INGLEWOOD, Calif. - It may be a few weeks into the upcoming Del Mar meeting before trainer John Shirreffs decides whether to start the undefeated Zenyatta at that track.
Zenyatta is the undisputed leading older female in California. Saturday, in the $300,000 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park, she extended her unbeaten streak to six with a hard-fought win in the Grade 1 race over 1 1/8 miles.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Krz Exec had never started on turf, had never won around one turn, and had not raced since Dec. 5.
But those apparent drawbacks could not keep Krz Exec from registering her fourth consecutive victory here in Sunday's $150,800 Ontario Damsel, a 6 1/2-furlong turf race for Ontario-foaled 3-year-old fillies.
"She just has the will to win," said trainer Mike DePaulo, who also owns Krz Exec in partnership with Rob Jackson and Bob Stevens.
"She doesn't win by much, but she just keeps getting there. She tries so hard."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Took the Time journeyed down to Fort Erie on Monday and breezed five furlongs in 1:03.20 in preparation for Sunday's $500,000 Prince of Wales.
Fort Erie's 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales, the second leg of the Triple Crown for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, is expected to attract eight or nine entrants, headed by Queen's Plate winner Not Bourbon.
Jim Bond, the trainer of both Solitaire and Pewter, remained uncertain on Monday about which horse he intends to ship from Saratoga to Fort Erie for the Prince of Wales.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The resolution to the account-wagering issue that will allow Ellis Park to run its 2008 race meet is for this year only, but the deal is one that horsemen and owner Ron Geary are hoping can be refined into a model for years to come.
EDMONTON, Alberta Wednesdays $50,000 Edmonton Juvenile kicks off the stakes schedule for 2-year-olds on this circuit and attracted a field of nine colts and geldings.
Heading the 6 1/2-furlong Edmonton Juvenile are Hastings shipper Saratoga Attire and Robo Willie, a half-brother to Albertas 2007 champion 2-year-old filly Littlemiss Allison, from Greg Tracys powerful shed row.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr. completed a milestone day at Hollywood Park on Sunday, winning the 1,000th race of his career in the seventh race and the $77,975 Robert Kerlan Memorial Handicap aboard Get Funky.
Valdivia needed all six furlongs of the Kerlan to urge Get Funky past Jungle Prince in the turf sprint. Get Funky ($6.60), sent off favored, closed from seventh to win by a head. One Union finished third in the field of 10. Northern Soldier, who set the pace, faded to finish eighth.
AUBURN, Wash. - Wasserman ($10.80) prevailed in a four-horse photo to win Sunday's $50,000 Governor's Handicap at Emerald Downs for the second straight year.
Under a finely-timed ride by Jennifer Whittaker, Wasserman came from last in a field of six to win by a nose over Call 0n Carson in 1:14 for 6 1/2 furlongs. Chhaya Dance was just a neck farther back in third, a neck ahead of fourth-place finisher Only One Way.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - New York invader Genuine Devotion led all the way in notching her fourth straight victory, and her first in a graded stakes, when she held off Brownie Points in Sunday's closing-day feature at Churchill Downs, the Grade 3, $101,161 Locust Grove Handicap.
Ridden by Alan Garcia, Genuine Devotion ($6.60) won by a half-length as the slight favorite in a field of 10 fillies and mares. Brownie Points rallied strongly to finish 2 1/4 lengths before Bayou's Lassie.
Place Your Bet appeared to be the weaker half of trainer Scott Lake's coupled entry in Saturday night's $75,000 Mountain State Stakes at Mountaineer Racetrack. But while stablemate Magical Gem's five-race winning streak ended when he finished last of eight, Place Your Bet ($8.80) rallied from fourth in the final furlong to draw off to a 2 3/4-length win over horse-for-the-course Bernie Blue.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Krz Exec ($26.80) overtook the front-runners in the final strides to capture the $150,800 Ontario Damsel Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.
A hotly-contested pace battle materialized in the 6 1/2 -furlong turf sprint, when Anne's Purse and Gloriously linked up through fractions of 22.58 and 44.86 seconds.