LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Like pretty much everyone else, Dale Romans took notice this week of the Team Valor International announcement regarding Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom having to be sidelined for the rest of the year because of a hock injury. Romans trains Shackleford, the Preakness winner who recently returned to his Churchill barn following a two-week break at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Amiable Grace, overlooked in the wagering at 8-1, stalked the pace and rallied strongly in midstretch for a half-length victory in Friday’s $112,400 Sweet Briar Too at Woodbine.
The field of seven for the Sweet Briar Too, an overnight stakes for fillies and mares, included 2010 Sovereign Award winners Biofuel, who was the Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly, and Indian Apple Is, champion female sprinter.
AUBURN, Wash. – A 10-race card, a fireworks spectacular, and an appearance by one of the most popular horses in track history highlight a festive Sunday at Emerald Downs. Racing begins at 4:30 p.m., a few hours later than usual, to accommodate the fireworks show, which is scheduled to launch at 10:15.
The $458,180 Lee Berwick Memorial Futurity is one of seven Louisiana-bred stakes for Quarter Horses that will be run on the closing night card Sunday at Delta Downs. Also on the program is the $100,000 Louisiana Classic, which drew the multiple-stakes-winning mare Jes a Game.
The Lee Berwick, a restricted Grade 1 at 350 yards, is led by Jessalittlecourage. Undefeated in four starts, her wins have come by a combined margin of 4 3/4 quarter lengths. Jessalittlecourage took the Louisiana Lassie Futurity earlier in the meet for trainer Alvin Smith Jr.
Gold Coyote, who through the years has compiled a 7-for-11 record at Lone Star Park, returns to the Grand Prairie surface Sunday for the featured second race. He enters the $40,000 optional claiming sprint at six furlongs off a third-place finish in the $52,000 Route 66 Stakes at Will Rogers on May 7.
Gold Coyote shows several strong works since that race, including five furlongs in 1:00.60 on June 24. Bobby Walker Jr. has the mount for trainer Bret Calhoun. Others set to start include Louisiana Downs shippers Solar Charge and Hollywood Ice.
Pale Blazer has not made a wrong move while racing on the grass, and if he picks up his third straight win Sunday in the featured fifth race at Louisiana Downs, he could be headed to the Grade 3, $350,000 Turf Monster at Parx Racing.
Pale Blazer will start as one of the top choices in a $35,000 optional claimer that carries third-level allowance conditions. To be run at about five furlongs on turf, the race drew a field of seven, including multiple stakes winner John Charles.
Six furlongs is the national standard when it comes to Thoroughbred sprint racing. But the distance may be slightly farther than Immortal Eyes, the morning-line favorite in the $50,000 Chesapeake Stakes on Sunday at Colonial Downs, would prefer to run.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – One year older and one shade whiter, gray veteran California Flag will try to prove he is not one step slower when he returns from an eight-month layoff Sunday in the $77,000 Robert K. Kerlan Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park.
At six furlongs on turf, the Kerlan once would have been a cakewalk for California Flag, whose wicked speed propelled him to six stakes victories including the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint and a 9-for-21 career in which he earned more than $1.1 million.
Soldat, the Fountain of Youth winner, has been taken out of training due to tender feet and will be out indefinitely, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.
Soldat, who finished 11th in the Kentucky Derby, was being pointed to next weekend’s Virginia Derby, but instead was sent Kesmarc Farm in Kentucky on Thursday for a vacation of undetermined length.
