and appears to be a wide-open event.
Trainer Steve Sherman knows he trains a very fast horse in Goggles McCoy. On Sunday, he may find out if Goggles McCoy can win from off the pace.
A 4-year-old In Excess gelding, Goggles McCoy breaks from the rail against four rivals in the $50,000 Sam J. Whiting Memorial Handicap at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, Calif. Among his rivals is Excessive Passion, who just might outsprint him early.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Sam-Son Farm has won three editions of the Dance Smartly, the 1 1/8-mile turf stakes that was named in honor of its superstar filly. But the outfit’s most recent win came in 1998, when Mark Frostad sent out Colorful Vices.
On Sunday, Frostad will be saddling both Forest Uproar and Stars to Shine for the Grade 2, $300,000 Dance Smartly. Only Forest Uproar will run for Sam-Son, however, as Starts to Shine is owned by a group of five owners racing as The Grange House Partnership.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – American Lion makes his first start since an 11th place finish in the 2010 Kentucky Derby in a $70,000 allowance race for sprinters at Hollywood Park on Sunday, a race that trainer Eoin Harty hopes will lead to stakes appearance at Del Mar this month.
American Lion is a two-time Grade 3 stakes winner – the Hollywood Prevue Stakes at 2 in 2009 and the Illinois Derby in April 2010. The Illinois Derby was American Lion’s final start before the Kentucky Derby, where he finished 18 3/4 lengths behind race winner Super Saver as a 20-1 shot.
