HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Not only is Dublin the most accomplished 3-year-old on the grounds at Oaklawn Park, he also leads what trainer D. Wayne Lukas says is his best crop of young horses in a long time.
"I nominated 18 head for the Triple Crown," he said earlier this week. "I've got a nice bunch of 3-year-olds."
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Nominations are out for next Saturday's one-mile Holy Bull, the first major test for 3-year-olds here at Gulfstream Park this winter. The list is dominated, not unexpectedly, by Todd Pletcher, who trains eight of the 51 3-year-olds eligible for the race, although of Pletcher's group only one, Aikenite, will start.
Lone Star Park near Dallas has made significant purse reductions to three of its four graded races as part of a pared-down that was released Friday.
The Grade 3 Lone Star Derby on May 8 took the biggest hit, with its purse reduced from $400,000 to $200,000. Purse reductions also were made to the Grade 3 Texas Mile, which has been trimmed from $300,000 to $200,000, and the Grade 3 Lone Star Handicap, which goes from $400,000 to $300,000.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita is considering reducing its racing calendar at the current winter-spring meeting, with the possibility of running fewer races per day or one fewer day per week. The track is considering the measure because of a shortage of race-ready horses.
The track's president, Ron Charles, said on Friday that Santa Anita is concerned about field size after eight-race programs on Wednesday and Thursday drew 52 and 49 starters, respectively. Those programs averaged 6.5 and 6.1 starters per race.
Keeneland Race Course on Friday released the for its 2010 spring meet with only minimal change from last year.
In all, 16 stakes worth $3.65 million will be run at the 15-day meet, which will be highlighted as usual by the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes on April 10. Other Grade 1 events occupying their customary spots on a front-loaded stakes schedule are the $400,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes on April 3, the $300,000 Vinery Madison on April 8, and the $300,000 Maker's Mark Mile on April 9.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Those who cashed the $412.50 late daily double at Aqueduct on Wednesday probably had no idea on whose horses they were wagering.
Little-known trainers Alexander DeRosa and Bobbi Rossi combined to win the last two races Wednesday, with DeRosa saddling Sawtooth Mountain ($45.80) and Rossi winning with Pay the Fare ($13).
For DeRosa, it was his first winner since 2003, the year in which he retired from training. For Rossi, it was her first victory after beginning her training career last February.
WHO'S HOT
Julien Leparoux
This Eclipse Award finalist has gotten off to a good start in his second time wintering in south Florida, picking up five victories during the first full week of the meet. The most important of those wins came aboard Custom for Carlos in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector for trainer Eddie Kenneally, the second of two tallies on the week for a team that clicked at a 25 percent rate with a return on investment of over $2.80 here a year ago.
With horses converging on Oaklawn Park from six to eight different racing circuits - and many of them returning from layoffs - it can be a challenge to pick winners early in the Hot Springs, Ark., meet. But paying attention to a horse's company lines and identifying runners that are fit can help a handicapper's chances.