VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Last year, the B.C. Cup Sprint turned out to be the most exciting race on B.C. Cup Day. Lord Nelson and Notis Otis hooked up at the top of the stretch and then battled all the way to the wire with Notis Otis hanging on to win by a neck.
On paper at least, the Sprint again shapes up as the best race on B.C. Cup Day this Monday. Lord Nelson is back, but he's probably a step slower as a 10-year-old.
It's a tough call as to which horse will be the favorite.
MIAMI - Mach Ride is ranked as the third-best sprinter in the country on Daily Racing Form's Watchmaker Watch, a distinction he earned after easily defeating a field that included former division leader Smokey Stover in the Smile Sprint Handicap.
But instead of heading for a race befitting his current standing and shipping to Saratoga later this month for the Grade 1 Forego Handicap, Mach Ride could make his next start Saturday in the unlikeliest of places: Calder's $250,000 Turf Sprint Championship.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Clarence Scharbauer Jr. of Alysheba fame has one of the quickest 2-year-olds in the nation. The 82-year-old made a rare appearance trackside last Sunday to witness his homebred Gold Coyote capture the $70,000 Middleground Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Park.
DEL MAR, Calif. - There is a two-day pick six carryover of $632,816 for Fridays program at Del Mar after favorites failed to win any of the pick six races on Thursday for the second consecutive day.
The carryover was clinched when Gabby Lane ($71.40) pulled an upset in Thursdays eighth race.
Fridays pick six covers the third through eighth races on a program that begins at 4 p.m. Pacific, and the bet comprises three maiden claimers, a $125,000 stakes, a starter allowance and an optional claimer.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Curlin drew post 6 for his comeback Sunday in the Grade 1, $1 million Haskell Invitational for 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park. The Preakness winner will make his first start since losing the Belmont Stakes by a head to the filly Rags to Riches on June 7.
Track handicapper Brad Thomas made Curlin the even-money favorite against seven rivals in the 1 1/8-mile race. As usual, Robby Albarado will be aboard.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - B.C. Cup Day lost some of its sheen when the connections of Monashee made the decision to pass on the B.C. Cup Distaff. Instead, Monashee will head to Alberta to run in the $50,000 Madamoiselle at Northlands Park Aug. 10 and the $100,000 Edmonton Distaff Aug. 25, said her owner, Ole Nielsen, who races under Canmor Farms.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jamie Sanders had hoped to give Teuflesberg a break and bring a fresh horse into the Grade 1 King's Bishop on Aug. 25. Problem is, Teuflesberg is not cooperating.
So instead of fighting the colt, Sanders has entered Teuflesberg in Saturday's $80,000 Glow, an overnight stakes for 3-year-olds scheduled for one mile over Saratoga's inner turf course.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Mike Fox, winner of the Queen's Plate, and Alezzandro, hero of the Prince of Wales, will play their rubber match Sunday in the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes here at Woodbine.
The Breeders', a 1 1/2-mile turf race, follows the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate and Fort Erie's 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales in the Triple Crown series for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds.
A field of 10 was entered for the Breeders' on Thursday.
HENDERSON, Ky. - By fate or luck, horsemen and other people affiliated with the Claiming Crown were nowhere near Minnesota this week, unlike in seven of the past eight years, when the event was held at Canterbury Park.
Claiming Crown coordinator Nat Wess, who has been at Ellis Park since July 23, said the tragic bridge collapse that occurred Wednesday evening near downtown Minneapolis surely would have cast a pall on the event this year if it were being run at Canterbury.