Evangeline Downs concluded its 2007 meeting last Monday, posting solid gains in ontrack handle, total all-sources handle, purse distribution and field size at the 100-day meet.
Total handle on Evangeline races averaged $1,695,000 daily, an increase of 9 percent from last year's average, which in turn had posted double-digit increases from 2005. Ontrack handle showed gains as well at the Opelousas, La., oval, with the average of $69,278 also an increase of more than 9 percent from last year.
The synthetic surface era in Southern California is now complete. Santa Anita's Cushion Track surface has been installed, and was open for its first two days of training on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.
In what turned out to literally be a made-for-TV event, Santa Anita was able to get both Lava Man and a Los Angeles-area television news crew out to the track at 4:45 a.m. on Tuesday as Lava Man, winner of the last two Santa Anita Handicaps to be run on conventional dirt, became the first horse to step foot on Santa Anita's new Cushion Track.
POMONA, Calif. - Someday the quaint little five-eighth-mile track at Fairplex Park might not be so quaint, or so little.
The Los Angeles County Fair race meet begins Friday, and for the next 2 1/2 weeks it will be booming business as usual - cotton candy, Ferris wheels, a stakes race a day, and bet-with-both-fists wagering that topped $7.1 million daily last year, a record.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario Becrux arrived at Woodbine late Tuesday evening to begin his preparations for the Grade 1, $1 million Woodbine Mile on Sept. 16. Becrux will be looking to become the first back-to-back winner of the Woodbine Mile.
"I'm pleased with the way the horse is coming up to the race," said Neil Drysdale, who trains the 6-year-old gelding for Team Valor and Gary Barber. "I think he's at least as good as he was last year."
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - A total of 37 yearlings went through the auction ring here at Assiniboia Downs on Tuesday night at the annual Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Manitoba yearling sale.
Twenty-five sold for gross receipts of $122,000, down 14 percent from last year when 33 yearlings sold for $141,600.
The average of $4,880 increased 14 percent from the average of $4,290 in 2006.
The sales-topper was a filly by Prized out of the winning mare Prospecting Lady purchased by Ken Lee and Dennis Mitchell for $15,000.
Heartswideopen gave trainer Carl Draper his second All American Futurity win in four years with a late-charging neck victory in the Grade 1, $2 million futurity for Quarter Horses at Ruidoso Downs on Monday.
Under jockey Oscar Hernandez, Heartswideopen, the 9-10 favorite, broke outward from the outside post position in the eight-horse field and raced near the outside rail. When she drifted in approaching the grandstand, Hernandez switched sticks to his left hand and Heartswideopen got up to win in 20.997 seconds for the 440 yards.
Canterbury Park concluded its 2007 meeting on Labor Day with declines in all-sources and ontrack handle. Attendance at the Shakopee, Minn., track increased for the 11th consecutive year.
Total handle from all sources - including wagering from Canterbury on simulcasts from other tracks - during the 68-day meeting was $50,832,724, a decrease of 4 percent from the 2006 total of $53,082,340, also for 68 days. Ontrack handle on Canterbury's races totaled $15,375,451 - an average of $226,110 per day - a 9 percent decrease from 2006.
First Class Brass ($3.80) took control through the far turn and held off Skwhirl by two lengths to capture the $10,750 Labor Day Stakes on Monday, earning his second stakes win of the year.
First Class Brass was sent off the 4-5 favorite in the field of 5 with Armando Martinez riding for his wife, trainer Kelli Martinez. He slipped through inside Power Sweep Left on the final turn of the 6 1/2-furlong race and was strong to the wire, covering the distance in 1:20.60 over a fast track.
Wayzata Bay ($5.40) overcame an eventful trip to narrowly prevail Monday in the $45,000 Minneapolis Stakes.
Sent postward as the 8-5 favorite in the field of six older horses, Wayzata Bay stalked the pacesetting duo of Tepexpan and Bobadieu through fractions of 46.22 seconds and 1:10.16. On the far turn, late-breaking Kingsfield joined the leaders with a rush to take a narrow lead. As the leaders raced into the stretch, the early move took its toll and Kingsfield drifted out while Tepexpan shook clear of the field.
AUBURN, Wash. - Last weekend's stakes action set the stage for what promises to be a dandy battle of the sexes in the $100,000 Gottstein Futurity, which will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 29.
Heading the male contingent will be the Jim Penney-trained duo of Gallon and Cafe Tortoni, who rose to the top of their division by finishing one-two in Saturday's $55,000 WTBA Lads Stakes at a mile. Representing the females will be Smarty Deb, who stands alone atop the 2-year-old filly set after posting another smashing win in Sunday's $100,000 Barbara Shinpoch Stakes at a mile.