Trainer Katie Carlos holds a strong hand in Saturday’s $150,000 Louisiana Quarter Horse Association Sales Futurity at Evangeline Downs. Not only will she send out a three-horse entry of Dukes Fast Cash, Fast Dashing Jewel, and McM Dashmaster in the 350-yard dash for Louisiana-bred 2-year-olds, she will also be represented by Corona Toast, who will run as a separate betting interest.
A Little Order will try to make it two in a row when she heads a field of 12 Indiana-bred and -sired 2-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Indiana Stallion Stakes at Hoosier Park on Saturday.
Trained by Joe Cain, A Little Order won her maiden in her last out Sept. 10. That race was at six furlongs, the same distance as the Stallion Stakes. A Little Order contested the early pace, went clear in upper stretch, and then drew off to a 5 3/4-length victory. She earned a Beyer Speed figure of 41, at least 10 points higher than her nearest competitor on Saturday.
American Runaway, the nation’s top-ranked 2-year-old Quarter Horse, will make his first start since his trouble-filled All American Futurity trial on Saturday night at Lone Star Park.
He is set to run in the 11th race, which is one of 13 trials for the Grade 1, $1 million Texas Classic Futurity on Nov. 13.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The absence of multiple stakes winner Bug Juice from the field has appeared to make Saturday’s $100,000 Sleepy Hollow Stakes a wide-open affair.
Stakes winners Bandbox and Never Right Joey head the field of 11 set to contest seven furlongs over Belmont Park’s main track. Bandbox, a son of Tapit, has already handled seven furlongs, but that was around two turns in the Charles Town Juvenile on Sept. 18.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Usual Q.T. will start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 6, trainer Jim Cassidy said on Thursday.
After considering a start in the California Cup Mile at Hollywood Park on Oct. 30, Cassidy and Don Van, who leads the partnership that owns the 4-year-old, have opted for the BC Mile.
“I told him, ‘Don, the horse is doing great,’ ” Cassidy said, noting that The Usual Q.T. worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 on Wednesday. “It was a really nice work. He’s back to his old self.”
R Boy Bill has never been beaten on turf and if he keeps his streak alive Saturday night in the $75,000 El Joven for 2-year-olds at Retama Park near San Antonio, he could see action in the Breeders’ Cup.
The El Joven and the $75,000 La Senorita for 2-year-old fillies, close out the Retama meet. Both races are run over a mile on turf, with the La Senorita drawing stakes winners Jazzy Jessy, Tiger Girl, and Little Widow Maker.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Grade 1 stakes winners Haynesfield and Rightly So are being prepared for Breeders’ Cup races. The multiple Grade 3 winning turf horse Get Serious is getting a vacation, pointing to a 2011 campaign. Bug Juice, leader of the state-bred juvenile division, is awaiting the $1 million Delta Jackpot
Despite the lack of participation by the cream of this year’s state-bred crop in Saturday’s New York Showcase Day program at Belmont Park, the 10-race card still has plenty to offer horsemen and horseplayers alike.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The Hudson and the Iroquois, a pair of $125,000 sprints, figure prominently in both pick-four sequences on the Showcase Day program.
The six-furlong Hudson for males goes as race 2 and starts the early pick four; the seven-furlong Iroquois for fillies and mares goes as race 8 and is the second leg of a $300,000 guaranteed late pick four.
The Hudson drew a field of eight, headed by last year’s winner, Driven by Success, and Endless Circle, who will be looking for his eighth victory of the year.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Alan Goldberg blames himself for Straight Story’s last-place finish in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile last month.
“The trainer gave the jockey poor instructions,” said Goldberg, who said he instructed jockey Rajiv Maragh to take a hold of the free-running colt. “He did everything I asked him to do and the horse resented every part of it. You can’t change horses, I know that. Just throw it out. Hopefully, he’ll rebound and run well.”
INGLEWOOD, Calif. − McKenzies Way is in desperate need for a start in Saturday’s $55,000 Jack Goodman Stakes at Hollywood Park.
“He’s tearing the place up,” trainer Robert Troeger said. “He’s ready to run. He’s busted three feed tubs and a water bucket. He’s working on his webbing now.”
McKenzies Way has one victory in three starts, a maiden race at Del Mar on Aug. 7, and was ninth of 11 in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity over seven furlongs Sept. 8. The race distance and circumstances worked against him that day, Troeger said.