POMONA, Calif. – Jockey Martin Pedroza used 17 racing days during the 2004 Fairplex Park meet to establish the single-season record for wins at the Los Angeles County Fair. Pedroza won 51 races; 2004 was the last year the Fair meet was that long.
The following season, Fairplex reduced the meet to 16 days and in 2009 trimmed again to its current 15-day format. It appeared the meet record of 51 wins would never be topped.
ELMONT, N.Y. – If the connections of Rachel Alexandra were looking for a sign on what to do next, perhaps the reigning Horse of the Year supplied them one with a solid five-furlong workout Monday morning over Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Winning Touch didn’t get to the races until midway through his 3-year-old season. But if his debut was any indication, he could prove well worth the wait.
After chasing a hot early pace and then repelling a stretch drive from another rival, Winning Touch won his debut by one-half length on July 24 at Saratoga. Winning Touch will make his first start since then on Wednesday in a first-level allowance race that serves as the featured event on Belmont Park’s nine-race card.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Eye of the Leopard, last year’s Queen’s Plate winner, returns to the local scene Wednesday night at Woodbine in the featured sixth race, a third-level allowance with an $80,000-claiming option.
Eye of the Leopard, a Sam-Son Farm homebred by A.P. Indy, blossomed in the spring of 2009, when he won the Plate Trial Stakes just three weeks after his maiden triumph. He subsequently captured the $1 million Plate in a three-way photo, over Mr. Foricos Two U and Woodbine Oaks winner Milwaukee Appeal.
Jockey Michael Martinez, injured in a spill Sunday at Golden Gate Fields, was upgraded from "critical and unstable" to "critical but stable" condition Monday afternoon after doctors at Highland Hospital in Oakland, Calif., were able to slow bleeding in his head and into his lungs.
Martinez, 24, underwent nearly 11 hours of emergency surgery Sunday night after his spinal cord was completely cut in the spill.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bear’s Future, who displayed plenty of promise when romping to victory in his seven-furlong debut, passed his first acid test with an authoritative score here in Sunday’s $153,300 Swynford at the same distance.
And, if all proceeds according to plan, Bear’s Future’s future could include an appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The Usual Q. T., who was slated to arrive from California on Tuesday, heads a strong contingent of prospective California shippers for this year’s Woodbine Mile.
The field for Sunday’s Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile was firming up as of Monday morning, with 13 candidates having an eye on the turf prize for 3-year-olds and upwards.
The Usual Q.T. put together a six-race win streak on California’s turf courses last year and has captured an open allowance and the 1 1/8-mile Eddie Read on the grass this season.
POMONA, Calif. – Bettors looking for a sure thing Wednesday at Fairplex Park will appreciate trainer Mike Harrington’s analysis.
Harrington starts likely favorite Swiss Tart and longshot Edgewick Road in the $50,000 C.B. Afflerbaugh Stakes for 2-year-olds at seven furlongs. Harrington likes the chalk.
Swiss Tart “should be 4-5, and I expect him to run that way,” Harrington said.
Swiss Tart ran the best race of his eight-start career nine days ago on Sept. 6, finishing second in the $100,000 I’m Smokin Stakes. It was his fourth start of the seven-week Del Mar meet.
COLUMBUS, Neb. - Husker Ridge rallied to the leaders going to the far turn and drew off to score by four lengths in the $15,500 Columbus Futurity for 2-year-old Nebraska-breds as Columbus closed out its meet Sunday afternoon.
Husker Ridge, under leading rider Luis Ranilla, was making her third start in the field of five maiden runners and won under a hand ride. Trained by Dean Bliss, Husker Ridge earned $9,300 for her maiden win and returned $5.20 as the 8-5 favorite. Husker Ridge covered the distance in 1:17.60 over a fast track.