ARCADIA, Calif. - Overly Tempting is unbeaten in two starts. Naughtylilhottie, a former maiden claimer, ran a game second earlier this month, her first start in 16 months.
The two promising 4-year-old fillies meet for the first time in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Wednesday. Their identical styles of racing near the front will dictate the outcome of the race, which has a $50,000 purse.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - While his more accomplished older females spent the first part of the winter in Southern California, trainer Tom Bush appeared to have added depth to his barn with the acquisition of A True Pussycat.
In her first start for Bush, A True Pussycat won the Get Lucky, an overnight stakes at Aqueduct on Jan. 4. Wednesday, A True Pussycat finds herself in a similar spot when she meets five rivals in the $65,000 Lady on the Run Stakes at a mile and 70 yards over the inner track.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - It doesn't take a genius to figure out who is the horse to beat in Wednesday's feature race at Gulfstream Park, or to figure out why his main rival ran so poorly last time.
Einstein, a Grade 1 winner over this turf course one year ago, returns from an 8 1/2-month layoff in the seventh race, a $51,500 allowance at one mile on grass. He has turned in a strong series of works for his return, with three of his last five drills the best of the morning.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Shortly after winning the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf with Lava Man at Santa Anita on Saturday, co-owners Steve Kenly and Jason Wood said they were determined to make the $1omillion Santa Anita Handicap on March 3 the next goal for the 6-year-old gelding.
Both cited the desire to make Lava Man a rare repeat winner of the Big Cap as a reason to point for the richest race of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Premium Tap, who finished third behind Horse of the Year Invasor in the Breeders' Cup Classic, may now have to wait until the Dubai World Cup on March 31 to get a rematch with the champ instead of in Saturday's Grade 1 Donn Handicap as originally planned.
Trainer John Kimmel said that Premium Tap would likely pass the Donn in lieu of the 1 1/2-mile Kings Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 16.
ARCADIA, Calif. - From the time Pussycat Doll left the paddock before Sundays $250,000 Santa Monica Handicap until she arrived in the winners circle, trainer Bob Bafferts confidence never wavered.
Baffert raved about Pussycat Dolls condition before the race, and then watched her get a perfect trip under jockey Garrett Gomez.
I had a feeling she had them over the barrel, Baffert said. Shes s very good mare.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Ramazutti, whose best previous races have all been on the lead, showed a new dimension on Sunday when rallying from off the pace to a 1 1/4 length victory over Dreadnaught in the $150,000 Mac Diarmida(G2) Handicap.
Ramazutti was rated off the early pace of Mending Fences and Gin And Sin by jockey John Velazquez. A 5-year-old son of Honor Grades who had been winless since November of 2005, Ramazutti engaged for the lead entering the stretch, forged clear nearing the sixteenth pole then withstood the final bid from the hard luck Dreadnaught.
Favored Student Council rallied for 3 1/4-length win over highweighted Mr. Pursuit in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup Handicap at Sam Houston on Saturday night.
The 1 1/8-mile race is the meet's premier dirt stakes for older horses, and was one of two stakes on the program. Christmas Lily ($10.40) captured the $50,000 Sam Houston Distaff.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Officially, it took 69.20 seconds for Bishop Court Hill to win Saturday's $69,225 Paumonok Handicap at Aqueduct. In reality, it took about four seconds to decide this six-furlong dash.
With Bishop Court Hill easily outbreaking Attila's Storm for the early lead, Bishop Court Hill opened up a huge early advantage and cruised to a 2 1/4-length victory under Jose Santos. Attila's Storm, under Chuck Lopez, chased all the way and finished second, three lengths ahead of Super Fuse. Pavo nosed out Wild Jam for fourth.
NEW ORLEANS - The feature race on Monday's Fair Grounds card is an entry-level allowance sprint slated for the turf, but it will likely be moved to the main track after heavy rain inundated the grass course over the weekend.
The surface switch won't bother Nowandforevermore, who has won both of his starts at the meet for trainer Pat Herbert, who has won five races from only eight starters.