VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Senor Rojo, the local horse of the year in 2010, and Teide, who won the same honor the year before, headline the $50,000 John Longden 6000 for 3-year-olds and up at Hastings on Monday. The 6 1/2-furlong feature drew seven horses and it appears to be a wide-open event.
BALTIMORE – On a day when Life At Ten showed she is still far away from her Grade 1-winning form of a year ago, trainer Todd Pletcher may have found someone to take her place in the distaff division as Super Espresso, an 11-1 outsider, rallied four wide in the stretch to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Allaire duPont Distaff Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Pimlico.
Odds as of 2:30 p.m. Eastern
136th Preakness
Purse: $1 million, 1 3/16 miles; Grade 1
Post time: 6:18 p.m.
1. Astrology, 15-1
2. Norman Asbjornson, 35-1
3. King Congie, 17-1
4. Flashpoint, 21-1
5. Shackleford, 12-1
6. Sway Away, 14-1
7. Midnight Interlude, 12-1
8. Dance City, 11-1
9. Mucho Macho Man, 9-2
10. Dialed In, 3-1
11. Animal Kingdom, 3-1
12. Isn't He Perfect, 24-1
13. Concealed Identity, 24-1
14. Mr. Commons, 40-1
Trainer Tim Rycroft is off to a hot start, with five wins from his first nine starters at the Northlands Park meet that began May 6, and he could add to his totals Monday, when he saddles Deja Vroom Vroom in a $15,000 claiming race that will serve as the feature on the nine-race card holiday card. The six-furlong sprint for 4-year-olds attracted nine horses and goes as the eighth race.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bear It’s Time will try to win Monday’s $125,000 Lady Angela Stakes off a five-month layoff, and she should be prominent in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine.
Bear It’s Time graduated with authority in her second start in December, receiving a 72 Beyer Speed Figure in that six-furlong maiden special for Ontario-sired types.
Trainer Reade Baker failed to nominate Bear It’s Time to the Lady Angela, which tops Monday's holiday card, but ended up supplementing her to the race at a cost of $2,500.
If you believe in patterns or that history tends to repeat itself, then Rockaby Bay is due to win Monday’s feature at Delaware Park, a second-level optional $40,000 claimer scheduled for a mile and 70 yards on turf.
Every year since 2007, the now 8-year-old Rockaby Bay has run exceptionally well in a turf race while making his second start following an extended layoff.
BALTIMORE - Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom arrived at Pimlico at 6:45 a.m., just 12 hours before he tries to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive In Saturday's $1 million Preakness Stakes.
PREAKNESS STAKES 2011: Contender profiles, news updates, video, and odds >>
BALTIMORE - Excited, relishing a deep, yielding turf course, powered clear to a 3 3/4-length victory over 10 other 3-year-old fillies in the $75,000 Old Hilltop Stakes, the 13th and final race on a marathon Friday card at Pimlico.
Excited ($5.60), the favorite, was on the rail in fourth during the early going, was tipped three paths wide on the final turn, and drew away to her second win in eight lifetime starts. Pink Pallet outfinished Blushandbashful by one length for second.
BALTIMORE - Dialed In and Animal Kingdom were co-favorites in advance wagering for the 136th Preakness at Pimlico, although the two-day daily double wager combining the Black Eyed Susan Stakes on Friday with the Preakness suggests Animal Kingdom will be a solid favorite when the second jewel of the Triple Crown is run Saturday.
PREAKNESS STAKES 2011: Contender profiles, news updates, video, and odds >>
BALTIMORE – Local female turf sprint star Suzzona won for the 14th time in 23 grass sprints when holding off a late bid from Supreme to take the $75,000 The Very One Stakes by a diminishing neck Friday at Pimlico.
Rose Catherine, the 4-5 favorite, was a distant third, another 4 1/4 lengths back, over a yielding course on which she seemed to struggle.
Suzzona ($9.80) needed 1:00.41 to complete five furlongs on a deep, tiring course that horses slogged through all afternoon.
