VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Nine 3-year-olds were entered Wednesday morning for Sunday's Grade 3, $275,000 British Columbia Derby at Hastings. Post positions were to be chosen under a double draw system at a dinner honoring the participants Thursday evening.
AUBURN, Wash. - In a game predicated on facts and figures, there's little doubt that Ricky Frazier is the best jockey at Emerald Downs. He wrapped up the riding title several weeks ago, and, with a handful of racing days remaining, is on pace to break his own record for victories in a season. Name an important statistical category - mounts, wins, stakes wins, winning percentage, in-the-money percentage, earnings - and the Arkansas native ranks first.
Trainer Paul Jones is well on his way to an eighth consecutive title as the nation's leading Quarter Horse trainer. How close he gets to his seasonal earnings record of $6,939,617 set last year will be determined in the next three months at Los Alamitos.
Through Tuesday, Jones-trained runners had earned $4,519,197. With two seven-figure futurities at Los Alamitos in November and December, the AQHA Challenge program on Oct. 31, the $1 million Super Derby on Nov. 7 and the $750,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 12, there is ample time for Jones to challenge the existing record.
ELMONT, N.Y. - From New York to Southern California, New Jersey to Dubai, Indian Blessing has taken her connections on a magical world tour over the last two years. Along the way, Indian Blessing has won eight stakes - five Grade 1's - and accumulated two Eclipse Awards.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Though she certainly benefited from some class relief in Wednesday's $64,750 Cat Chat Stakes at Belmont Park, Malibu Prayer put in a performance worthy of a graded event.
Taking command soon after the start, Malibu Prayer rolled to a 6 3/4-length victory over Devil by Design in the Cat Chat for 3-year-old fillies. She ran one mile in a strong 1:33.90 under John Velazquez. It was the first stakes win of Malibu Prayer's career after finishing second in three consecutive graded stakes to the likes of Rachel Alexandra, Careless Jewel, and Just Jenda.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - As Super Derby hero Regal Ransom grazed near the stakes barn at Louisiana Downs last Saturday night, Rick Mettee commented to a visitor how much the trees bordering the edge of the backstretch had grown. He had last been to the track some 25 years ago, when he was working as a Southern California-based assistant to trainer John Gosden.
The decision by the California Authority of Racing Fairs to try to stretch 2-year-old runners out in distance sooner than in the past seems for the most part to have been well received.
"I think it's a good thing to stretch them out," trainer Greg Gilchist said. "I wish we'd get them racing earlier, too."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The locals had a tough go of it in Woodbine's major events last Sunday, with horses based south of the border taking most of the spoils.
Trainer Malcolm Pierce did his bit to hold up the home front, however, by sending out Sterwins to finish third in the $1 million Woodbine Mile and Much Obliged and Points of Grace to run third and fourth, respectively, in the $300,000 Canadian.
MIAMI - Trainer Dave Vivian knows a good horse when he sees one. He also knows a good spot when he finds one for his good horse. That combination worked out just perfectly last Saturday for Vivian and Soldier's Dancer, who easily defended his title in Philadelphia Park's $250,000 President's Cup with a come-from-behind three-length victory under regular rider Manoel Cruz.
Sizable fields are expected for the three Kentucky Cup races to be run Saturday on the Polytrack surface at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., with Hold Me Back heading a prospective field of at least 10 for the anchor race, the Grade 2, $200,000 Kentucky Cup Classic.
Julien Leparoux, one of a handful of top-echelon jockeys scheduled to ride in the series, has the return call on Hold Me Back, the 3-year-old Giant's Causeway colt who most recently was second in the Aug. 29 Travers Stakes at Saratoga.
