Wed, 09/10/2008 - 00:00

Petalino mulls options with filly Seacrettina

Seacrettina, winning the Silver Spur Stakes at Lone Star Park in July, could stay at Remington for the Gaylord Memorial or stretch out to two turns at Keeneland.P

Seacrettina, who owns the year's second highest Beyer Speed Figure for a 2-year-old filly, could make her next start at her home base of Remington Park or ship and run at Keeneland.

Trainer Joe Petalino on Wednesday was looking over his options for Seacrettina, who put up a Beyer of 95 in July when she won the $75,000 Silver Spur Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Park.

Wed, 09/10/2008 - 00:00

Futurity draws 14 entrants

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - It was a diverse group of 2-year-olds entered Wednesday for the Arlington-Washington Futurity here on Saturday - but with 14 names in the entry box, how could that not have been the case?

Short fields? Declining foal crops? Forget all that, at least for this one race. Barring scratches, Arlington's starting gate will be loaded full of juveniles in the Futurity, a Grade 3 with a $200,000 purse to be contested at a one-turn Polytrack mile.

Wed, 09/10/2008 - 00:00

Southern Exchange keeps options open

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Southern Exchange, who finished a creditable fourth in last Wednesday's Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity, checked back into Woodbine late Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday morning, Southern Exchange was taking his morning exercise on the main track here, jogging a mile and then galloping a mile under exercise rider Dolan Armstrong.

"He handled everything great - the shipping, the new environment," said trainer Greg DeGannes. "We'll just chalk it up to a great dry run for the Breeders' Cup."

Wed, 09/10/2008 - 00:00

Daily handle up 2 percent; Gardipy, Moccasin repeat

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Marquis Downs concluded its 29-day meeting here last Saturday with a gain of about 2 percent in average daily ontrack handle compared to last year. Total ontrack handle came to $868,657, for a daily average of $29,954.

Marquis Downs does not export its signal, and no attendance figures are kept.

Trainer Russell Gardipy and jockey Tim Moccasin repeated as the leading trainer and jockey at the meeting.

Wed, 09/10/2008 - 00:00

Streaking Annabill eyes turf stakes

MIAMI - Just about everybody is joining the Annabill fan club this summer at Calder. Everybody, that is, except maybe Cat Can Do and her trainer, Ralph Ziadie.

Annabill has dominated the filly and mare handicap division during the current session, having posted four consecutive victories, including a pair of stakes tallies. All four of her wins have come at the expense of Cat Can Do, who has finished second twice and third twice in her four meetings with the division leader.

Tue, 09/09/2008 - 00:00

Belmont quarantine ends

A quarantine on Barn 38 at Belmont Park has been lifted after tests conducted on a horse who died in that barn over the weekend did not come back positive for equine herpesvirus, track officials announced Tuesday.

Horses entered for Wednesday's card who were stabled in that barn will be allowed to race.

Tue, 09/09/2008 - 00:00

Music Note confirms liking for Belmont

ELMONT, N.Y. - Music Note might be a city girl at heart.

Music Note returned downstate last week and has reinforced her connections' belief that she prefers Belmont Park to Saratoga. On Monday, Music Note worked a strong five furlongs in 59.84 seconds in preparation for a start in Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Gazelle Stakes.

Tue, 09/09/2008 - 00:00

'Candyman' won't be 19-1 again

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The 2-year-old gelding Capt. Candyman Can paid more than $40 when he won a maiden race in his career debut, but in Saturday's Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity, Capt. Candyman Can will be a much shorter price.

Tue, 09/09/2008 - 00:00

Baker looking to bring two to Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Reade Baker, who got his first official taste of Breeders’ Cup racing last year at Monmouth Park, hopes to be back for a double helping at Santa Anita this fall with Bear Now and Fatal Bullet.

Bear Now, a 4-year-old who finished eighth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff in the slop at Monmouth, is looking to return in this year’s edition of the 1 1/8-mile race, which will be run Oct. 24 as the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.

Tue, 09/09/2008 - 00:00

Big win after 33 years

MIAMI - For all the outstanding performances on Saturday's Juvenile Showcase program, the feel-good story of the afternoon was undoubtedly Aroma de Mujer's upset victory over 3-5 favorite La Chica Sensual in the Susan's Girl Stakes.

Not only was Aroma de Mujer a maiden coming into the middle leg of the filly division of the Florida Stallion Stakes series, she also gave her 72-year-old trainer, Walter Rosas-Canessa, the first Stallion series victory of his 33-year training career.