There was rain in the forecast and trainer Terry Jordan appeared to have made a shrewd move when he entered Hollywood Hit "main track only" for last Saturday's six-furlong turf prep for the July 4 Highlander Stakes.
The rains did come, in quantity, in areas all around the racetrack but not at Woodbine
So the turf remained firm, and Hollywood Hit stayed in the barn.
"I'll just have to wait for the Bold Venture," said Jordan, referring to the $150,000 stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs here July 17.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It would seem that the vast majority of the participants in last Sunday's Plate Trial will be heading on to the Queen's Plate.
In addition to one-two finishers Big Red Mike and Mobilizer, the trainers of Mobthewarrior, Giant's Tomb, Ghost Fleet, and D's Wando plan to swing back in the July 4 Queen's Plate.
Mobthewarrior, making just his second start of the season in the 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial, raced well while being beaten 2 1/4 lengths as the third-place finisher.
Mine That Bird had his fourth workout, and his first in company, for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas when he breezed five furlongs in a bullet 59.60 seconds over a fast track shortly after the regularly scheduled renovation break Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Sunday evening, several hours after Zenyatta caught a game St Trinians in deep stretch of the $250,000 Vanity Handicap to extend her unbeaten streak to 17, trainer Mike Mitchell sent John Shirreffs a text message.
Mitchell's St Trinians had given Zenyatta a scare, and Mitchell wanted to offer congratulations, with a friendly piece of advice at the end.
"I think it's time Zenyatta left California," he wrote.
Mitchell will get his wish, but probably not as soon as he would like.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Le Grand Cru, who won the Grade 3 Westchester at Aqueduct in April before finishing fifth to Quality Road in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap, has been sold privately and transferred to Pletcher. Mike Stinson bought the horse from owner Judson Streicher, who had the horse with Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens.
Pletcher said he has not yet figured out a plan for Le Grand Cru, who has excelled in one-turn, one-mile races at Belmont Park. Pletcher is considering running Le Grand Cru in the $250,000 Salvator Mile, a two-turn race at Monmouth Park on July 3.
ELMONT, N.Y. - While the racing world awaits with great anticipation the pronouncements from the connections of Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra about their next starts, plans appear a bit more firm for one of the less-heralded members of the distaff division.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Kentucky Oaks winner Blind Luck is likely to make her next start in the $250,000 Delaware Oaks at Delaware Park on July 10, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Sunday.
Hollendorfer said the timing of the Delaware Oaks is favorable as a prep for the $500,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 21.
"We want to point for that if we can," Hollendorfer said. "Nothing is set in stone."
Second in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks on June 6, her first start since the Kentucky Oaks, Blind Luck worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds Sunday at Hollywood Park.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - There was little pressure when Rail Trip started as a 9-1 outsider in the 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup last July. At the time, he was coming off two losses in major stakes, leaving doubts about whether he could rise to the highest level.
The opposite scenario will be in place for this year's running on July 10. Rail Trip will be the heavy favorite in the Gold Cup while on a two-race winning streak, following a comprehensive win in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes last Saturday.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Mobilizer, who was beaten a head by Big Red Mike as the runner-up in Sunday's Plate Trial, is definitely heading to the Queen's Plate.
But the move is not as cut and dried for Moment of Majesty, who ended just a head behind Roan Inish as the second filly to finish the Woodbine Oaks.
"I wouldn't say 'no' right now, but I'm not that excited about the idea of going to the Queen's Plate," said Sue Leslie, who trains Moment of Majesty and owns the filly in partnership with Curtis Joseph and Don Meehan.
Eurico Rosa Da Silva, aboard Big Red Mike for the first time, also delivered a strong ride to get home first by a half-length in Sunday's 1 1/8-mile Plate Trial.
Big Red Mike was making his stakes debut in the Plate Trial and was a front-running winner, surrendering the lead only when headed briefly by eventual runner-up Mobilizer about a furlong out.
