Perf, a 3-year-old filly whose only two previous victories came on the synthetic Tapeta surface at Presque Isle Downs, relished the switch to real dirt at Mountaineer Racetrack.
Stepping up to stakes company for the first time while still eligible for a second-level allowance, Perf ($19.40) outdueled 4-5 favorite Hungry Tigress through the stretch to score a six-length victory in Tuesday night's $75,000 Autumn Leaves Stakes for fillies and mares.
By Steve Andersen
ARCADIA, Calif. - A bruised foot will keep top California hope Rail Trip from starting in the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 7.
Owners Mace and Samantha Siegel and trainer Ron Ellis made the decision to skip the BC Classic on Tuesday morning after Rail Trip missed a scheduled workout at Hollywood Park. The 4-year-old gelding has been battling bruised feet, Ellis said, and wouldn't be 100 percent for the Breeders' Cup.
"I think we'll shut him down," Ellis said. "He probably needs about a week or five to seven days to walk."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Roger Attfield finally has a Cup and Saucer to go with his eight Queen's Plates.
While Attfield has not been a frequent participant in the Cup and Saucer, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds, it was still somewhat surprising to learn that his 328 previous career stakes scores had not included that particular race.
The fact came to light after Hollinger registered a convincing two-length score under jockey Tyler Pizarro in last Sunday's $251,600 Cup and Saucer here at Woodbine.
Trainer Mike Maker has shipped a promising pair of 2-year-olds to Retama Park near San Antonio for Saturday night's set of $100,000 turf races, and with the right kind of performance, Kera's Kitten and Lisa's Kitten could develop into candidates for the Breeders' Cup.
"Both of them would be if they run exceptionally well," Maker said Tuesday.
MIAMI - Mambo Meister earned himself a starting berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile by virtue of his impressive victory in Saturday's . However, the decision whether to accept that bid is not as simple or straightforward as one might think.
"We started talking about it right after the race," trainer Phil Greaves said, referring to Mambo Meister's ownership group, which races under the nom de course of Quantum Racing Team #1 LLC. "Naturally, we'd love to go. Unfortunately, it's just not as easy as simply saying we'll go."
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Racing officials have opted to card two divisions of the Grade 3 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes on Friday, marking the first time since 1982 that a graded race has been split at Keeneland.
The purse for the Valley View, a 1 1/16-mile turf race that drew 25 3-year-old fillies, was supposed to be $150,000, but now each division will be worth $125,000. The Valley View will be run as races 7 and 9 on the 10-race Friday card.
"As entries started pushing 20, we naturally started discussing it," said Ben Huffman, racing secretary at Keeneland.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Despite remaining unbeaten in North America with his stakes-record-setting performance in Friday night's Grade 2 Meadowlands Cup, Etched is expected to bypass the Breeders' Cup Classic and instead point for the Grade 2, $400,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.
"Right now it looks like the Clark," McLaughlin said Monday morning at Belmont.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Gotta Have Her's stylish win in the at Santa Anita on Saturday has led trainer Jenine Sahadi to plan a more ambitious spot - the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint here Nov. 7.
Gotta Have Her has never faced males, but Sahadi wants to take advantage of the 5-year-old mare's ability on Santa Anita's hillside turf course, over about 6 1/2 furlongs, in the Turf Sprint.
"I had the idea in the back of my mind and I wanted to see how things played," Sahadi said. "I know it will be tough."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - On Canadian International Day last year, Field Commission won his second allowance condition over six furlongs of Polytrack.
Last Saturday, Field Commission earned a guaranteed berth in this year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint with his explosive score under new rider Julien Leparoux in the .
Danny Vella, who trains Field Commission and is a part-owner along with Edward Seltzer, had no final answer but was leaning toward passing on a trip to California.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - was a sweet swan song for Champs Elysees.
Juddmonte Farm already had announced Champs Elysees would be heading for a life at stud in England, and he turned in what might have been the finest performance of his career here Saturday.
With Garrett Gomez perfectly timing his late move, Champs Elysees ran down Jukebox Jury to prevail by a half-length.
