Thu, 01/25/2007 - 00:00

Mistical Plan back to best distance

ARCADIA, Calif. - Mistical Plan returns to her strength in Saturday's $250,000 Sunshine Millions Oaks at Santa Anita - sprinting.

Last summer and fall, Mistical Plan won 2 of her 3 starts in sprints, a maiden race at the San Joaquin County Fair in Santa Rosa and the Cover Gal Stakes at Santa Anita in October.

The win in the Cover Gal, combined with placings in two graded stakes in recent months, makes Mistical Plan a leading contender in the Oaks, which is run over six furlongs for California-breds and Florida-breds.

Thu, 01/25/2007 - 00:00

Candid Glen goes in claiming sprint

NEW ORLEANS - It has been a lean Fair Grounds meet for trainer Andy Leggio, who bid good-bye to his retired stable star Happy Ticket after a brilliant career that ended with a second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Leggio's horses are 0 for 23 at the meet, but Saturday he's bringing an old favorite back to the races. Candid Glen has bankrolled more than $1.2 million while starting 47 times. He is entered in a claiming race for the first time in his career, but Leggio is not overly worried about losing him for the $50,000 price.

Thu, 01/25/2007 - 00:00

Yolanda B. Too gets another amends shot

Yolanda B. Too has crossed the finish line second at 3-5 odds each of the last two times she has come down to Laurel Park from New York. Win bettors, saved by the stewards once when she was elevated to first on a disqualification, are likely to throw caution to the wind again Saturday and make Yolanda B. Too a heavy favorite in the $100,000 Nellie Morse Stakes.

The one-mile race for fillies and mares also is the first leg of the season's first Magna 5, an exotic wager that this week includes Sunshine Millions stakes from Santa Anita and Gulfstream.

Thu, 01/25/2007 - 00:00

Forego lures pair of top-shelf sprinters

Under different circumstances, Straight Line and Will He Shine might well have been in south Florida at this time of year, knocking heads at Gulfstream Park. Instead, the standout 5-year-olds will clash Saturday as the favorites in the $50,000 Forego Stakes at Turfway Park.

Thu, 01/25/2007 - 00:00

Penn cancels Thursday program

In anticipation of an Arctic cold front that was expected to plunge wind chills to single digit readings by early evening, Penn National Race Course canceled its Thursday night nine-race live racing program.

Thu, 01/25/2007 - 00:00

Aqueduct cancels Friday card

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Aqueduct canceled its Friday live racing card due to a forecast that called for below-zero windchills. New York Racing Association officials made the announcement on Thursday afternoon. Aqueduct will be be open Friday for simulcasting, and admission and parking will be free.

Friday’s forecast calls for temperatures in the teens with a windchill factor of minus-3 degrees. Milder weather is forecast for Saturday when live racing is scheduled to return at 12:30 p.m.

This is the first cancellation of the inner-track meet.

Thu, 01/25/2007 - 00:00

Ky's Quest makes 2007 bow

Ky's Quest established himself as the top New Mexico-bred juvenile of 2006 when he romped by 9 1/2 lengths in the New Mexico Cup Juvenile at Zia Park Nov. 12. He showed he intended to keep his position at the top of the pecking order with a six-length win in Sunland's Red Hedeman Mile Dec. 30.

Ky's Quest makes his 3-year-old debut Saturday in the $125,000 Pepsi Cola Handicap, a six-furlong event for New Mexico-breds.

Thu, 01/25/2007 - 00:00

Opportunity knocks for Jubilee

Jubilee had the misfortune of hooking two-time Turf Paradise horse of the meet Muir Beach in the Queen of the Green Handicap at Turf Paradise Dec. 2, and then ran into hot invader Grat in the Glendale Handicap here Jan. 6. It may be her day to shine Saturday, however, when she doesn't have to face those two runners in the $45,000 Kachina Handicap on the main track. The mile event for fillies and mares lured a field nine.

Wed, 01/24/2007 - 00:00

Gulfstream's ontrack business soars

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Less than one month into his first meet as president and general manager of Gulfstream Park, and Bill Murphy already has plenty to smile about. Business inside his building is up dramatically over corresponding figures from a year ago, and the best is yet to come. The Sunshine Millions is on tap this weekend, and a tremendous Donn Day program that will feature two Eclipse Award winners and the top 3-year-old prospect Nobiz Like Shobiz looms the following week.

Wed, 01/24/2007 - 00:00

Wrenice tries for six in a row

Wrenice has scared off the competition in Texas, so now she has come to Louisiana. A winner of her last five starts by a combined 40 lengths, Wrenice will make her two-turn debut Friday night at Delta Downs in the $50,000 Genesis.

The race is one of two stakes on the card, with 3-year-old colts also set to go two turns in the $50,000 Triple Sec.