VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Dearest Princess and Otero will have home-field advantage over Emerald Downs-based Soul Custody in the $50,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club for 3-year-old fillies at Hastings Monday. The 1 1/16-mile race drew nine horses and will serve as the final prep for the $75,000 B.C. Oaks Sept. 25.
Trainer Jim Meyaard holds a tight hand with pair of aces in the $50,000 Sun Sprint Championship Handicap at Northlands Park on Monday.
The ace of spades is clearly Salt Flat Speed who will be looking to win his sixth straight race. He is backed up by a pretty strong kicker in Westerner Handicap winner Andiotis. Meyaard also entered Rapid’n Ready but indicated he probably wouldn’t run.
The 6 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up drew eight horses and goes as race 8.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Society’s Chairman, a 7-year-old horse who is trained by Roger Attfield, is the elder statesman on Monday’s yearling sales stakes program.
But Society’s Chairman will be playing more than a ceremonial role as he looms a solid favorite while going in search of his third straight win in the Halton, the sales stakes for 3-year-olds and up over one mile of turf.
AUBURN, Wash. – The final three races of Friday’s eight-race card at Emerald Downs were canceled after jockeys refused to accept their mounts for the sixth race, citing what they said was an unsafe area of the racing surface near the five-eighths pole.
“Our track superintendent corrected an issue with the track following the fifth race,” Emerald Downs Director of Marketing Adrian Buchan said. “We were confident the track was safe. The jockeys disagreed and would not accept their mounts for the sixth race. We had no other choice but to cancel the remainder of the card.”
DEL MAR, Calif. - There is a record pick six carryover of $1,597,470 for Saturday’s 10-race program at Del Mar, after bettors failed to hit the wager from Wednesday through Friday.
Haimish Hy’s upset win at 31-1 in the El Cajon Stakes on Friday clinched the carryover. Haimish Hy was the longest shot in a field of eight in the one-mile stakes.
The new money bet on Saturday is likely to exceed $4 million. The pick six on Saturday covers the fifth through 10th races on a program that begins at 2 p.m.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Here’s a tip for handicapping next year’s With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga. Bet the maiden.
For the fourth time in the six-year history of the With Anticipation, a maiden won. Friday, it was Soldat, second in a pair of sprint stakes, who successfully stretched out in distance and who took to the turf with aplomb, cruising to a three-length victory over 2-1 favorite Powhatan County in the Grade 3, $100,000 With Anticipation at Saratoga. It was 3 1/4 lengths back to Typhoon Slew in third.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – For Mike Repole, it’s one goal down, one to go.
After going winless with 36 runners at Saratoga in 2009, it was Repole’s mission to be leading owner at this year’s meet. Entering the final three days of the season, Repole had the owners’ title wrapped up with 13 winners from 44 starters. The second-leading owner is Gary and Mary West with seven winners.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. _ Todd Pletcher already had the strongest crop of 2-year-olds of any trainer on the grounds. Then he got arguably the most impressive juvenile filly winner of the meet sent to him.
Valiant Passion, who overcame traffic trouble to win a 5 1/2-furlong maiden race by 9 1/4 lengths, will make her first start for Pletcher in Sunday’s Grade 1, $250,000 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga. She is one of four horses Pletcher entered in the Spinaway, a seven-furlong race which drew a field of eight.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ever since his dazzling 12-length maiden win at Belmont Park nine weeks ago, a lot of people have been waiting for Boys At Tosconova to run back.
The wait ends Monday, when Boys At Tosconova faces six rivals in the Grade 1, $250,000 Hopeful Stakes, the closing-day feature on an 11-race Saratoga card. The Hopeful, run at seven furlongs, tops a card that also includes the Grade 3, $100,000 Glens Falls Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf, featuring the champion Forever Together.