Unbeaten at Assiniboia in five allowance starts this year, Rockn U S A steps up to face stakes foes for the first time in Sundays $30,000 R.J. Speers over 1 1/16 miles.
Rockn U S A won all five races using his early speed, either going wire to wire or, as he did two starts ago, sitting just off the early pace in second. Those five victories ranged in distance from five to 7 1/2 furlongs and it will be interesting to see how Rockn U S A handles the extra distance and the tougher company.
MIAMI 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. - Being leading rider at a race meet is always nice, though nothing comes with it except bragging rights. To Alan Garcia and his agent, however, being leading rider at Saratoga is important enough to give up a mount in a $1 million race, face a possible fine, and lose a potential client.
Jockey Juan Campos died Saturday in a New Mexico hospital of injuries sustained in a one-horse spill at the Downs at Albuquerque on Aug. 16. He was 39.
Campos sustained head and chest injuries when Kant Talk, his mount in a 2-year-old maiden race for Quarter Horses, stumbled in the stretch and fell on him, said Rick Thedford, who was Campos's valet. The rider had been hospitalized since the spill. Campos, who had long galloped horses, decided to launch a race riding career just this year, said Thedford.
Peppers Pride will break from post 2 in a field of eight on Sunday at Ruidoso Downs in the $67,500 Lincoln Handicap, a race in which she will attempt to set a North American Thoroughbred record of 17 consecutive wins. The undefeated Peppers Pride shares the modern mark of 16 straight wins with Cigar, Citation, Hallowed Dreams and Mister Frisky.
The Lincoln, a six-furlong race restricted to fillies and mares bred in New Mexico, had to be rescheduled for Sunday after Ruidoso was hit by seven inches of rain on the race's original date of July 27.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Christmas appears to have come early this year for trainer Josie Carroll.
With Authenicat's win in the Eternal Search on Wednesday night, Carroll had scored with 8 of her last 21 starters at home here at Woodbine.
Carroll also won on the road with Matt's Broken Vow in last Saturday's $300,000 Canadian Derby at North-lands Park. Matt's Broken Vow also took the $100,000 Manitoba Derby at Assiniboia Downs in his first trip west on Aug. 4.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Authenicat asserted her superiority over her Ontario-sired 3-year-old filly peers here Wednesday evening, cruising to a geared-down 3 1/4-length victory in the $125,000 Eternal Search Stakes.
Regular rider Robert Landry had brought Authenicat from off the pace to score a 5 1/2-length victory in the restricted seven-furlong Passing Mood here July 23, and followed a similar blueprint in the 1 1/16-mile Eternal Search for the same set.
FORT ERIE, Ontario - Jockey Devon Johnson, at the tender age of 41, rode his first winner in Monday's eighth race at Fort Erie.
Leaving the gate aboard trainer Norm Tomlinson's longshot His Little Dancer, Johnson settled his mount early. His Little Dancer went up between foes on the turn, took command in the stretch, and drew clear, paying $26.80 to win. His Little Dancer triggered a $226 exactor, a $5,924 triactor, and a $7,298 superfecta.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Dancing Allstar could be vulnerable when she runs in the $50,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap at Hastings on Saturday. The champion 2-year-old filly in Canada last year, Dancing Allstar comes into the 1o1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies off two straight losses.
Dancing Allstar arrived here last Monday and according to her trainer, Terry Jordan, she doesn't appear to be on top of her game right now.