Louisiana had Hallowed Dreams, and now New Mexico has Peppers Pride. She improved her career record to 10 for 10 last month, when she won the $80,000 New Mexico Distaff Handicap at SunRay Park in Farmington.
Hallowed Dreams won the first 16 races of her career to tie the modern mark for consecutive wins set by Citation, Mister Frisky, and Cigar. Most of those wins came in her homestate of Louisiana.
AUBURN, Wash. - Rider Gallyn Mitchell, who scored his 50th Emerald Downs stakes victory when he booted Dinner at Arlene's to an authoritative sloppy-track win at 21-1 in Sunday's Hastings Park Handicap, described his mount's obvious affinity for wet surfaces in one way.
"This kind of track moves her up 10 lengths," he said.
Doris Harwood, who trains Dinner at Arlene's for Jerre Paxton's Northwest Farms, disagreed with her rider's choice of words, if not with his point.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Arravale, Canada's reigning Horse of the Year and champion turf female, has hit a bump on the road en route to her first start of the season.
"We had a little bit of a setback," said Mac Benson, who trains Arravale for Bob Costigan here at Woodbine. "She popped a splint."
Arravale, a Kentucky-bred, had been slated to make her first start of 2007 here June 2 in the Grade 2, $300,000 Nassau, a 1o1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares.
Meadow Vespers spoiled the 2007 debut of the reigning Michigan horse of the year, Weatherstorm, when he rallied to beat Dorthys Champ by a neck in an optional claiming race Tuesday evening at Great Lakes Downs. Weatherstorm, who raced in stalking position early, pounced but then hung in the final yards and was three lengths back in third. Rockem Sockem, a past horse of the year and stablemate of Weatherstorm, finished fifth.
When a horse wins in his first attempt back from a layoff of more than three years, it would be considered a surprise under normal circumstances. That was not the case for Arran Pilot, who led gate-to-wire last Friday in a nonwinners-of-two claimer and paid $4.60 as the favorite.
What a difference a year has made for Indigo Girl.
Included in her forgettable summer campaign of 2006 was a disappointing sixth-place performance in the Tellike Stakes as the 4-5 favorite. Last Saturday, the 5-year-old daughter of Leestown turned in a smashing performance in this season's edition of the six-furlong sprint for Louisiana-breds, kicking well clear down the stretch after setting the early pace, finishing in 1:09.17, within a fifth of a second of the track record of 1:08 4/5.
Canterbury regulars were treated with a blast from the past when trainer Harvey Berg sent out two winners last weekend.
On Friday night, Berg saddled Forty Passes ($21.80) in the sixth race and the 6-year old mare circled the field from last to win by more than two lengths under Juan Rivera. The next day, Berg sent over Royalnregal Dreams ($28.60), the second-longest price in the field of seven and watched her narrowly prevail under rider Alberto Pusac. Berg had not won a race at Canterbury since 1992.
Bigger races are on the horizon for Cantrel, the 3-year-old filly who turned in an eye-popping performance last week at Penn National Race Course.
Owner-trainer Scott Lake said he is considering two six-figure stakes on June 16 for Cantrel's next start. He intends to run her in either the $100,000 Jostle, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint at Philadelphia Park, or stretch her out to 1 1/16 miles for the $175,000 Susan's Girl at Delaware Park, a prep for the $500,000 Delaware Oaks on July 14.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Silent Pleasure will seek his fifth consecutive win on Monday when he starts in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap. The 1 1/16-mile race is the richest of six stakes on the ninth annual Lone Star Million Day card.
Silent Pleasure has been co-highweighted at 120 pounds with Bob and John and Sweetnorthernsaint, who both are expected to run Monday.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The $2 pick-six ticket trainer Kristin Mulhall wagered Sunday at Hollywood Park stayed live longer than most tickets. Mulhall singled her 2-year-old first-time starter Sky Cape in race 4, the first leg of the sequence.
"I couldn't believe he was 70-1," Mulhall said. "He outworked an older horse for fun."
Mulhall, who bred and co-owns Sky Cape, was brimming with confidence when she entered him. Then she saw who he was in against.
"I thought [Sky Cape] would win first time out, until I saw [Booted] in the race. Then I kind of lost confidence."