Tue, 10/13/2009 - 00:00

Marsh Side ready for repeat attempt

Michael Burns
Marsh Side, here training at Woodbine last week, worked five furlongs Tuesday for the $2 million Canadian International.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Marsh Side, who will be looking to become the first back-to-back winner in the modern history of the Canadian International, tuned up for Saturday's $2 million race with a five-furlong breeze here Tuesday morning.

The Grade 1 Canadian International, a 1 1/2-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and upward, will headline a program which also includes the Grade 1, $1 million E.P. Taylor for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf and the Grade 2, $500,000 Neartic over six furlongs on the same course.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Zardana stalks and pounces

ARCADIA, Calif. - Zardana showed a new dimension at Santa Anita in Monday's $64,100 Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares over a mile on turf. Instead of taking the lead, as she had in past races, she stalked pacesetter Bahama Mama to early stretch and held off a late threat from General Consensus to win by three-quarters of a length.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Zardana ($5.80) ran a mile on turf in 1:34.87. Bahama Mama held third in the field of six.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Miss Catalyst by a neck in Pebbles; Maram third

Miss Catalyst, a steadily improving 3-year-old filly, kept Todd Pletcher on a major roll with a hard-fought neck victory over Pull Dancer and the previously unbeaten Maram in Monday's $110,000 Pebbles Stakes at Belmont Park.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Stunning Stag wins Mt. Sassafras

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stunning Stag ($7.70) assumed command from favored You Don't Pass in the stretch before pulling away to register his first stakes win Monday in the $101,200 Mt. Sassafras at Woodbine.

You Don't Pass set a slow pace, while Delaforce and Stunning Stag both raced in a stalking position in the seven-furlong sprint. Stunning Stag was boxed in on the turn, but after finding room, he overtook You Don't Pass at the eighth pole, and went on to score by 2 1/2 lengths, in a time of 1:22.21.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Lots of stakes loot for juveniles at Delta

Two-year-olds will have the chance to get rich quick at the Delta Downs meet that opens Wednesday night. The theme of the stakes schedule in November and December is six-figure races for juveniles.

There are the track's traditional Grade 3 offerings, the $750,000 Jackpot and the $500,000 Delta Princess; the preps for those races, the $175,000 Jean Lafitte and $125,000 My Trusty Cat; and a new pair of $250,000 stakes for Louisiana-breds, the Legacy and Jewel.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Magical Fantasy soon up for sale

Benoit & Associates
Magical Fantasy will be sold at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky on Nov. 10.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Magical Fantasy's scheduled start in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 6 will likely be her last for the three-man partnership that owns her and trainer Paddy Gallagher.

The winner of four consecutive graded stakes and a contender for the Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding turf female, Magical Fantasy is scheduled to be sold at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall mixed sale in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 10.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Classic a real possibility for Zenyatta

Benoit & Associates
Zenyatta's connections will wait to pick between the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Ladies' Classic.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The connections of the unbeaten Zenyatta, who raced to her 13th straight victory in the Lady's Secret Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting, said Monday they would wait as long as possible before determining which Breeders' Cup race she will run in. Zenyatta is the defending champion in the $2 million Ladies' Classic, which will be run this year on Nov. 6, but there is the very real possibility Zenyatta could take on males for the first time in the $5 million BC Classic on Nov. 7.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Legal Review scores in Bull Page

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Legal Review held off 6-5 favorite Doctor Jack in the final strides to prevail in Monday's $126,200 Bull Page Stakes at Woodbine.

Foxley and It's Time Bear battled through honest fractions in the six-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds, while Legal Review assumed a stalking position near the rail under Patrick Husbands.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Europeans settle in for Saturday turf stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The European visitors are in the house for Saturday's Canadian International and E.P. Taylor Stakes.

Arriving en masse at 6:30 a.m. last Saturday were Buccellati and Allied Powers, both candidates for the Canadian International, plus E.P. Taylor hopefuls Rainbow View, Look Here, and Lahaleeb.

Jukebox Jury and Eastern Aria, both trained by Mark Johnston, checked in at 9 a.m. Sunday for their respective engagements in the Canadian International and E.P. Taylor.

Mon, 10/12/2009 - 00:00

Big weekend points Baker to Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Fatal Bullet earned a return trip to the Breeders' Cup with his victory in last Friday's Grade 3 Phoenix at Keeneland for trainer Reade Baker.

And, after sweeping the 1 1/16-mile weekend stakes for 2-year-olds here with Bear Tough Guy and Biofuel, it appeared that Baker could have another pair of Breeders' Cup candidates.

Plans for Bear Tough Guy were on hold Monday, however, after the colt emerged from his Grey win with some filling in an ankle.