SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s not often a trainer considers a surface change with a horse that’s won all four of her starts on dirt by a combined 42 3/4 lengths. But nothing about Lisa’s Booby Trap has actually been orthodox.
The rags to riches story of a horse nobody wanted trained by a nearly broke horse trainer added another chapter Wednesday when Lisa’s Booby Trap blazed three furlongs over the Oklahoma turf course in 35.27 seconds under jockey Kent Desormeaux.
DEL MAR, Calif. – After working a horse at Hollywood Park on Wednesday, jockey Tyler Baze has abandoned plans to resume riding at the current Del Mar meeting less than a month after suffering facial injuries in an accident at the starting gate on July 24.
According to Vic Stauffer, Baze’s agent, the jockey is scheduled to resume riding at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting, which starts Sept. 29. Baze had considered returning as early as next week, but has decided to continue his recovery and postpone his return.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The match-up is set.
Devil May Care drew post 2 and was made the 7-5 morning-line favorite by New York Racing Association morning-line maker Eric Donovan, and Blind Luck was installed the 8-5 second choice and will break from post 4 for Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Alabama at Saratoga in which supremacy in the 3-year-old filly division is at stake. Acting Happy, Tizahit, Connie and Michael, and Havre de Grace were also entered.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Tony McNeil’s introduction to California racing was a rude encounter aboard Fortunia in the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap on July 25. The filly was in trouble throughout the mile and finished last of 10.
“It wasn’t a good trip,” he said.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – I Want Revenge faces five rivals Saturday in the second start of his comeback, the Grade 3, $300,000 Phillip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Now 4 and in the care of trainer Rick Dutrow, I Want Revenge returned July 3 to run third in the Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park. The Suburban was the culmination of a long road back. The morning-line favorite for the 2009 Kentucky Derby, I Want Revenge was scratched on the morning of the race with a leg injury. The subsequent surgery threatened to end his career.
Brinello, now 8, will be seeking a fourth consecutive victory in the $50,000 Agassiz at Assiniboia Downs this Friday evening.
Owned and bred by Dr. Ross McKague, Brinello is coming into the one-mile Agassiz for Manitoba-bred 3-year-olds and upward off a comfortable score in the 7 1/2-furlong allowance prep on July 30.
Brinello finished second in his first crack at the Agassiz, back in 2006, but has taken the last three runnings by an aggregate total of 23 1/4 lengths.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Through individual deeds, few people have played larger roles in the remarkable evolution of Arlington Park than Richard Duchossois and Ron McAnally. But when the Beverly D. is run Saturday, the men stand a chance to create what would be one of the most sentimental chapters in track history – as a team.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Mary Hartmann hopes a third-place finish by Becky’s Exchange in her comeback bodes well for Friday’s $84,000 third-level allowance for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Monmouth Park.
It is a true third-level event with none of the eight runners entered for the optional $62,500 claiming price.
Morning-line favorite at 2-1, No Hesitation will break from post 4 in the Grade 3, $300,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park on Saturday. The 1 3/8-mile feature drew 10 horses, and post positions were chosen by their connections at the Canadian Derby breakfast Wednesday morning.
No Hesitation, trained by Jim Meyaard, has won the last three stakes for 3-year-olds at Northlands. Professor Pollard, also trained by Meyaard, was the first horse out of the box. Owner Hal Veale, acting on advice from Meyaard, chose post 6.
Meyaard was pleased with the draw.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When You Go West Girl raced in the Yaddo each of the last two years, she did so coming off layoffs of nine weeks or more. In 2008, she finished second, beaten a neck. In 2009, she finished fifth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths.
On Friday, when You Go West Girl runs again in the Yaddo, she will do so with a solid prep race under her belt while stretching out to distance at which she has run very well.