OPELOUSAS, La. – Business at the 2010 Evangeline Downs meeting that concluded on Labor Day fell in line with industry trends and showed moderate declines from 2009.
All sources handle on the 89-day meeting totaled $129.4 million and averaged $1.45 million per program. Those figures were 5.4 percent less than what the same number of race days produced last year. Total ontrack handle of 5.03 million represented an even steeper decline of 10.7 percent from 2009.
MIAMI – The 2-year-old scene never rests at Calder. Although there is a brief lapse in the stakes schedule for south Florida-based juveniles, there is no lack of opportunities on a regular basis for promising youngsters hoping to earn their way into some of the lucrative stakes races coming up here later this fall.
Saturday’s program offers just such a chance for 2-year-olds, with a pair of 5 1/2-furlong entry-level allowance dashes, one for either sex and another for fillies, highlighting the 12-race card.
The remarkable 9-year-old gelding Delaware River is among four returning champions set to defend their titles during Saturday’s Pennsylvania Breeders Day program at Parx Racing.
In addition to Delaware River, who is looking to capture the 1 1/16-mile Classic for Pennsylvania-bred males for the fourth consecutive year, Coastal Solace in the featured $150,000 PHBA Distaff, Always for Love in the Mrs. Penny, and El Churruca in the Mr. Jenney Handicap are looking to repeat their success from last year.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Grade 3 winners Tommy Danzigger and Spaghetti Mouse stand out in a money allowance race that will serve as Saturday’s feature at Hastings.
Charterhill, a 3-year-old hoping to land a spot in the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby Sept. 26, adds luster to the 1 1/16-mile race, which drew five horses. There will be a special first post of 4:40 p.m. Saturday.
DEL MAR, Calif. - In his best race yet, J P’s Gusto turned the Grade 1, $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on Wednesday into a one-horse show, romping by 4 1/2 lengths to record his fourth straight victory and securely stamp himself as the best 2-year-old male in California.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Lookin At Lucky on Wednesday at Del Mar had his first work since winning the Haskell Invitational five weeks earlier.
He went an easy half-mile in 49.40 seconds.
“He went around easy,” said his trainer, Bob Baffert. “I was going to work him on Monday, but I decided to give him a couple more days of galloping. He’s going to Hollywood Park next, and he’ll work there. I’m just trying to get him right again. I can’t think of any races yet.”
Riders Luis Ranilla and apprentice Ashley Dill have opened up daylight in the standings on Jordan Olesiak, who had to serve a three-day suspension last weekend from a riding infraction at Canterbury Park. Ranilla leads the way with 33 wins after posting riding triples on both Sunday and Monday last weekend. Dill, who gained a short lead with a riding triple on Friday, has 30 wins, and Olesiak is third with 24.
Dudley Graham leads the way in the trainer standings with 14 wins, while Gene DeRoin and Steve Hall are tied for second with 8 wins each.
The richest race in Texas will be held during Lone Star Park's upcoming fall meet for Quarter Horses. The Grade 1, $1 million Texas Classic Futurity is set for Nov. 13 as part of a 14-race stakes schedule worth more than $2.5 million. Lone Star will open its 26-night meet Sept. 17. The season runs to Nov. 13.
The Texas Classic Futurity, at 400 yards, will share a program with the Grade 1, $400,000-estimated Texas Classic Derby. Other top events include the Grade 1, $500,000 Dash for Cash Futurity and the Grade 2, $200,000 Dash for Cash Derby, both on Oct. 9.
Wasted Tears is settled in back at her Retama Park base after winning last month's Grade 2 John C. Mabee at Del Mar, and will soon begin serious preparations for her next objective, the Grade 1, $400,000 First Lady at Keeneland. Wasted Tears, who has won her last seven starts, was given a little bit of a freshening after the Mabee.
Notsosweet looks pretty tasty as the lone speed in Friday’s feature at Northlands Park.
Trained by Craig Smith, Notsosweet could be tough to run down in the six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up running for a $17,500 claiming price.
Pick to Click looks like the main threat in the 10-horse field that goes as race 8.