OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Tom Albertrani had very little to be critical of when Criticism finished a hard-charging second to Sunshine for Life in the Grade 3 Athenia Handicap at Belmont three weeks ago.
After all, Criticism was making her first start in 10 months, running at a distance shorter than she prefers, and attempting to chase down a longshot winner who got loose on an uncontested lead.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Forgive the gray horse with the distinctive pink patch on his upper foreleg if he stares strangely at his feet loading into the gate for the Lightning Jet Handicap on Saturday at Hawthorne. It has been a long time since Fort Prado found himself in a dirt race.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - In a kinder world, trainer Scott Fairlie could have been sending out Cawaja Beach as the favorite in Saturday's $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Woodbine.
But with Cawaja Beach having been forced to the sidelines, Fairlie has had to go to the bench and call Milwaukee Appeal's number for the Princess Elizabeth, a 1 1/16-mile race for Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - In a kinder world, trainer Scott Fairlie could have been sending out Cawaja Beach as the favorite in Saturday's $250,000 Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Woodbine.
But with Cawaja Beach having been forced to the sidelines, Fairlie has had to go to the bench and call Milwaukee Appeal's number for the Princess Elizabeth, a 1 1/16-mile race for Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Mambo in Seattle, never a serious threat in the Fayette Stakes last Saturday at Keeneland when seventh as the 6-5 favorite, might try to make amends in the $500,000 Clark Handicap on Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs, said trainer Neil Howard.
"It's something we'll consider when we see how the horse does after he's been back to the track for a few days," said Howard.
Jockey Corey Lanerie said after the Fayette that Mambo in Seattle did not seem to care for the Polytrack at Keeneland.
Austin Miller, whose background is in casino gaming, has been named president of Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans by the track's parent company, Churchill Downs Inc. Miller fills a position officially vacant since the departure in September of Randy Soth, whose background was entirely in racing.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine's invading forces could not pull off a Breeders' Cup win at Santa Anita last weekend.
But Sealy Hill and Fatal Bullet did the next-best thing as both turned in strong second-place finishes.
Sealy Hill was coming off a solid third-place finish here in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor, but her only win this year had come in allowance company and she was a 48-1 outsider in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - As soon as the afterglow wears off, horsemen will open a new condition book and return to reality. The eight-week autumn meet begins Wednesday at Hollywood Park, and the question begs - how much interest will opening day attract?
"We've never opened the Wednesday after the Breeders' Cup, so it's hard to gauge," Hollywood racing secretary Martin Panza candidly admits.
Beulah Park has resumed sending its live signal to out-of-state simulcast sites after the track and its horsemen suspended a dispute over simulcasting that dates back to Oct. 14, according to officials of the track and horsemen.
Beulah canceled three live race cards because of the dispute before reopening for live racing last Wednesday without sending its signal to out-of-state sites. Beulah cut purses by 46 percent for the cards beginning Wednesday, but purse levels were restored Monday.
