All-sources handle at the six-day meet that ended Tuesday at Kentucky Downs slipped 13 percent compared with the 2007 meet, according to figures released by officials at the turf-only track in Franklin, Ky.
All-sources handle, including imported simulcasts at Kentucky Downs, was $8,381,590, down substantially from the $9,618,209 handled during the same time frame last year. Both meets consisted of 46 races run over six September dates.
City Style has established himself as the early favorite for the $100,000 El Joven for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf at Retama Park on Nov. 1.
He shipped from Retama to Louisiana Downs last weekend and upset the $150,000 Sunday Silence. Although next-race plans for him have not been decided, he is nominated to the El Joven, said Cash Asmussen, an assistant and consultant to his wife, trainer Cheryl Asmussen.
Lone Star Park near Dallas shifts into Quarter Horse mode on Friday night. That's when the track will open a 31-date meet for the breed, with the season set to run through Nov. 29. The Lone Star meet will be highlighted by the $1 million Texas Classic Quarter Horse Futurity, a closing night stakes that is annually the richest race in Texas.
Mr. Conclusive went to the head of the 2-year-old class at Pinnacle Race Course when he won the $50,000 Patrick Wood Stakes on Monday by a convincing six lengths over Run Up the Score. Native Coaster was another three-quarters of a length back in third in the field of nine statebred juvenile colts and geldings.
Under leading rider Terry Houghton, Mr. Conclusive ($9.40) hugged the rail and rallied at the top of the stretch to collar longshot Native Coaster, then drew off and won handily, stopping the timer in 1:13.66 for six furlongs.
Teenage apprentice rider Arizona Miller has provided a couple of gigantic payoffs to longshot players this month at Mountaineer Racetrack.
Miller, 16, is only 3 for his first 58 through Tuesday night, but still sports a profitable $3.31 return on investment, thanks to Brick Party ($80.40) - his first career winner three weeks ago - and Luvthatbilly ($91.40), who scored last Friday night.
All three of Miller's winners have been for trainer Alan Crago.
MIAMI - For more than 30 years, Jose Zormeno worked as a groom and assistant to trainer James Bracken, whose local accomplishments led to his induction into the Calder Hall of Fame in 1990.
When Bracken died earlier this year, Zormeno went out on his own. And while Zormeno has only one horse, he's made the most of that opportunity.
Zormeno's lone horse, March Twelth, has captured 2 of his 3 starts, finished second in his stakes debut, and will be one of the favorites along with This Ones for Phil in Saturday's Foolish Pleasure Stakes.
STICKNEY, Ill. - On the morning of Sept. 15, Hawthorne Race Course executives took a grilling from the Illinois Racing Board about the track's fundamental financial viability. Late that afternoon, Hawthorne got socked in the gut when the board awarded 2009 Thoroughbred and harness racing dates.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - British Columbia Derby winner Krazy Koffee will likely make his next start in the $100,000 Premiers on Oct. 12.
His trainer, Cindy Krasner, wants to see how Krazy Koffee trains in the next few days before making a final decision regarding the Premiers.
"He came back a little tired, which isn't surprising after running such a big race," she said regarding the B.C. Derby. "Other than that he seems fine, and we'll put him back on the track in the next couple of days. If all is well, we'll point him to the Premiers."
ARCADIA, Calif. - The latest version of Santa Anita's synthetic main track met with favorable reviews from jockeys Wednesday after they rode the first two races on opening day of the Oak Tree meeting.
The Pro-Ride synthetic track, which was installed during the summer, has been open for training since early September but hosted its first full day of racing on Wednesday.
FLORENCE, Ky. - Through the years, the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Sprint has been a perennial overachiever. Although the six-furlong race is restricted to 3-year-olds and has just a $100,000 purse, it consistently produces starters for the Breeders' Cup Sprint, most notably Reraise and Cajun Beat, both of whom swept both races.
And with the BC Sprint set for its first running over a synthetic surface next month at Santa Anita, it seems logical that a runner or two from the KC Sprint on Saturday at Turfway Park will have every right to proceed to California.