ELMONT, N.Y. – When it comes to Belmont Park, You Go West Girl is not only a horse for course she is a horse for the season.
You Go West Girl has won 3 of 6 starts at Belmont, but she is 3 for 4 during Belmont’s fall meet. Trainer Tom Proctor and owner Craig Bernick hope You Go West Girl’s affinity for Belmont and cooler weather continues Sunday when she heads a seven-horse field entered in the $100,000 John Hettinger Stakes for New York-bred females going 1 1/8 miles over Belmont’s inner turf.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario − Biofuel, last year's co-champion 2-year-old filly in Canada, will be a short price when she takes on seven other 3-year-old fillies Sunday at Woodbine in the Grade 3, $250,000 Selene Stakes.
Biofuel had also been under consideration for this Saturday’s Grade 2 Fitz Dixon Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania, a race which is expected to attract the leader of the 3-year-old filly division in North America, Blind Luck. But trainer Reade Baker elected to remain at home for Sunday's race.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Rick Violette Jr. has had considerable success in the National Association of Two-Year-Old Consignors Futurity in the brief history of the stakes that began in 2002.
Violette won in 2005 with What’s Your Edge and in 2007 with the filly Phantom Income. He is back for more on Sunday at Monmouth Park.
Violette has a solid contender, and the likely favorite, in each of the six-furlong $200,000 divisions for horses who have been cataloged in 2010 with a paid 2010 advertising-fund fee.
Blame, the leading candidate for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, is likely to have his final pre-race blowout at Keeneland on Monday instead of Sunday, trainer Al Stall Jr. said.
“He’s had two very strong works the last two Sundays, and I’m wanting to give him just a little more time before he goes an easy half-mile,” Stall said. “It’ll be just a little tightener, no big deal. We’re pretty much set anyway.”
Skimatic improved dramatically in his first start for trainer James McCullough, and if he can repeat his performance when he steps up to face winners for the first time, he will be tough to handle in Sunday’s feature at Northlands Park. A $15,000 claiming race at 6 1/2 furlongs, the feature will have seven 3-year-olds and up who have never won two races and goes as race 7.
FORT ERIE, Ontario – In recent years, after wrapping up the meet at Fort Erie, trainer John Simms has headed south to stable at Tampa Bay Downs without knowing whether the Fort would be open for business the following spring.
But there will be no uncertainty this year after the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium this week announced a 78-day schedule for 2011. The schedule includes 4 p.m. post times on Mondays and Tuesdays in June, July, and August.
AUBURN, Wash. – Adversaries for six long months, the leading trainers at Emerald Downs will go their separate ways when the meeting ends Sunday, some to Portland, some to Turf Paradise in Phoenix, some to Golden Gate Fields in the Bay Area, and some to a winter spent breaking horses, reconnecting with family, recharging batteries, and reloading for 2011.
AUBURN, Wash. – The $75,000 Gottstein Futurity is the centerpiece of an 11-race card Sunday as Emerald Downs pulls down the curtain on its 15th season. Getaway Day begins at 2 p.m. Pacific, and the Gottstein is the 10th race on a program that also includes the Ashbaugh Beal Claiming Challenge, a six-race showcase for horses who have started for various claiming prices in 2010.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby headlines a strong nine-race card that includes three supporting stakes Sunday at Hastings. The 1 1/8-mile derby drew 11 horses who will carry 126 pounds, and with Russell Baze riding, Cherokee Notion figures to be favored over his stablemate Prince Intent and Charterhill.
ALBANY, Calif. – Seven stakes races, highlighted by the Grade 3 All American, will be offered at Golden Gate Fields’ fall meet beginning Oct. 20.
The $100,000 All American is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 26. The race for 3-year-olds and up is carded at 1 1/8 miles.
The seven stakes, worth $475,000, include four stakes for 2-year-olds.
Two-year-old fillies will run for $50,000 in the six-furlong Golden Gate Debutante on Nov. 6. On Dec. 4, the $75,000 Corte Madera will be run at one mile.