Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Roshani comes into Violet fresh

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - A well-rested Roshani tops the Grade 3, $150,000 Violet Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf Friday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

The Violet, at 1 1/16 miles, is one of three stakes on the nine-race program.

Roshani has had an excellent season, with 4 wins from 5 starts. Her lone loss was a half-length defeat following a bobble at the break in the Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park.

The 4-year-old thrived this season on a well-spaced schedule laid out by trainer Todd Pletcher.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Santa Anita goes synthetic

ARCADIA, Calif. - The launch of synthetic-track racing at Santa Anita on Wednesday was well-received by the jockeys who rode the first race, an otherwise sleepy $12,500 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles.

Si Chimi ($12.80) stalked pacesetter Mesa Magic for the first half-mile, took the lead on the final turn, and held off a late threat from 21-1 I Swear to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:43.92.

The early pace was even - 24.09 and 48.05 seconds.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Kentucky Downs handles $9.6M

Business at the six-day kentucky Downs meet that ended Tuesday had all-sources handle of more than $9.6 million on 46 races.

The gross handle was the third-highest in the 17 years that racing has been conducted at the turf-only track in Franklin, Ky. Ontrack handle of $444,601 was the second-highest in track history.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Distaff heads action-packed Kentucky Cup undercard

FLORENCE, Ky. - Horseplayers seeking value might turn up their noses at the chalk-laden five-horse field that will race Saturday in the Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park. But they could have a hard time staying away from the windows when the preceding Kentucky Cup races are run, as all four supporting races drew competitive fields of 10 or more.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Brother Bobby taking his shot

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Grant Forster hopes the connections of Curlin and Lawyer Ron are more focused on next month's $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic than on Sunday's $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

Forster will saddle longshot Brother Bobby against those two Grade 1 winners in the Gold Cup, hoping his horse runs the race of his life while those two are merely prepping for the big dance at Monmouth Park on Oct. 27.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Three challenge the big two

FLORENCE, Ky. – Hard Spun will break from the rail while Street Sense will start two doors down in post 3 when the rival 3-year-olds clash Saturday in what promises to be a memorable running of the Grade 2 Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park.

Hard Spun, with Mario Pino to ride, figures as the dominant speed in the 1 1/8-mile Classic, which drew just three other horses besides him and Street Sense, the Kentucky Derby and Travers winner who will be ridden as always by Calvin Borel. In post position order, the field is Hard Spun, Cat Shaker, Street Sense, Stream Cat, and Muqbil.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Many hungry to cash will bite on Letha

BOSSIER CITY, La. – Bettors will likely flock to the safe haven offered by Letha B, a winner of 2 of her last 3 starts, in Friday's second-level allowance feature for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares.

Al Stall Jr. trains Letha B this year after she had a winless 2-year-old campaign on the East Coast that included stops in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Following a second-place performance in maiden special weight company in her local debut in June, Letha B graduated with a bang in her next start, kicking clear by almost seven lengths in July.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Fracture ends season for Don's Folly

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Don's Folly, a talented 2-year-old colt trained by Mike DePaulo, will not see action again this season.

Don's Folly suffered a condylar fracture in a hind leg, DePaulo said, and has been operated on.

Don's Folly will need four or five months to recuperate and will be spending the winter in Ontario.

Owned by Don Cole, Don's Folly won his debut over five furlongs in Ontario-sired company and then finished a closing second in the six-furlong Vandal for Ontario foals.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Morse's main worry: travel

STICKNEY, Ill. - Randy Morse twice managed to get Morluc to the Far East for the Hong Kong Sprint, so he figures to find a way to ship Jonesboro from Remington Park to Chicago for Saturday's 1 1/4-mile Hawthorne Gold Cup - even if it hasn't been easy.

Jonesboro has never raced beyond 1 1/8 miles, but if Morse's assessment proves accurate, the only trip that will cause him trouble this week is the one from Oklahoma to Illinois.

Wed, 09/26/2007 - 00:00

Allowance sprint tough to figure

MIAMI - Friday's $28,000 main event figures to pose an intriguing test for handicappers, who will be hard pressed to toss any of the six 3-year-old fillies who make up the starting lineup for the six-furlong second-level allowance dash.

Four of them - Lucky Too, High Altitude, Sweet Yamila, and Silver Envoy - are coming off a victory, while both Mountain Tiger and Secret Girlfriend are a single start removed from a first-level allowance win.