ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Simply Splendid, who had been instrumental in getting trainer Gail Cox off to a sensational start this year, has been retired.

Simply Splendid, who also is owned by Cox in partnership with John Menary, last saw action here July 25 when she finished second in the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Matron.

And, while Cox had considered keeping on with Simply Splendid for the Sept. 18 Canadian and perhaps the Oct. 16 E.P. Taylor, she elected to put her away, with her next target being the November sale at Keeneland.

Portland Meadows has scheduled 22 stakes for its 2010-11 meet, topped by the $80,000 Portland Meadows Oaks on Jan. 29, 2011. The Portland Meadows meeting runs from Oct. 4 to March 30, 2011.

The Oaks, for 3-year-old fillies at one mile, is a part of the newly created Black-Eyed Susan 2.2 bonus program. Implemented by Portland Meadows’ owner, MI Developments, the Black-Eyed Susan 2.2 awards a bonus of up to $2.2 million to the owners of a filly who wins a series of stakes at MI Developments tracks, and then wins the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico on May 20, 2011.

Whose turn is it to win the third leg of the Northlands Park marathon series? So far there have been two different winners in the series for 3-year-olds and up that is run under starter handicap conditions, and none of the seven horses entered in the third leg, which goes as race 8 on the nine-race card, have gone the 1 5/8-mile distance. It appears to be anyone’s race.

A budding rivalry between two Northern California-based colts, a Jerry Hollendorfer-trained entry, the local debut of a highly regarded colt from a Hall of Fame trainer, and a two-time winner from Ireland make Saturday’s $50,000 Angel Island one of the most anticipated stakes races of the year at Golden Gate Fields.

The 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race for 2-year-olds rematches the undefeated two-time stakes winner Luckarack against King Cola, who was the runner-up to Luckarack in the six-furlong Cavonnier on Aug. 14 at Santa Rosa.

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.”