LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Breeders' Cup will hold its first races under the lights this year when the year-end event is held at Churchill Downs on Nov. 5-6. And with the Breeders' Cup returning to the Louisville racetrack in 2011, Breeders' Cup officials said on Friday that they will seriously consider moving races deeper into prime time next year.
When you have won nearly 4,000 races, trained one of the most accomplished horses of all time, and have the distinction of being the youngest trainer elected into the Hall of Fame, it's hard to complain about what you haven't done.
So it was with Bill Mott when it came to the Triple Crown, the glamour series of Thoroughbred racing. For all his accomplishments, Mott was 0 for 13 combined in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes, among the best known races in the sport.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario − Resentless and Roan Inish each enter Sunday's $500,000 Woodbine Oaks at 1 1/8 miles with one start this season, having finished one-two in the seven-furlong Fury Stakes here May 1.
Resentless, trained by Ian Howard, did not get another prep race because she fell ill. Roan Inish's trainer, Carolyn Costigan, elected to train her filly up to the Woodbine Oaks.
Resentless and Roan Inish, arguably the top two Canadian-bred fillies on the grounds last season, were highly regarded Woodbine Oaks candidates coming into the 2010 meeting.
Zenyatta has drawn post 5 in a field of six for Sunday's $250,000 Vanity Handicap, where the 6-year-old mare will be attempting to stretch her unbeaten streak to 17 races. The rest of the field, in post position order, is Miss Silver Brook, St Trinians, Zardana, Will O Way, and Cherryblossommiss.
Zenyatta will be ridden by Mike Smith, who will make a public appearance to discuss the mare's career in the Hollywood Park paddock at noon Saturday.
Alpha Kitten may have regained the form that made her a graded stakes winner in 2009.
That is trainer John Sadler's opinion as Alpha Kitten nears Saturday's $60,000 Desert Stormer Handicap at Hollywood Park.
After she finished second and third as the favorite in two starts at Santa Anita earlier this year, Sadler is confident that Alpha Kitten can win the Desert Stormer, which is run over six furlongs for fillies and mares.
"I think she's the best horse," Sadler said. "She's been training really well."
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - An expected replacement project for Santa Anita's main track later this year may lead to changes in the location of everyday training for hundreds of Thoroughbreds in Southern California after the conclusion of the Del Mar meeting on Sept. 8.
Dennis Mills, chief executive officer of Santa Anita parent company Magna International Developments, said Thursday that the track is exploring options for its current main track, a Pro-Ride brand synthetic surface that failed to drain sufficiently last winter during heavy rain.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Embur's Song, an impressive winner of her only two starts, has been made the 9-5 favorite by Woodbine oddsmaker Ernie Peri for Sunday's $500,000 Woodbine Oaks. Trained by Todd Pletcher and to be ridden by Garrett Gomez, Embur's Song will begin from post 6 in the field of eight Canadian-bred fillies for the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks.
A 13 1/4-length maiden winner in her seven-furlong debut at Keeneland on April 17, Embur's Song shipped here five weeks later to defeat older fillies and mares in a first-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles.
WHO'S HOT
Trainer Mike Mitchell is on a tear. In a three-week span from May 19 through June 6, he won 10 races from 15 starters and rocketed to the top of the standings. Mitchell entered the June 9 card with 16 wins from 39 starters. His return on investment for each $2 win bet was $2.66. Doug O'Neill ranked second at the meet with 15 wins from 100 starters and a $1.23 ROI.