ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Bennie Stutts is a longtime Thoroughbred trainer, but his roots in the sport go deeper than his own career.
"My dad was a trainer, too," Stutts said. "I was born in New Orleans, and we went from track to track. I grew up living that gypsy lifestyle."
Stutts, 70, long ago settled into the Florida circuit, raising his children with a greater measure of geographic stability. But for a little while, Stutts has gone back to that gypsy lifestyle.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Jockey Garrett Gomez swept into Lone Star Park on Memorial Day a year ago and won the three graded stakes run on the Lone Star Million Day program. He is positioned to have another big day here Monday. Gomez is booked to ride two starting highweights - Giant Gizmo in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap and Costume in the Grade 3, $200,000 Ouija Board Distaff - as well as probable favorite Boss Lafitte in the $100,000 USA.
The Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association has reached an agreement with Youbet.com to offer wagering on the signal from Louisiana Downs, the head of the association said Tuesday.
The agreement ends a complete blackout of the Louisiana Downs signal on national account-wagering platforms. The Louisiana HBPA had previously withheld its consent to send the signal to Youbet.com unless the platform and its competitors agreed to provide one-third of the revenue from the bets to purses.
MIAMI - Marty Wolfson has such a fear of flying it usually prevents him from accompanying his horses when they leave south Florida for stakes engagements out of town. So it spoke volumes when the veteran trainer boarded a plane for Baltimore early last Friday morning to saddle Shes All Eltish later that afternoon in Pimlico's Black-Eyed Susan.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - In the last decade, trainer Julio Canani has used the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile as an almost annual springtime payday. He won the 1999 and 2000 runnings with Silic and the 2002 race with Ladies Din. Canani was second in 2003 with Special Ring and again in 2006 with Charmo.
"I've run in it a few times," Canani said, with a laugh.
Silic and Ladies Din were top class turf milers. Canani may have another such horse to unveil for Monday's Shoemaker in Hyperbaric, a lightly raced 5-year-old gelding.
Private Dreams took command at the start and widened her lead at every pole to score a commanding 5 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Hastings Park Handicap at Emerald Downs.
Sent off as the third choice in a field of eight older fillies and mares, Private Dreams, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, paid $10.80 to win after covering six furlongs in a stakes-record 1:08.60 under rider Leslie Mawing. Beaulena, the longest shot on the board at 39-1, edged 3-2 favorite Reba Is Tops for second.
Misty Ocean ($5.40), a bit rank while opening a big lead early, turned back a challenge from favored Royale Action approaching the quarter pole and scored a decisive victory in the $75,000 Golden Poppy Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
Stepping up off a May 2 allowance turf victory at Bay Meadows, Misty Ocean quickly made the lead from the rail in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies. Jockey Frank Alvarado let her go early, allowing her to relax naturally after opening a four-length lead through the opening half-mile.
Verdana Bold set sail on a clear lead and held off even-money favorite Grace and Power in the final strides to take the Grade 3, $259,300 Selene Stakes at Woodbine.
Verdana Bold set fractions of 24.04 seconds and 47.26 in the 1 1/16-mile race, and she opened up a four-length lead on the far turn, through three-quarters in 1:10.68. Maryland shipper Grace and Power commenced an inside rally exiting the far turn and came up a head short of the winner.
Them There Eyes, who had one horse beaten turning for home, uncorked a furious stretch kick under Jose Espinoza that carried her past the field en route to a three-length victory in the $111,400 Mount Vernon Handicap for New York-breds at Belmont Park.
Factual Contender, who had the lead turning for home, finished second by 2 1/4 lengths over Rewrite.