ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The promising Hoi An makes her stakes debut Saturday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Fury, a seven-furlong sprint which is a stepping-stone towards the June 5 Woodbine Oaks.
Hoi An, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Square Eddie, finished second under Alan Garcia when she debuted in a five-furlong maiden special on the grass at Gulfstream. Trainer Julia Carey said she missed the break in that Feb. 23 dash.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Marketing Mix came to hand quickly this year, winning her maiden over seven furlongs at Keeneland in just her second career start.
On Saturday, Marketing Mix will be looking to make the successful transition into stakes company when she starts in the seven-furlong Fury for Ontario-foaled 3-year-old fillies.
“She got there early Wednesday morning, and she’s doing well,” said Tom Proctor, who trains Marketing Mix for Glen Hill Farm.
PHOENIX – The spotlight shines on the local product Saturday at Turf Paradise. Arizona Breeders’ Day is highlighted by five stakes for Arizona-breds, with the $50,000 Gene Fleming Breeders’ Derby leading the way. The nine-race card also includes the Ann Owens Distaff Handicap, the Joanne Dye, the Sandra Hall Grand Canyon Handicap, and the Dwight D. Patterson Handicap, with each worth $25,000.
After watching his versatile Ben’s Cat come from off the pace to take the Mister Diz Stakes while sprinting on dirt three weeks ago, Hall of Fame trainer King Leatherbury said he thought the 5-year-old gelding might be even better running on turf, where he is unbeaten in three starts. Leatherbury will find out for certain when Ben’s Cat faces Grade 3 winner Baletti and four other well-accomplished but perhaps rusty turf runners in Saturday’s $75,000 Henry Clark Stakes at Pimlico.
The World Series of Handicapping at Penn National Race Course, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed because of insufficient entries. The event will be rescheduled for a yet-to-be-announced date in October.
ELMONT, N.Y. – After a winter of discontent, one in which the weather was its harshest, the quality of racing was at its lowest, and the rate of winning favorites seemed at its highest, the New York Racing Association gets a much-needed change of scenery beginning Friday with the opening of Belmont Park’s spring/summer season.
The 11-week meet, which will include 56 cards of racing, runs through July 17 before the move to Saratoga on July 22.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Evening Jewel, the winner of two Grade 1 stakes for 3-year-old fillies last year, will not start in Saturday’s $100,000 Wilshire Handicap at Hollywood Park.
Trainer Jim Cassidy said on Wednesday that he would prefer to give Evening Jewel more time between starts, following a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland on April 14.
The top three finishers from last Saturday’s Jerome Stakes all appear headed in different directions. The winner, Adios Charlie, is likely to make his next start in the Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont on May 14. Astrology, the runner-up, is being considered for the Preakness at Pimlico on May 21, while third-place finisher Justin Phillip is being pointed to the Woody Stephens here on June 11.
Mike Repole, the owner of Kentucky Derby candidates Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty, is appealing the disqualification of one of his other horses from first-place in a race at Aqueduct in March and says if he loses, that horse should be placed lower in the order of finish than the stewards put him.
AUBURN, Wash. – Seattle Sniper, runner-up in two stakes races in 2010, headlines a 5 1/2-furlong, first-level optional claimer Friday at Emerald Downs, and while the speedy 3-year-old will be popular in the betting, he’s liable to have his hands full with seven promising rivals in his 2011 debut.
