Slew's Tiznow rebounded from a 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile last month to win his second stakes of 2008 in Thursday's $69,150 War Chant Stakes at Hollywood Park.
Slew's Tiznow ($4.40) set a track record of 1:40.34 for 1 1/16 miles on the Cushion Track. The War Chant was scheduled for a mile on turf, but was switched to the main track because of overnight rain.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The first day of Hollywood Park's Autumn Turf Festival begins on Friday with a pick six carryover of $79,917. Plus, there is a carryover of $46,270 in Friday's $1 super high five, which is offered on the day's final race.
The pick six on Friday covers the fifth through 10th races on a program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.
The fifth race is a six-furlong $12,500 claimer for 3-year-olds. Bold Act is scratched, leaving nine runners.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - There was no stopping her this time. Miss Isella earned a measure of redemption for a race earlier at the Churchill Downs meet when she drove through a rail opening and gave jockey Calvin Borel his fifth victory in the Grade 2, $169,800 Falls City Handicap on Thursday.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After Madeo finished a troubled second in the Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, trainer John Shirreffs could only shrug philosophically.
"It's turf racing, isn't it?" he said.
Madeo was blocked for about a sixteenth of a mile in early stretch and closed well to finish a neck behind Muny. The loss did little to diminish Madeo's status among California's 3-year-olds. He remains the horse to beat in Sunday's $500,000 Hollywood Derby at Hollywood Park.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Ken McPeek figures he can have "leftover turkey dinner or something" when he takes a rare break Saturday at Churchill Downs. With horses in 10 of the 12 Stars of Tomorrow races, McPeek will be a busy fellow, a testament to how his stable is overflowing with quality 2-year-olds.
McPeek cut his racing teeth on claiming horses, but it has been about 15 years since he shifted emphasis to buying and developing young horses. Tejano Run, Repent, Take Charge Lady were just some of the 2-year-olds to win major races for McPeek and his clients.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It has been a decade and more since Barbara Minshall was on top of the world as the trainer of stars such as Mt. Sassafras, Bold Ruritana, Kiridashi, and Stephanotis.
But Minshall quietly has been putting together a decent campaign this year and will be looking to get into the stakes win column with Parabola entered for Saturday's $125,000 Kingarvie and Dance for Us slated for Sunday's $150,000 Ontario Lassie.
PHOENIX - Carlsbad will likely ride the power of her big Turf Paradise maiden win into the favorite's role in the filly division of the $40,000 Arizona Breeders Futurity on Saturday. Things look more difficult in the colt-and-gelding division, as big debut winner Clean Hit collides with recent impressive winner Hidden Bounty and the promising Edmond. Both races are for Arizona-bred 2-year-olds at six furlongs.
A field of 10 is entered in the filly division; 11 passed the entry box for the male version. They go as races 7 and 8 on a nine-race program.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Einstein was permitted to enter the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs after the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission granted an owner's license to Matthew L. Garretson, in whose name the horse will run Friday as the court-appointed receiver for former owners Midnight Cry Stable.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Todd Pletcher's ability to win the last four Eclipse Awards as the nation's outstanding trainer was due in large part to his success on the New York Racing Association circuit. From 2004 to 2007, Pletcher won 75 graded stakes combined at the Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga meetings.
Pletcher enters the final major weekend of racing in 2008 with just three graded wins on this circuit.
The infield at the Kentucky Derby just got a little less rowdy. A new "Infield Club" will be made available to fans at the 2009 Derby and Oaks next May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
The club will be cordoned off from the rest of the infield, which long has been noted for its anything-goes atmosphere. Churchill officials are describing it as a sports-bar type of experience, with private mutuel windows, restroom facilities, large-screen televisions, and other amenities.