OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Monterey Jazz was supposed to spend Memorial Day in New York, but a foot injury scrapped plans to run in the prestigious Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park.
Instead, Monterey Jazz will now spend Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, making his return to the races in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct. Monterey Jazz was scheduled to arrive in New York on Wednesday following a cross-country flight from Southern California.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Dominican grabbed for the brass ring once before here, only to miss badly. More than 18 months after his 11th-place finish in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, Dominican will try to etch his name onto a less-glamorous page of the Churchill Downs record book when he runs Friday in the Grade 2 Clark Handicap.
Cammy's Choice captured her second straight race since returning from a long layoff when she drew clear over a muddy track to win the $75,000 Cornucopia Stakes for filly and mare sprinters Tuesday at Philadelphia Park.
A 4-year-old ridden by Roberto Alvarado Jr. for trainer Ed Lehman, Cammy's Choice looped the field of eight turning into the stretch of the six-furlong race, put her head in front at the eighth pole, and edged clear to defeat Coli Bear by 1 1/2 lengths. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to All Giving.
The winning time was 1:10.48.
Check in Advance proved best of 12 Indiana-bred and -sired 2-year-olds in the $100,000 Indiana Futurity at Hoosier Park on Sunday, closing day of the track's meet.
Jockey Fernando De La Cruz had Check in Advance just off the quick early pace to the turn and then angled the colt out and went on to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Trained by Lori Smock, Check in Advance ran the six furlongs in 1:11.40 over a fast track.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - None of the 34 races that Magna Graduate has run was more valuable than the Clark Handicap in 2005, when he outgamed Suave in a furious stretch drive to earn the $355,570 winner's share.
Three years later, Magna Graduate will try to go out a big winner when he makes the 35th and final start of his career Friday in the $400,000 Clark at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. Karelian led for most of the stretch drive until Demarcation edged past just before the wire, but then Karelian bobbed his head at the right time to salvage a dead heat Saturday in the 32nd running of the Grade 3 River City Handicap at Churchill Downs.
Curlin, the highest-earning horse in North American racing history and the reigning Horse of the Year, will be paraded before the racing public for the final time Saturday when Churchill Downs closes its 26-day meet.
Curlin will be walked onto the main track between the fifth and sixth races at about 1:35 p.m. Eastern. A brief tribute in the winner's circle will follow.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - There is only one former maiden claimer among the probables for Sunday's $500,000 Hollywood Derby and he will have an important say in the outcome of the Grade 1 race.
Muny, who began his career in June with a fourth-place finish in a $62,500 claiming race for maidens at Hollywood Park, is expected to set the pace in the Hollywood Derby. Whether he can handle the 1 1/4 miles on turf depends on pressure from the competition and how much jockey David Flores is able to coax the colt into taking it easy in the first half of the race.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The last big week of the New York season begins with a $65,000 overnight stakes on Wednesday, gathers momentum with the Fall Highweight Handicap on Thanksgiving, and races to the finish with the Top Flight Handicap on Friday, followed by the Cigar Mile, Remsen, and Demoiselle on Saturday.
Wednesday's six-furlong Star De Lady Anne drew eight 3-year-old fillies, headed by Ididntmeantoo, 2 for 2 since given over to Rick Dutrow, capped by a hard-fought score in a second-level allowance opening week.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Smart Surprise came to trainer Josie Carroll this summer as a confirmed bridesmaid, with a record of 6 seconds and 4 thirds from 10 starts.
But Smart Surprise, a Kentucky-bred 4-year-old filly owned by John Sikura, has discovered a winning touch and recorded her third victory from four local outings in her stakes debut in Sunday's $169,000 Bessarabian.
