LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The news that Eskendereya would not run in this year's Kentucky Derby overshadowed anything that happened on the racetrack here Sunday. Activity was limited to a five-furlong workout by Dublin just minutes after the track opened at 5:45 a.m. and the usual rush of gallopers following the renovation break nearly three hours later.
The track was officially listed as "muddy" for the early training session before being upgraded to "good" after the break. A fairly stiff headwind prevailed through the stretch.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Eskendereya, the strong favorite for Saturday's 136th Kentucky Derby, was withdrawn from the race Sunday morning because of swelling in his left front leg, trainer Todd Pletcher said.
Pletcher said "hopefully, it's not career-threatening," but said it was too early to tell.
"We'll do the diagnostics when we get the swelling out of his leg," Pletcher said at a news conference at Churchill Downs.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Gallant Son may have found a permanent home on turf after his emphatic win in Sunday's at Hollywood Park.
After losing six consecutive races from April 2009 until earlier this month, including five on synthetic tracks, Gallant Son won the Inglewood by 1 3/4 lengths over Quindici Man. Glowing Praise finished third in the field of nine.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Essence Hit Man ($16.10) won his first stakes in rapid time Sunday at Woodbine, nearly setting a record in winning the 112th running of .
Jockey Chantal Sutherland let Essence Hit Man roll from the start, and he set fractions of 22.33 and 44.91 seconds in the six-furlong sprint. After holding a three-length lead at the eighth pole, he began to tire but managed to prevail by three-quarters of a length in a time of 1:08.66, .35 seconds off the Polytrack record.
Mambo Meister returned to his favorite track and the winner's circle Sunday, when he rallied to a head victory over Pinckney Hill in the Grade 3, $100,000 Miami Mile Handicap at Calder. The Miami Mile highlighted the opening day program of Calder's 2010 racing season.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Zenyatta will make her next start in the Grade 1, $250,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park on June 13, trainer John Shirreffs said Sunday.
The Vanity is run over 1 1/8 miles on the synthetic main track and is considered the championship race of the Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting.
"It's a logical choice," Shirreffs said.
ALTOONA, Iowa - Chicks A Flyin defeated six rivals to win the $60,000 Golden Circle, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds Saturday that closed out the stakes offerings on Prairie Meadows's opening weekend.
Chicks A Flyin stalked maiden KB's Reality through the half in slow fractions of 22.40,46.29, and 58.36. Glen Murphy urged his mount closer on the turn, and Chicks A Flyin outdueled 4-5 favorite Backtrack to win by 1 3/4 lengths. The winning time was 1:10.83 over the sealed sloppy track.
