Wed, 10/24/2007 - 00:00

Attfield well represented in final turf races

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It's last call for grass racing here at Woodbine, with a total of four turf stakes split between the Saturday and Sunday cards.

Saturday's turf offerings are the 1 1/4-mile Chief Bearhart for 3-year-olds and upward and the one-mile River Memories for fillies and mares. Both are overnight stakes worth $125,000.

Sunday's turf races will be the Labeeb, an overnight stakes for 3-year-olds and upward, and the Bunty Lawless, for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and upward. Both are scheduled for one mile and also offer purses of $125,000.

Tue, 10/23/2007 - 00:00

Parading adds blinkers - and tries easier spot

Sent off at 3-1 odds in an Oct. 7 allowance race at Keeneland, Parading looked like he should have been even money in midstretch. Advancing on the outside, he pulled alongside Equitable, the leader, and appeared poised to surge past.

But he stayed even-paced through the final sixteenth of the mile, failing to find the finish necessary to catch the leader.

Tue, 10/23/2007 - 00:00

Going Ballistic has 3 graded stakes options

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Grade 2, $500,000 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 23 is one of the next-race options being considered for Going Ballistic, who ran a career race Sunday in the $300,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park.

The morning after the race, his connections were just starting to look at the spots available to him. Other races he will be considered for are the Grade 1, $500,000 Hollywood Derby on turf at Hollywood Park on Nov. 25 and the Grade 3, $100,000 Discovery at Aqueduct on Nov. 24.

Tue, 10/23/2007 - 00:00

Next year, a better Princess Elizabeth

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Lost in the shuffle of all the Canadian International excitement here last weekend, and perhaps justifiably so, was Saturday's Princess Elizabeth Stakes. The Princess Elizabeth, a 1o1/16-mile race for Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies, offered a purse of $250,000.

Although 93 Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies had remained eligible at the last nomination stage Aug. 1, only five ran in the Princess Elizabeth. Among them were three maidens, including the winner, Mrs. Began.

Mon, 10/22/2007 - 00:00

Great Lakes date request pulled

A Michigan real estate developer, Winfield Cooper III, has withdrawn a dates application to hold a race meet at Great Lakes Downs in Muskegon. Mich., for 2008, the state racing commission said Monday.

Liana Bennett, the information manager for the Michigan Office of Racing Commission, said that the commission received a fax from Cooper's attorney on Friday requesting that the dates application be withdrawn. Cooper had entered the application at a racing commission meeting early in October, contingent on reaching a deal with Magna Entertainment Corp., the owner of Great Lakes.

Mon, 10/22/2007 - 00:00

Cloudy's Knight lands on right track

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Frank Kirby certainly latched onto a good thing when he discovered Woodbine's turf stakes program this summer.

On Sunday, Cloudy's Knight rewarded Kirby's acumen by scoring the biggest win of his career in the Grade 1, $2 million Canadian International.

Kirby, 70, believed Woodbine's long stretch and final turn would suit Cloudy's Knight, a massive individual who measures some 17-3 hands and weighs about 1,260 pounds.

Mon, 10/22/2007 - 00:00

Tin Man gets break, but should be back

ARCADIA, Calif. - The Tin Man, the 9-year-old multimillionaire, will not start again this year after emerging with body soreness from a runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Turf Championship at Santa Anita on Oct. 6, trainer Richard Mandella said over the weekend.

Mandella said that The Tin Man will be given two months off, with the hope that he can return to top-class racing at 10 in 2008.

Mon, 10/22/2007 - 00:00

Talented but fragile Chatain aims for Sports Page

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Angel Penna Jr. will have two runners in Saturday's Breeders' Cup at Monmouth Park. It wasn't too long ago that he thought he was going to have three.

Had he not been plagued so many minor setbacks, Chatain would have been a major contender for Friday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Instead, Penna is hoping that he can run the talented son of Forestry in Saturday's $150,000 Sport Page Handicap at Aqueduct. The Grade 3 Sport Page, run at seven furlongs, is the local prep for the Grade 1 Cigar Mile run on Nov. 24.

Mon, 10/22/2007 - 00:00

Father John foils Mr. Mink's bid for four-peat

Father John spoiled stablemate Mr. Mink's bid for a fourth consecutive win in the $45,000 Brickyard Stakes at Hoosier Park ON Sunday night, overtaking his front-running rival in the stretch to post a 2 1/4-length victory. Mr. Mink held second by a length over Laz Has Risen.

The result of the Brickyard was all the same to bettors, as the first two were part of a three-horse entry that also included sixth-place finisher Father Art. Father John paid $2.40 to win, but slightly more for the place, which came back at $2.80.

Mon, 10/22/2007 - 00:00

Citi Girlfriend leads gate to wire

Citi Girlfriend ($13.60) led throughout for a 1 3/4-length win over 4-5 favorite Dubit in the $60,400 Permian Basin Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Sunday at Zia Park. Jorge Bourdieu was aboard for trainer Jack Reamy.