ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The participating connections agree that Saturday's Ontario Jockey Club has come up extremely tough, particularly considering that the seven-furlong turf race is an overnight stakes for Ontario foals.
But Field Commission, the horse who conceivably could be the toughest of all, has been cross-entered in Sunday's 6 1/2-furlong Bold Venture and may go in that spot.
"We haven't made any absolute decision," said Danny Vella, who trains Field Commission and owns the 4-year-old in partnership with Ed Seltzer. "We want to have a good look at both races."
A total of 72 horses have been pre-entered in the seven races in the 11th annual Claiming Crown series, to be run next Saturday, July 25, at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn.
The richest race in the series, the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel, drew Antrim County, who was named the 2008 Claimer of the Year by one of the event sponsors, the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. Antrim County won the $50,000 Iron Horse last year.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Costalivin overcame traffic problems to land his first stakes Wednesday night at Woodbine in the $126,200 Deputy Minister.
Daniel Be Good established quick fractions of 22.80 and 45.62 seconds in the seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-bred 3-year-olds. Costalivin trailed the eight-horse field on the backstretch, before looming into contention on the turn.
Tom Aronson, a longtime racing consultant who had served as a vice president for programming and product development for Churchill Downs Inc. since March 2007, was among personnel laid off Wednesday by the Louisville, Ky.,-based company.
Aronson confirmed Wednesday that he no longer was with the company and that he intended to resume his role as president of the Racing Resource Group, a consulting company he founded in 1989. Churchill has a longstanding policy of not commenting on personnel matters in cases of layoffs and firings.
The New York State Racing and Wagering Board will scratch True Quality out of Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park because of "insufficient proof" that Paraneck Stable no longer has ownership interest in the colt, according to a board spokesman.
Costa Rising, who gained notoriety outside of his home state of Louisiana back in 2007 when he put up two of that year's best Beyer Speed Figures, has been retired, his trainer, Glenn Delahoussaye, said on Wednesday.
Costa Rising has a torn ligament that would require an extended layoff, so the decision was made to retire him, said Delahoussaye.
A 6-year-old son of Royal Strand owned by Charles Castille, Costa Rising will stand at stud in Louisiana.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Owner-trainer Juan Olmos appears to have another talented 2-year-old in his barn in Huitzilopochtli. Last year Olmos campaigned the local juvenile champion, El Sinaloense. Huitzilopochtli took over the top spot in the local 2-year-old colts and geldings division with a 1 1/2-length win over Dyna Stroll in the $54,000 River Rock Resort Stakes last Sunday.
Unbridled Belle can put herself and trainer Todd Pletcher into the Delaware Park record book in Sunday's $1 million Delaware Handicap.
Established as the 2-1 favorite on the track's morning line when entries for the Grade 2 race were finalized Wednesday morning, Unbridled Belle will attempt to become the sixth two-time winner of Delaware's most prestigious stakes. No horse has accomplished the feat since Nastique in 1988 and 1989.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The long-awaited launch of the California mini-satellite system begins Friday, with the opening of a betting parlor in the Commerce Casino, near downtown Los Angeles.
Commerce officials plan to open the mini-satellite for Friday's Hollywood Park evening program and intend to have a more full-scale opening for Wednesday's opening day at Del Mar.
