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."
MIAMI - With the $2 million Summit of Speed coming up in a little over a month, any stakes or higher-class allowance sprints here over the next several weeks will take on added importance for locally based runners hoping to earn a starting berth in one of the four graded stakes on the July 7 card.
Monday's $28,000 allowance feature for 3-year-olds at 6 1/2 furlongs was a case in point, with both Izzie's Halo and Frosty Secret having their eyes set on the Grade 2 Carry Back Stakes.
BALTIMORE - Time's Mistress, taking advantage of a contested pace and a clever, ground-saving ride from Mark Guidry, rallied boldly through the lane to capture the Grade 3, $125,000 Miss Preakness Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters on Friday at Pimlico.
Time's Mistress ($17.80) caught Silver Knockers inside the sixteenth pole and quickly drew away to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths. Silver Knockers finished second, 3 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Richwoman.
ALBANY, Calif. - The 2-year-old Imaginary Sailor probably is best known now as Cause to Believe's younger half-brother. But after Imaginary Sailor's debut Friday, Cause to Believe may become known as his older half-brother.
Imaginary Sailor has some big shoes to fill to match his older sibling, who won three stakes as a 2-year-old and swept the California Derby and El Camino Real Derby last year at 3.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Allowance races are supposed to be softer spots than the stakes races for which they often serve as preps.
Wednesday's sixth race at Churchill Downs, an open $65,000 allowance at 1 1/16 miles on turf that is written in the condition book as a prep for the June 16 Mint Julep Handicap, is one of those rare exceptions. A stakes-caliber field of seven has been entered, led by Mauralakana, Delicate Dynamite, and Rich in Spirit.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sunday's Grade 3, $250,000 Selene looked like a wide-open race, with a case to be made for at least half of the 3-year-old fillies in the 12-horse field here at Woodbine.
Instead, the 1 1/16-mile Selene turned out to be a one-horse race as Bear Now, traveling around two turns for the first time, tracked a quick pace and roared through the stretch for an eight-length score under new rider Emile Ramsammy.