Augustine "Gus" Williams, one of the partners in Sackatoga Stable, which campaigned 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide, died Thursday at Albany Medical Center after complications from a stroke. He was 81.
According to Jack Knowlton, the managing partner of Sackatoga, Williams suffered a stroke three weeks ago. He underwent brain surgery on Sunday "and he never really came out of it," Knowlton said.
For You Reppo was scratched from the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday morning. He was one of the top contenders for the mile and an eighth race that will be run on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
"He bruised his foot somehow," said his trainer, Helen Pitts. "I think he had a big shot."
The defection leaves a field of nine for the Arkansas Derby.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The decision to scratch Bordonaro from last weekend's Grade 2 Potrero Grande at Santa Anita and ship to Oaklawn Park for the Grade 3, $150,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap paid dividends on Friday, as he defended his title in the Count Fleet with a front-running, half-length win over Semaphore Man.
It was worth the trip, said Bill Spawr, who trains Bordonaro.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockeys Aaron Gryder and Richard Migliore and Santa Anita president Ron Charles are scheduled to travel to Australia on Sunday evening on a fact-finding mission to inspect a synthetic surface in that country that could be installed at Santa Anita this summer.
Gryder and Migliore are scheduled to exercise "four or five horses" at Gosford Park and Rosehill racecourses in New South Wales, Charles said. Both tracks use a Pro-Ride brand surface, which is one of four synthetic surfaces being considered for the Santa Anita main track.
Delta Downs reported a 3.3 percent increase in handle during its 2006-2007 meet, the first for Thoroughbreds at the track since the 2004-2005 season. Damage from Hurricane Rita caused the cancellation of 2005-2006 meet at the Vinton, La., track
Delta handled an average of $1,453,539 nightly on its live races during its 88-date meet that ended March 31. Of that, $38,513 was bet ontrack, and $1,415,026 offtrack.
Attendance figures are not available because admission to Delta, which operates a slots casino, is free.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Describing it as "a nuisance," Paul Reddam said he was heading to Orange County Superior Court in Southern California late Friday afternoon to seek sanctions against Fifth Third Bank, which on Thursday sent a letter to Keeneland asking the track to hold whatever money the Reddam-owned Great Hunter might earn in the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes here on Saturday.
The 2007 Lone Star Park meet got started Thursday evening with another strong performance from one of the best Texas-bred horses in training, Sandburr, who scored a comfortable 3 1/2-length win in the $50,000 Premiere Stakes, Lone Star's annual opening race.
Under clear skies, and before an opening night crowd of 9,309, Sandburr looked like a winner all the way around the track in the one-mile Premiere, pressing a slow pace set by Goosey Moose before taking over in upper stretch.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - One day after the final seven races were scrapped due to wet track conditions, racing resumed as scheduled Friday at Aqueduct. But with plenty of rain in the forecast beginning Sunday and into next week, it is uncertain how many of the final 11 cards will be run on days when the track comes up sloppy.
CHICAGO - Anyone with a passing familiarity of the Chicago racing circuit knows that Chris Emigh has turned into the perennial leading rider at Hawthorne, and Emigh even won the Arlington riding title last year. So, it stood to reason that Emigh would eventually wear down young Israel Ocampo, who seized an early lead in the Hawthorne standings during the ongoing winter-spring meet. But it hasn't happened yet.