OLDSMAR, Fla. - There aren't many Grade 1 stakes winners who were based here at Tampa Bay Downs this meet, but Hooh Why was one of them.
Hooh Why, owned by Mark Hoffman and trained by Maria Bowersock, was shipped to Tampa to prepare for the beginning of her 4-year-old campaign in the Turf Distaff on Florida Cup Day, April 3. but a throat infection sidetracked those plans.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A field of eight 3-year-old fillies has been entered for the $100,000 Appalachian Stakes on Thursday, with Check the Label and Orchestrator two of the obvious contenders in the one-mile turf race.
The Thursday card also includes a $67,000 classified allowance that drew Hooh Why, winner of the 2009 Ashland Stakes.
The Appalachian is the first of five stakes here this week. It will be followed by the Doubledogdare on Friday, the Lexington and Giant's Causeway on Saturday, and the Ben Ali on Sunday.
Sheppard comebackers fall short
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Coolmore Lexington Stakes long has represented a last-gasp chance for a horse to make the Kentucky Derby field, regardless of whether the two-week span between races is ideal. This year, however, none of the prospective starters in the Grade 2, $300,000 Lexington have enough graded earnings to make a difference, so it looks as if the race is being rendered moot toward the Derby picture.
ARCADIA, Calif. - In one-furlong increments, Tuscan Evening has conquered the female turf division in California this year, winning graded stakes over about 6 1/2 furlongs, one mile, and 1 1/8 miles.
On Saturday, she will try something new in the $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap, racing over 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita.
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is not concerned about the longer trip, considering the way that Tuscan Evening has dominated the opposition this year.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Odysseus, the last-place finisher after setting the pace Saturday in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in his first race over a synthetic surface, suffered a knee chip during the race, according to the colt's owner, Satish Sanan of Padua Stables.
"The X-rays show a chip in the back of the left knee," said Sanan. "It's a very unusual spot, and it's an indication that he hyperextended it. We will see what needs to be done and go from there."
Padua had the early Kentucky Derby favorite in 2003 with Vindication, but he was retired with a knee injury.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Unzip Me had to convince trainer Marty Jones that she had recovered sufficiently from a win in the Irish O'Brien Stakes last month to be entered in Sunday's $100,000 at Santa Anita.
Jones did not see the right clues until early last week, before entries were taken on Thursday. The public saw Unzip Me's enthusiasm for themselves in the stretch of the Grade 3 Las Cienegas.
Racing on the lead throughout, Unzip Me led by as many as three lengths and won the hillside turf race by 1 1/4 lengths over Czechers.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Hollywood Hit led throughout Sunday's $160,200 at Woodbine, winning the six-furlong sprint by a half-length over Field Commission, last year's champion sprinter in Canada.
The 4-year-old Hollywood Hit ($3.10) set fractions of 22.01 and 44.40 seconds while being stalked by Monty's Best and El Brujo. Hollywood Hit had a two-length lead at the eighth pole, and went on to prevail in a time of 1:08.99. El Brujo edged out Monty's Best for third in the five-horse field.
The half-siblings Headturner and Jumpn Beduino won major stakes for 3-year-old Quarter Horses on consecutive nights at Los Alamitos over the weekend.
While that may sound illogical, Quarter Horse breeders are allowed to register more than one foal from a mare in a single breeding season, since mares frequently have their embryos transferred to surrogate mares.
Both Headturner and Jumpn Beduino were bred by Blane Schvaneveldt and John Andreini.
Bella's Sister remained undefeated in three starts by winning the $50,000 Hallowed Dreams Stakes by three lengths Saturday night at Evangeline Downs.
Early pacesetter Trickin G finished second in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, two lengths in front of Sheza Sexy A. P., who nosed out Right to Rule.