LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Steve Asmussen has trained the last three winners of the Horse of the Year title in North America, those being Curlin (2007-08) and Rachel Alexandra (2009), both of them owned primarily by the Stonestreet Stables of Jess Jackson. It follows, then, that Asmussen knows a good horse when he has one in the barn.

So when asked to size up the potential of a colt named Astrology, who will be a solid favorite Saturday in the 84th Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, Asmussen was understandably reserved.

Many people start their holiday shopping the day after Thanksgiving, on Black Friday. Jim Cassidy starts a few weeks earlier, and he goes out of his way to find the best gifts.

Cassidy for years has been a regular at the fall sales in Newmarket, England, where his keen eye has picked out, for not much money, horses who developed into top-class runners on these shores, most notably Ticker Tape and Katdogawn.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though Dubai Dancer had just finished seventh in her debut over Aqueduct’s inner track last January – racing somewhat erratically throughout – jockey Richard Migliore told trainer Kiaran McLaughlin he thought the filly was capable of winning a graded stakes race.

Seven months later, after guiding her to a seven-length maiden win at Saratoga, jockey Ramon Dominguez told McLaughlin that Migliore might have been selling the filly a little short.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Wednesday marked the final day of jockey Omar Moreno’s apprenticeship, and he had five mounts on the nine-race program here at Woodbine Racetrack. But Moreno’s night ended early as he was suffering from sinusitis and had to book off after his first two rides.

The condition had worsened by Thursday morning, and although Moreno breezed a horse in the morning and wanted to ride, he took the advice of his agent, former jockey Jack Lauzon, and went home to bed.

“He looked terrible,” said Lauzon. “His face was all swollen, right across.”

Trainer Henry Dominguez will be coming at the competition from every possible pace angle at Zia Park on Saturday, when he sends out a front-runner, a stalker, and a closer in the $55,000 Distaff.

The six-furlong race for fillies and mares drew a field of 10.

After dominating three foes in a restricted stakes less than two weeks ago, the 2-year-old colt Ucan’tcme will wheel right back to face 11 other Pennsylvania-bred juveniles in Saturday’s $75,000 Pennslvania Nursery, the last stakes of the season at Parx Racing.

Ben’s Cat had a tougher time than expected, but managed to extend his unbeaten streak to eight races in Wednesday’s $36,000 allowance feature at Laurel Park.

The 6-5 favorite under regular rider Julian Pimentel, Ben’s Cat ($4.40) held off a late rally by longshot Fonda Ronda to prevail by a half-length, covering one mile in 1:39.08..

“That was scary. He almost got beat,” said owner-trainer King Leatherbury. “The jock says that once he gets to the front then he plays around.”

Quantum Miss looked like a standout on paper and she performed like one on the track to dominate Wednesday night's $75,000 Blue Mountain Juvenile for 2-year-old fillies at Penn National Race Course.

Based at Parx Racing with trainer Tony Dutrow, Quantum Miss ($2.60) cruised to a 16-length victory under jockey Jeremy Rose while running six furlongs in a swift 1:09.78.

Third in her career debut in September, Quantum Miss defeated open maiden special weight company on Oct. 29 by 5 1/4 lengths in her second lifetime start.

After running one race on Wednesday, Portland Meadows canceled racing for the second straight day due to poor track conditions.

Portland has been hit with a massive cold snap this week, which has contributed to the problems with the racing surface.

With temperatures expected to rise over the holiday weekend, the XpressBet Jockey Challenge is still on tap for next Monday.
 

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Cindy Jones will look to put an exclamation point on her brief, albeit successful, one-year training career on Saturday when she runs No Such Word in the Grade 1, $250,000 Gazelle Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

Cindy Jones took over the head training duties from her husband, Larry, who retired late last year. Larry Jones recently announced he will return to head trainer in 2011 while Cindy Jones will look to take some time off following Saturday’s Gazelle.