ETOBICOKE, Ontario − A first-level allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on the turf might seem like a strange spot to prep for the Queen's Plate. But that is trainer Mark Frostad's plan for Dark Cloud Dancer, a Sam-Son Farm homebred who will be making his third start in Sunday's race for 3-year-olds and up.
"The distance was right, and the timing was right, a month out from the Plate," Frostad said. "Did I want to run him on turf before the Plate? I've done it before, with Scatter the Gold, and won."
Trainer Tony Richey has been on a tear at Louisiana Downs, with much of his success coming with 3-year-olds. Over the last few weeks, he has sent out Debris to win the $100,000 Louisiana Cup Oaks, Productive Envoy to finish second in the $100,000 Louisiana Cup Derby, and Arctic Comet to win a maiden special weight. All three horses could be headed next to the Louisiana Showcase card at Evangeline Downs on July 3.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas − Redding Colliery is an emerging player in the nation's handicap ranks, just as his owners, James and Fitriani Hay, are emerging players on the American racing scene. Redding Colliery is the couple's first horse to be based in this country, and last Saturday he gave them their first graded or group win when he dominated the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap. Redding Colliery romped by more than six lengths and earned a career-high Beyer Figure of 111.
ELMONT, N.Y. − If all goes according to plan, Quality Road will make two more starts before the Breeders' Cup Classic in November, both in Grade 1 races at Saratoga this summer.
Impressive winner of the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap last Monday, Quality Road would make his next start in the $750,000 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on Aug. 7, trainer Todd Pletcher said. That presumably would be followed by the $750,000 Woodward at the Spa on Sept. 4. Both races are run at 1 1/8 miles.
On Sunday, trainer Ron Ellis has high expectations for Vision in Gold, who starts in the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks against national division leader Blind Luck, winner of the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on April 30.
Owned by Mace and Samantha Siegel, who also own Rail Trip, Vision in Gold broke slowly and finished fifth in her stakes debut in the Grade 3 Railbird Stakes over seven furlongs on May 9.
"She got a race under her belt," Ellis said. "Seven-eighths is not her ball game."
Next Saturday's program at Hollywood Park will be highlighted by the $150,000 Californian Stakes over 1 1/8 miles for older horses, a key prep to the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 10.
Rail Trip, the winner of the 2009 Gold Cup, and the Grade 2 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap in his 2010 debut on May 8, will be favored in the Californian. Trained by Ron Ellis, Rail Trip worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 at Hollywood Park on Friday, the fastest of seven recorded works at the distance.
There is a short field of four horses for the $50,000 John Longden 6000 Sunday, and the presence of Teide is the main reason for that.
Trainer Rob Gilker has entered Tommy Danzigger, but he wasn't overly optimistic about his chances. Tommy Danzigger, who won the Grade 3 Canadian Derby last year, will appreciate stretching out to 1 1/16 miles after finishing second behind Teide in the 6 1/2-furlong George Royal.
After having a rough time filling four racing days in a row, management at Hastings has decided to alter the racing schedule so it doesn't happen again. Friday, July 2, has been dropped and to make up for the lost day, Friday, Sept. 24 has been added.
"We were optimistic that we could maintain the scheduling of four consecutive racing dates," said Hastings general manager Raj Mutti. "But after the Victoria Day weekend, the toll on the horse population prompted management to reconsider the original racing schedule."
Remington Park has made some subtle but significant changes to its 26-race stakes schedule, which will once again be highlighted by the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Oct. 10. Remington, which opens for a 67-date meet Aug. 19, will offer more than $3 million in stakes purses during the season. Remington will race through Dec. 11.
The Oklahoma Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, will be run on the lone Sunday card of the meet. It will share a program with four other stakes, including the $200,000 Remington Park Oaks and the $150,000 Remington Green, for total purses of $850,000.