INGLEWOOD, Calif. - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Sunday that he is willing to provide financial aid to the state's ailing racing industry if an appropriate offer reaches his desk before he leaves office in January 2011.
Speaking after appearing in a winner's circle ceremony at Hollywood Park in honor of the undefeated champion mare Zenyatta, Schwarzenegger was not specific about what sort of ideas he would accept, but did say he was not supportive of slot machines.
NGLEWOOD, Calif. - The Usual Q.T. and Battle of Hastings finished first and second in the two major turf stakes for 3-year-olds in Southern California in November - the Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby on Nov. 7 and Sunday's Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park.
But Sunday's race will be the last time they meet for the foreseeable future. Trainer Jim Cassidy said that The Usual Q.T. will stay in training this winter, while Battle of Hastings will be given a vacation, trainer Jeff Mullins said.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - To no one's surprise, Al Stall Jr. was in a good mood Monday morning while talking from the Fair Grounds backstretch in New Orleans. Stall was less than 72 hours removed from sending out Blame to win the biggest race of the Churchill Downs fall meet, the on Friday, and he was looking forward to attending the Monday night football game between the New England Patriots and his beloved New Orleans Saints, who were unbeaten going into the game.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Ian Howard has been high on Resentless since the filly first made it to the starting gate in August.
Last Sunday, Resentless rewarded Howard's faith with a convincing victory under jockey Chantal Sutherland in the , a 1 1/16-mile race for Ontario-foaled 2-year-old fillies.
"To run as fast as she did as easily as she did was really impressive," said Howard, who watched Resentless stop the clock in 1:43.98. "The first half was kind of soft, but she finished great."
MIAMI - Three barns at Calder Race Course have been placed under temporary quarantine awaiting the test results on a sick horse who displayed symptoms of a possible neurological disorder over the weekend.
The unidentified horse is trained by Bill White, perennial leading trainer at Calder. White has 42 horses stabled on the grounds spread among the three barns that have been quarantined. Other trainers housed in those barns include Phil Combest, Vinnie Blengs, and Roger Lauren.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Zenyatta, the most popular horse in California, was sent into retirement on Sunday at Hollywood Park with a ceremony that featured the one thing her adoring fans wanted more than anything else - an appearance by the 5-year-old undefeated mare herself.
Tempting Dash broke his own track record Saturday night at Lone Star Park, when he romped by 2 3/4 lengths in the Grade 1, $1.1 million Texas Classic Futurity for Quarter Horses. The race was the richest stakes run this year in Texas.
Tempting Dash ($2.80) covered 400 yards in 19.20 seconds. He had set the previous mark of 19.37 seconds on Oct. 24, when he won the Grade 1 Dash for Cash Futurity in 19.37 seconds. Tempting Dash led wire to wire in the Texas Classic Futurity.
The slimmest of margins decided the richest race of the year at Evangeline Downs on Saturday night, when Game Show Special edged Bounce Bye by a nose in the $540,656 LQHBA Breeders Futurity. The race was a restricted Grade 1 for 2-year-old Quarter Horses bred in Louisiana.
Game Show Special ($9.20) closed well to win the 400-yard race in 20.15 seconds on a track rated fast Saturday.
Perhaps getting away from Son of a Bear was all I Got a Answer needed.
After finishing behind Son of a Bear in three consecutive races, including a 19-length drubbing in a division of the Tri-State Futurity three weeks earlier, I Got a Answer didn't have to face his nemesis in Saturday night's $62,537 West Virginia Futurity at Charles Town.
