NEW ORLEANS - If the question was whether Fair Grounds could attract fields of decent size while opening at an earlier date than usual this year, the answer is clear: most definitely.
Fair Grounds's opening day card on Friday drew 111 entries (including also-eligibles) for 10 races when it was drawn on Sunday. Entries for Saturday's races were taken Monday, and that program got 109 horses for 10 races.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Cody Anderson enjoyed a rather sensational rookie campaign this year, capped by a stakes triple on Northlands Park's Fall Classic Day for Alberta-breds.
Now, Anderson will be trying to make his mark in the east, with Cool Ventura looking to use Thursday's $96,700 allowance prep for the Valedictory as his stepping-stone to that $125,000 closing-day feature at Woodbine on Dec. 7 and Cool Diablo slated to start in Saturday's $250,000 Coronation Futurity.
Colonial Downs in Virginia closed one of its nine in-state offtrack betting locations on Sunday and is no longer seeking buyers for the track, the president of the track said on Tuesday.
The offtrack betting location that was closed was one of two that Colonial operated in Chesapeake. Ian Stewart, president of the track, said on Tuesday that Colonial made the decision to shutter the location as part of a "general consolidation."
Ruffaroundtheedges, a 3-year-old filly who won her fifth race of the year Saturday night in the $50,000 New Braunfels at Retama Park, could make her next start at Fair Grounds. Trainer Alan Love said he's looking at the $60,000 Esplanade Stakes for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on Dec. 20.
"Where she's running best is sprinting," said Love.
Awsugahnow and Vicarian, who invaded from Kentucky for a pair of Remington Park stakes last month, could both run next at Churchill Downs, said their trainer, Ian Wilkes. Awsugahnow closed with a powerful rush to win the $52,000 Ada by a neck, earning a Beyer Figure of 89.
"She ran good," said Wilkes. "I'll probably run her back at Churchill Downs. We'll probably give her a break after that, and may take her to Gulfstream."
Kick On and Southern Yankee, who each won a 2-year-old stakes last weekend at Delta Downs, will bring significant win streaks into the richest races of the meet next month. Kick On will be seeking his fifth straight win when he starts in the Grade 3, $750,000 Delta Jackpot on Dec. 5. On the same card, Southern Yankee will look to make it four in a row in the Grade 3, $500,000 Delta Princess.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It has been nearly two months since the international sports community zeroed in on Louisville because of the Ryder Cup golf matches at nearby Valhalla.
This Saturday, with a respectful nod toward that highly successful event, Churchill Downs will host a tongue-in-cheek replica, racing-style. "The Rider Cup," as Churchill is calling it, will pit American-born jockeys versus their foreign-born counterparts in a friendly competition that ultimately will raise $15,000 for charity.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - There could be a change of plans for Arson Squad.
Initially scheduled to run in the Grade 2 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28, Meadowlands Cup winner Arson Squad is now under serious consideration for the Grade 1, $300,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct the following day, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said Monday.
ALBANY, Calif. - Trainers hate comparisons. Is that improving colt the next Big Brown? Is that maiden sprinter who galloped home in eye-popping time the next Lost in the Fog?
In the case of trainer Bill Delia, is Be So Special the next Bai and Bai?
"I've had a couple people say she reminds them of Bai and Bai, but I don't want to say that," said Delia, who trained Bai and Bai for her first start. She went on to become a multiple stakes winner, earning $677,758. "Bai and Bai was real special."
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - No, Chip Brownfield didn't have to walk all the way back to northern Kentucky after what happened Friday at Churchill Downs. But you couldn't blame his longtime girlfriend, Jamie Grubbs, for being a little upset with him.
Brownfield and Grubbs, both trainers with medium-sized stables at Turfway Park, ran horses Friday in the fifth race, a $5,000 claiming race for fillies and mares at a mile. From the start, Out Cold, with Brandon Meier riding for Grubbs, held a huge lead, and past the quarter pole her official margin on the lead was eight lengths.
