ARCADIA, Calif. - What on Earth is this?
That was the sort of thought that went through trainer Mike Mitchell's mind when St Trinians arrived at his barn in early 2009. The filly from England had a promising race record, and did not cost much, but had terribly crooked legs, the kind that scare a veteran trainer such as Mitchell.
When he finally saw her gallop, Mitchell was aghast.
"Her hind legs go to the right and her front legs go to the left," he said.
NEW ORLEANS - Though the Fair Grounds track had closed for training, most of the trainers remained Tuesday morning, lining the backstretch rail to watch Rachel Alexandra work in company.
They were not disappointed, as Rachel Alexandra put in her last major move before her March 13 return to racing, working in company and going six furlongs in 1:13.60.
Trainer Steve Asmussen was pleased with the work, though it was a little slower than 1:12 he was aiming for.
Fair Grounds will open its racetrack on Tuesday afternoon to allow a workout by the 2009 Horse of the Year, Rachel Alexandra, according to the track's general manager, Eric Halstrom.
Rachel Alexandra had been scheduled for a major six-furlong drill early Tuesday morning, but heavy rain hit Fair Grounds late Monday afternoon, and with wet weather possible through the evening, Fair Grounds will make special arrangements to ensure Rachel breezes over a suitable racing surface.
"We're going to open training regularly, but she's going to work about 3 o'clock," Halstrom said.
A late-afternoon downpour in New Orleans forced the cancellation of Monday's two final races at Fair Grounds Race Course.
As heavy rain fell, horses were being loaded into the gate for race 9 when the decision was made to return the horses to the paddock. Shortly thereafter, the announcement came that races 9 and 10 had been canceled.
Portions of the Fair Grounds main track have in the past washed away during extremely heavy rain, making for dangerous conditions.
The Louisiana Racing Commission on Monday approved a request by Louisiana Downs to open and close its upcoming Thoroughbred meet earlier than scheduled. The Bossier City, La., track will now open on May 1 and run through Sept. 26, said Trent McIntosh, the director of racing operations for Louisiana Downs. The season will be 84 days in length, the same duration as the track's original schedule of May 29 through Oct. 17.
Louisiana Downs will race Thursday through Sunday, except for the first two weeks of the meet, when the track will race only on Saturday and Sunday.
ARCADIA, Calif. - In a reversal of a January announcement that the Pro-Ride surface would be replaced at the conclusion of the winter meet, Santa Anita will keep the surface in place for the time being, Frank Stronach, the chairman of the two companies that control the track, said on Sunday.
Stronach said that to replace the main track under current conditions would be "throwing money down in an open pit" unless he were allowed to run the track with less regulation from the state.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Forgive Mike Pender if he seems a little overwhelmed at Santa Anita this week.
Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap is quickly approaching, and Pender has an excellent chance to win his first Grade 1 with Jeranimo.
Already at this meeting, Jeranimo has provided Pender and owner B.J. Wright with their biggest win in racing, in the $200,000 Strub Stakes on Feb. 13. The reality of having a contender in the Big Cap is slowly sinking in for Pender.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The Sham Stakes, postponed after the cancellation of last Saturday's nine-race program because of poor drainage on Santa Anita's Pro-Ride main track, will be run Saturday. The $150,000 Sham, for 3-year-olds, is one of five stakes on a card that includes the Big Cap.
Santa Anita endured three inches of rain from late Friday through Saturday, according to track superintendent Richard Tedesco. It was the fifth time at the meeting that racing was lost to wet weather.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The 3-year-old Pulsion remains a work in progress for trainer Patrick Biancone. The job would be a lot easier if only Pulsion could make it through the opening quarter-mile of his races without finding any trouble.
Pulsion was eliminated and suffered some scrapes and bruises entering the first turn of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, then encountered similar trouble when making his 3-year-old debut here at Gulfstream Park in the . Biancone hopes for a cleaner trip when Pulsion faces his next important test in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 20.
