Calder Race Course has received permission from the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering to eliminate 11 days of racing through mid-November.
Calder will conduct a four-day-per-week live schedule, mostly Thursdays through Sundays, through the week of Nov. 9. Among the dates eliminated is Monday, Oct. 20, which will push the opening of the 2008-09 Tropical at Calder session back until Oct. 23.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Having run third in the Peter Pan and the Belmont Stakes, Ready's Echo has already proven himself a quality horse. Trainer Todd Pletcher is hoping that a move to turf helps Ready's Echo become a top-quality animal.
Ready's Echo makes his first start since dead-heating for third with Anak Nakal in the Belmont Stakes in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Saranac Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 3/16 miles on Saratoga's Mellon turf course. It will be his first start on turf.
AUBURN, Wash. - Sunday's $75,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes at a mile always figured to be a showdown between two exceptional juvenile fillies, and that is just what it will be.
It's just that Ladyledue won't be one of them. Ladyledue, who established a stakes record winning her debut in the 6 1/2-furlong Knights Choice Stakes by a resounding eight lengths, was expected to challenge divisional leader Super Dixie in the Shinpoch. Instead, she will stay in her stall at the barn of trainer Bonnie Jenne.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The fields for next Sunday's Woodbine Mile, Northern Dancer, and Canadian are beginning to take shape.
The looming presence of Kip Deville, the top turf miler in North America, seems to have dampened the enthusiasm of other prospective shippers for the Woodbine Mile.
Trained by Richard Dutrow, Kip Deville finished second in last year's Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile and will be odds-on to avenge that defeat.
DEL MAR, Calif. Decisions, decisions, decisions. Jockey Tyler Baze has had it about up to here with decisions.
This summer at Del Mar, Baze has been in the enviable position of being able to pick from multiple mounts for two lucrative races the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 24 and Mondays $250,000 Del Mar Debutante.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - When the 2008 Arlington Park meet began, the jockeys Brandon Meier, Inez Karlsson, and Junior Alvarado, had combined to win a grand total of one horserace at Arlington. That lonely victory was Karlsson's only win from 25 mounts at last year's meet. Back then, Alvarado had never ridden in Chicago, and Meier wasn't even yet a jockey.
Trainer Bill Mott elected to skip the Travers Stakes with You and I Forever and point to Mondays $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park in part because he thought it might be an easier spot.
While there may not be a Grade 1 winner among the 14 horses entered for the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby, it came up an ultra-competitive affair. You and I Forevers task was made even tougher when he drew post 14.
EDMONTON, Alberta Tejano Trouble has been patiently waiting for a place to run since capturing a conditioned allowance here July 30. And trainer Lianne Knechtel found a spot on Sunday: an allowance for nonwinners of two other than maiden or claiming in 2008 with an optional claiming clause of $40,000.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia Krazy Koffee and Forest Prince have secured their spots in the starting gate for the $250,000 B.C. Derby. The other four 3-year-olds entered in the $50,000 Richmond Derby Trial at Hastings on Sunday will need a win in order to get into the Grade 3 derby, which goes on Sept. 21.
Study Abroad, a dominant winner in a similar restricted stakes at Belmont Park three races ago, and Doodlin, who delivered by far the fastest performance of her 15-race career in her first start locally, are the most logical contenders in Sundays $75,000 New York Oaks at Finger Lakes.
But can either 3-year-old filly be trusted to run back to their best in the 1 1/16-mile Oaks? Thats the question handicappers must answer.