Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Borel again finds the spotlight can be harsh

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When Calvin Borel won his first Kentucky Derby three years ago aboard Street Sense, local racing fans were eager to show their appreciation on the next day of live racing at Churchill Downs. Before the first race on May 9, 2007, they surrounded the paddock, cheered heartily, and told Borel they knew he always had it in him.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Queen's Plate prospects in maiden race

The $100,000 Wando Stakes, which attracted a field of just five, will be the nominal feature here Saturday.

But the most interesting race on the card will be run a half-hour earlier with a full field of 14 maiden 3-year-olds slated to travel 1 1/16 miles in the fifth race.

Several Queen's Plate nominees are in the lineup and much of the attention will be focused on Mobilizer and Captain Canuck, who are coming out of the same 1 1/16- mile maiden race at Keeneland.

Mobilizer finished third there at 41-1 when making his first lifetime start for trainer Roger Attfield.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Tribal Belle sharpens for Hendrie

Tribal Belle, trained by Jordan for the Canvasback Farm of Mark Wilshire, missed by a nose in her first start of the season in the six-furlong Whimsical here April 18.

Next Sunday, Jordan's name will be back on the program with Tribal Belle scheduled to run in the 6 1/2-furlong Hendrie.

"I think she ran really well," said Jordan, who sent out Tribal Belle to breeze five furlongs in 1:01.60 here Thursday. "The horse that beat her had a couple of starts this year."

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Jordan active again with Hollywood Hit

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Hollywood Hit will be looking to become the first-two time stakes winner of the Woodbine meeting when he races in Sunday's Grade 3 Vigil.

Hollywood Hit, a 4-year-old gelding owned by Peter Redekop, will have Terry Jordan back in his corner as the trainer has returned from a 30-day suspension resulting from a medication violation.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Uptowncharlybrown to McLaughlin

OCEANPORT, N.Y. - Stakes-winning 3-year-old Uptowncharlybrown has been transferred to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and will be pointed to the Belmont Stakes on June 5, the head of the colt's ownership group said Thursday.

Uptowncharlybrown was trained by Alan Seewald, who died unexpectedly April 12 at age 62. Seewald's assistant, Linda White, was the trainer of record when Uptowncharlybrown finished third in the Grade 2 Lexington on April 17.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Which Texas Wildcatter will show up?

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Texas Wildcatter, who makes his 2010 debut in Saturday's $50,000 George Royal Stakes at Hastings, has been a bit of an enigma since he arrived here as a 3-year-old in 2008.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Woodbine roundup

WHO'S HOT

Mark Casse vaulted to the top of the trainer standings during the seven days of racing from April 23 to May 2. He won with 7 of 30 starters, a 23 percent win rate, which is better than it appears when you consider he ran two horses in several races.

Casse, who led the Woodbine trainer standings in 2002 and from 2007 to 2009, had 10 wins from 59 starters at the meet. Bob Tiller and Steve Asmussen were tied for second with seven scores apiece.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Hollywood roundup

WHO'S HOT

Jockey Tyler Baze is on a roll, and so are the maidens he rides. Baze went 15 of 50 the first two weeks of the spring meet, more than double the seven-win total of Rafael Bejarano and Joel Rosario. Five of the 10 winners Baze rode in Week 2 were maidens; overall, six of his 15 winners were maidens. It matches the racing program - 26 of the 71 races the first two weeks at Hollywood were for maidens.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Churchill roundup

WHO'S HOT

Well, this one is fairly obvious - Calvin Borel. He became the first jockey to win three Derbies in four years when he guided Super Saver to victory last Saturday. He also won aboard Mine That Bird last year and Street Sense in 2007.

Thu, 05/06/2010 - 00:00

Belmont roundup

WHO'S HOT

Allen Jerkens

Score another upset for the Hall of Fame trainer, who turned 81 on April 21 and celebrated by saddling Le Grand Cru ($56.50) to win the Grade 3 Westchester on opening day. It was the sixth Westchester win for Jerkens.

Le Grand Cru, a potential "I Love New York" poster child, was out of the money in four starts at Gulfstream Park during the winter, but has won his last three starts on this circuit, having won the Kelso and Bold Ruler last October, the Bold Ruler at nearly 8-1.