LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Churchill Downs racing officials are elated with the turnout for the $150,000 Firecracker Handicap, a Grade 2 race that helps close out the final weekend of racing at the spring meet with its 19th running Saturday.
Thorn Song and Mr. Sidney, both winners of Grade 1 turf races this spring, were among the eight older horses entered Wednesday, as was Tizdejavu, whose 3-for-3 record over the Churchill turf course includes two graded stakes last year.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Defending champion Presious Passion tops a field of nine for the Grade 1, $750,000 United Nations Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
The United Nations and the Grade 3, $250,000 Salvator Mile anchor the July Fourth holiday card. They are also the first domestic Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" stakes this season.
The winners automatically qualify for Breeders' Cup berths in their respective divisions. The U.N. winner gets a spot in the Turf; the Salvator winner earns a slot in the Dirt Mile.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The Friday evening card at Hastings has been canceled due to a virus that has spread throughout the barn area. Entries were originally taken Sunday but not enough horses were entered to fill the Friday card. When it became clear on Wednesday morning that there weren't enough healthy horses available to fill all three weekend days, the decision was made to scrap Friday.
According to local veterinarian Ed Wiebe, the virus is similar to getting a cold, and it usually hits in the spring.
The Grade 1 Frank J. De Francis Dash has been restored to the fall race meet at Laurel Park in Maryland after a one-year hiatus, the owner of the track announced on Wednesday.
The six-furlong, $300,000 De Francis Dash will be run this year on Oct. 24, two weeks before the 2009 Breeders' Cup event at Santa Anita Park, the Maryland Jockey Club announced. The race was suspended last year because of a purse shortfall.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A potential conflict could lead to jockey Calvin Borel snubbing his Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird once again.
Borel is tentatively scheduled to ride Mine That Bird in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park on Aug. 1, but there is a possibility Borel could vacate the mount in favor of Warrior's Reward, a promising 3-year-old who runs Saturday in the $200,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Mother Nature could be credited with an assist in My Spanx's win last Saturday in the $50,000 Lone Star Park Oaks. Scheduled to run in an allowance on turf at Arlington Park on June 19, the filly was scratched from the race and ended up in Texas.
"It rained for two days and we came off the grass at Arlington," said Allen Milligan, who trains My Spanx. "It turned out to be a good thing."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Milwaukee Appeal is gearing up for another crack at the boys in the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie on July 12.
Milwaukee Appeal finished third in the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate two weeks after capturing the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks.
Despite a less than perfect trip, Milwaukee Appeal was beaten a neck and a head in the June 21 Queen's Plate by Eye of the Leopard and Mr. Foricos Two U, who also are eyeing the 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales, the second jewel in Canada's Triple Crown.
ARCADIA, Calif. - So far, so good with Well Monied this season at Hollywood Park, but will be that good enough to win Sunday's $700,000 American Oaks?
Well Monied won an optional claimer on May 2 and the Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap on May 31 in her stakes debut. In the American Oaks, she will start at 1 1/4 miles on turf for the first time, and must beat a field that includes invaders from across the United States, Ireland, England, and New Zealand.
"It's a wide-open race in my mind," trainer Howard Zucker said. "My filly has to prove herself."
Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird returned to the track Tuesday at Louisiana Downs following his easy five-furlong breeze in 1:04.40 last Saturday. Summer Bird is scheduled to ship to Monmouth Park later this week to begin serious preparations for the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell on Aug. 2.
The Saturday workout was Summer Bird's first since his June 6 win in the Belmont.
"He was very happy this morning," said Tim Ice, who trains Summer Bird. "He was playing, very energized."
