In Thursday's ninth race, the 8-year-old Lord of the Game made his comeback and played the role of rabbit for 10-year-old King of Speed, who won the one-mile allowance by 3 3/4 lengths.
It was his first race in more than three years for Lord of the Game, who set the pace before fading and finishing seven lengths back in sixth place.
Most importantly, however, he seems to have emerged from the race with no issues relating to the tendon problems that had sent him to the sidelines.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. Aqueduct is still waiting for its first pick-six winner of 2009.
The wager went unhit for the second straight card Thursday, resulting in a two-day pick-six carryover of $118,035 entering Saturday's card, which is headlined by the $65,000 Count Fleet Stakes for 3-year-olds. The Count Fleet is the fifth leg of the sequence.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Garrett Gomez had another milestone season in 2008, leading the nation's jockeys in earnings with $23,344,351. Had he won just one more race with a purse of $20,000 or more, Gomez would have toppled Jerry Bailey's 2003 single-season North American earnings record of $23,354,960. He finished the year just $10,609 short of the record.
Kick On, one of the most accomplished young horses in the Southwest with two route stakes wins to his credit, could make his 3-year-old debut in February at Oaklawn, trainer Joe Petalino said. He said the horse is being considered for the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes at a mile on Feb. 16.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The similarities are unmistakable, although it would be unreasonable to further extrapolate. Well Positioned ran off the television screen in winning a maiden race at a nice price as a 2-year-old in New York for owner Paul Pompa Jr. and trainer Pat Reynolds, prompting a flurry of inquiries about whether they were interested in selling.
Aqueduct's races were scheduled to return to TVG on Saturday after the New York Racing Association and the network reached agreement on a two-year television and account-wagering deal late Thursday. The New York State Racing and Wagering Board approved the deal shortly after 4 p.m. Eastern on Friday.
ARCADIA, Calif.-For the third time in the first seven days of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, there is a pick six carryover. The carryover for Friday's eight-race program is $143,011.
The card begins at 1 p.m. Pacific, and the pick six covers the third through eighth races.
In addition, there is a carryover in the $1 super high five of $78,259. The super high five requires bettors to correctly select the first five finishers of the last race.
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - The cupboard is not necessarily bare, but the prospect of yet another Kentucky Derby winner coming from south Florida doesn't look particularly bright. The results of several major divisional races last year, most notably the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, have left the Florida contingent appearing somewhat lacking, although that prognosis is always subject to change.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Loaded with sprinting females, trainer Bobby Frankel's stable will have leading contenders in lucrative stakes from coast-to-coast later this month.
Lovely Isle, the winner of Wednesday's $76,400 Kalookan Queen Handicap at Santa Anita, is bound for the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint for California-breds and Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24.
Ventura, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Oct. 24, is scheduled to start in the $300,000 Santa Monica Handicap on Jan. 31.