Paddy O'Prado has been assigned post 7 in a field of eight 3-year-olds entered in the Grade 2, $600,000 Virginia Derby, the Colonial Downs showcase set for Saturday.
Paddy O'Prado, owned by the Donegal Racing of Jerry Crawford and trained by Dale Romans, was dominant in winning the June 19 Colonial Cup and has been listed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the 1 1/4-mile Virginia Derby. Kent Desormeaux has been named back aboard.
Santa Rosa is the destination for last weekend's Alameda County Fair stakes winners.
Trainer Steve Specht plans to run Saturday's Everett Nevin winner Luckarack in the Cavonnier Juvenile Aug. 14 at Santa Rosa, while Roger Hansen will point Sunday's Sam Whiting winner Restless Youth to the Joseph Grace Aug. 8 there.
Meanwhile Del Mar stakes are next on the agenda for Lucky Mr. K, the odds-on runner-up to Luckarack in the Nevin, and Goggles McCoy, who was impressive in an allowance victory against older on Sunday.
Horse racing's new Northern California racing schedule takes a fork in the road starting Wednesday when the California State Fair opens in Sacramento.
The state fair was traditionally held in late August, concluding on Labor Day weekend, but the dates were changed this year. With the fair open earlier this summer, the meet runs this year from Wednesday through July 25.
With Solano eliminated as a racing fair, the switch in dates for Sacramento blends perfectly with the rest of the fair meet schedule.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - On a picture-postcard morning at the Spa, Rachel Alexandra worked a strong six furlongs over the Oklahoma Training Track Monday, as she nears a scheduled start in the $400,000 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park a week from Saturday.
With the sun barely at tree-top level and a thick fog shrouding most of the course, the reigning Horse of the Year came onto the track shortly before 6 a.m. and promptly went about her business under Shaun Bridgmohan, rambling through six furlongs in 1:12.45 seconds.
LINCOLN, Neb. - There are no official records kept, but Lou Lou Larue likely now holds the distinction of the lowest priced winner in Nebraska racing history after easily handling three rivals at 1-20 in the $19,788 Breeders' Special at Lincoln Race Course on Sunday afternoon.
Lou Lou Larue paid $2.10, the lowest payoff possible. Place and show wagering was not offered on the race.
AUBURN, Wash. - Assessment, the horse of the meeting at Emerald Downs in 2009, recorded his first victory of 2010 Sunday in the $50,000 Governor's Handicap, defeating 1-2 betting favorite Noosa Beach by a neck under jockey Gallyn Mitchell. Gallon was four lengths farther back in third, followed by Davos, Wasserman, Margo's Gift, Winning Machine, and He's All Heart.
AUBURN, Wash. - Three weeks after winning a maiden race in her eighth career start, Rewritten rallied to capture the $50,000 Washington's Lottery Handicap Sunday at Emerald Downs, stamping herself as a leading contender for the $75,000 Washington Oaks, Emerald's traditional championship for 3-year-old fillies, on Aug. 14.
Shakenwithanolive turned in a stirring performance at Northlands Park on Sunday, leading throughout the one-mile John Patrick Handicap to score by 1 3/4 lengths.
Ridden by Jorge Carreno, Shakenwithanolive was stalked throughout the $50,000 John Patrick by Alwyn, who briefly yielded second place to Littlemiss Allison on the final turn but finished well to be a clear runner-up.
Littlemiss Allison, the 3-5 choice in the field of nine fillies and mares, ended 7 1/2 lengths back in third place.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - In her debut, Dawnie Macho beat maidens at Arlington Park by five lengths and set a track record of 51.16 seconds for 4 1/2 furlongs.
The performance was good enough to merit a private purchase by Gary and Cecil Barber, who turned the filly over to trainer John Sadler. Sunday, in her California debut, Dawnie Macho made the investment look even better, winning the $100,000 for 2-year-old fillies over six furlongs.