The trials for the Grade 1, $899,523 Rainbow Derby for Quarter Horses will get off to a rousing start at Ruidoso Downs on Saturday, when champions American Runaway and Jls Mr Bigtime meet in the first of seven qualifying heats for the July 23 finale.
Sam DiLaura has run two horses since getting his training license last month. Sold Short was second to undefeated City Route in the Lost in the Fog at Golden Gate Fields. Crown Over was third in last week’s Livermore Valley Wines Stakes at the Alameda County Fair last week.
DiLaura will be looking for his first training victory in Saturday’s $50,000-added Everett Nevin Alameda County Futurity when he sends out Sold Short against six rivals. The 5 1/2-furlong dirt race for 2-year-olds will be run at the Alameda County Fair in DiLaura’s hometown of Pleasanton, Calif.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Take your pick from the nine 2-year-old fillies that will line up in the $50,000 Lassie Stakes at Hastings Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong Lassie is the first stakes for juvenile fillies at the meet and just about anything could happen.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Six of the 21 fillies and mares nominated for Sunday’s Dance Smartly Stakes are trained by Roger Attfield here at Woodbine.
And while all six will be in action this weekend, the troops will be evenly split between the local turf feature and two out-of-town turf events.
Miss Keller, Mekong Melody, and No Explaining have been entered in the Grade 2, $300,000 Dance Smartly, a 1 1/8-mile race that has attracted a field of 10.
Oregon Lady has been entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Modesty at 1 3/16 miles on the grass at Arlington Park.
U R Burnin Daylite, who has emerged as the top 3-year-old sprinter at the young meeting, will be looking to ration his speed over 1 1/16 miles in Saturday’s Harry Jeffrey at Assiniboia Downs. The $30,000 Harry Jeffrey is situated as the major local prep for the $75,000 Manitoba Derby, which will be run on Aug. 1, and a field of 12 has been entered.
Trainer Rod Cone is hoping for a big afternoon at Northlands Park Saturday. Cone has significant horses entered in the three $50,000 stakes that are featured on the 10-race card: the Ky Alta, Chariot Chaser, and John Patrick.
Cone thinks his best chance is with Boomtown Brat in the one-mile Ky Alta for 3-year-olds. Nonetheless, Maegans Princesses looks pretty live in the six-furlong Chariot Chaser for 3-year-old fillies and both Notoriously and Inca Beauty look like contenders in the one-mile John Patrick for fillies and mares.
On paper, 4-year-old stablemates Media Madness and She Be Classy hardly look like they belong in the Robert Dick Memorial, a Grade 3 turf stakes for fillies and mares that tops the Delaware Oaks undercard Saturday at Delaware Park.
ALTOONA, Iowa – The undefeated filly Ginger Added appears to hold the best cards heading into Saturday night’s $60,000 Iowa Stallion Stakes at Prairie Meadows. Although she is 4 for 4, Ginger Added will be stretching out around two turns for the first time in the mile-and-70-yard race,
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Roxy Gap should be formidable when she goes back to the grass Saturday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Ontario Damsel Stakes, a one-mile event that drew seven Ontario-bred 3-year-old fillies.
Roxy Gap was one of the leading 2-year-old fillies on the grounds last year. Her lone turf race, the allowance prep for the Natalma Stakes, was arguably her best. She led all the way to score by nearly five lengths, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 89.
