HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Decisions, decisions.
Trainers Mike Gorham and Bill Currin are faced with the dilemma of deciding whether to run Kentucky Derby hopefuls Adore the Gold and Stormello in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes or choose alternative spots.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A rash of fatal breakdowns at Santa Anita in recent weeks has caused concern about the condition of the main track, and prompted a renewed call for the installation of a synthetic surface.
But track president Ron Charles said a decision has not been made on what type of synthetic track will be used, and said there is a remote possibility that Santa Anita will ask the California Horse Racing Board for a waiver on installing such a surface by the end of the year.
Handle at the Golden Gate Fields meeting that ended Feb. 11 was down across the board from the last wintertime meeting at the track.
The total all-sources handle on live Golden Gate races averaged $2,522,218 daily at the 31-day meet that began Dec. 26, down 9.7 percent from the 28-day meet that Golden Gate held in 2004-2005. Bay Meadows was the site of northern California racing for corresponding dates in 2005-06.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Three months ago Epic Power won his first stakes in his 42nd career start, winning the California Cup Mile in an 8-1 upset here in October. On Sunday the 6-year-old gelding will turn back to a sprint in the $125,000 Sensational Star Handicap, run over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.
The field of eight in the Sensational Star, for California-breds, includes Proud Tower Too, the winner of the $2 million Golden Shaheen in Dubai last March.
Stealth Cat looks to affirm her status at the top of the local 3-year-old filly pecking order in Sunday's $50,000 Island Fashion at Sunland Park. But, when you have the bull's-eye on your back there is always someone looking to take you down, and oddly enough in this case it's one of her own stablemates: Midwest invader Nice Inheritance. Seven were entered in the mile event, a stepping-stone to the $200,000 WinStar Sunland Park Oaks March 18.
Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., canceled racing for the third straight day on Friday. The track's president, Robert N. Elliston, said freezing rain and cold temperatures "made the situation unsafe for racing."
Turfway was to remain open for simulcasting, and racing there was expected to resume Saturday at 1:10 p.m.
OLDSMAR, Fla. - Ozone Bere, winner of the Grade 3 Gallorette Stakes last year, tops a field of fillies and mares entered for Saturday's $125,000 Endeavour Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs.
Also on the card, Trainee - dazzling in two wins at Tampa - tries stakes company for the first time in the $75,000 Suncoast Stakes on the main track.
Those two races bolster a strong Saturday card, which is highlighted by the $150,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds, the track's main prep for the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 17.
PHOENIX - A couple of local championships will likely be settled at Turf Paradise Saturday, when 3-year-olds run in the $100,000 Turf Paradise Derby and the $75,000 Arizona Oaks.
The derby, which goes as race 7 on the nine-race card, drew a field of nine going 1 1/16 miles. The Oaks (race 8), for fillies, has a full field of 10 plus one also-eligible ready to knock heads over a mile.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The stakes winners Teuflesberg and Slew By Slew have joined the lineup for the $250,000 Southwest at Oaklawn Park on Monday, bringing the prospective field for the one-mile race for 3-year-olds to 11. The favorite is the undefeated Grade 3 Lecomte winner Hard Spun.
Teuflesberg was third in the Lecomte at Fair Grounds in his last start Jan. 13, and before that won the $75,000 Sugar Bowl there. He was entered in the Grade 3 Risen Star at Fair Grounds last Saturday, but was scratched by his trainer, Jamie Sanders.
