Tue, 01/16/2007 - 00:00

Late bloomer back on hillside

ARCADIA, Calif. - As recently as August, Miss Silver Image's career appeared to be a bust. She made her debut last July, well into her 4-year-old season, and finished fourth in two maiden claimers at Del Mar.

But time has worked in favor of Miss Silver Image. Since winning a maiden claimer over about four furlongs at Fairplex Park on Sept. 20, Miss Silver Image has won 2 of 3 starts. She will try for her fourth career win in an optional claimer over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Thursday.

Tue, 01/16/2007 - 00:00

Oaklawn gears up to open

The winter storm that has gripped the nation led to some freezing temperatures overnight at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., on Monday, but forecasters are calling for warmer weather for the track's opening weekend, which starts with a nine-race card on Friday.

"We should be able to get open okay," said Terry Wallace, spokesperson for Oaklawn.

Tue, 01/16/2007 - 00:00

Regwell logical, but no lock

NEW ORLEANS - After finishing second in his first two starts of the meet, Regwell is the logical favorite in Thursday's feature race at Fair Grounds, a first-level allowance sprint. A 4-year-old son of Silver Charm, he is trained by Tom Amoss and owned by Maggi Moss, a combination that knows its way to the winner's circle. Moss was the leading owner in North America by wins last year and Amoss won with 27 percent of his 2006 starters and holds a two-win lead in the trainer standings here as this racing week begins.

Tue, 01/16/2007 - 00:00

Declan's Moon to pay a surprise visit

ALBANY, Calif. - Golden Gate Fields has no stakes races scheduled this week, but the track will showcase an Eclipse Award winner. Declan's Moon, who won all four starts in earning an Eclipse as a 2-year-old in 2004, runs Saturday in a one-mile allowance race.

Declan's Moon has gone 0-for-4 since winning the Grade 2 Santa Catalina in March of 2005. He was sidelined for more than a year after that race.

Mon, 01/15/2007 - 00:00

Hot speedster vs. past glory

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The classic handicapping question of current form vs. old class will come into play in Wednesday's $48,000 feature at Gulfstream Park when the up-and-coming Americanrevolution takes on stakes veterans Greeley's Legacy, King of Jazz, and Great Point going one mile under second-level allowance conditions.

Mon, 01/15/2007 - 00:00

Aqueduct: Sagamoon takes Busanda

Sagamoon remains a bit immature, but she also remains extremely talented. For the third straight time, talent overcame immaturity as Sagamoon took Sunday's $70,850 Busanda Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths over My Kitty at Aqueduct.

After stalking the pace-setting Shelby Memory through six furlongs in 1:13.93, Sagamoon, under Eibar Coa, took over inside the three-sixteenths pole.

Mon, 01/15/2007 - 00:00

Bill Place wins Jimmy Winkfield

Bill Place won the early pace battle with Wollaston Bay, then drew away from that rival in the final furlong to register a 3 1/4-length victory in Monday's $62,082 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters at Aqueduct.

Wollaston Bay, the 4-5 favorite, finished second by 6 1/4 lengths over B.B. Mancini. Holy Wonder and Place Your Bet, the only other entrants, were scratched.

Mon, 01/15/2007 - 00:00

Cort's P.B. proves uncatchable

Cort's P.B. came back in the stretch to beat the previously undefeated Tensas Phone Call by a head in the $50,000 Cypress at Delta Downs on Saturday night. It was another 7 1/2 lengths back in third to Zarb's Dahar.

The Cypress was one of two stakes on the card restricted to horses bred in Louisiana.

Cort's P.B. ($4.20) set the pace from his rail post in the seven-furlong Cypress, which was run around two turns. He fought late for the win, and covered the distance over a fast track in 1:25.79.

Mon, 01/15/2007 - 00:00

Sugar Shake game in El Encino

ARCADIA, Calif. - Sugar Shake’s hard-fought win in the $150,000 El Encino Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday may be a precursor of the filly’s 2007 campaign. Trainer Bobby Frankel left the winner’s circle wondering if she was ready to run in the Grade 2 race, and thinking there was room for improvement.

“I don’t know if she was 100 percent fit,” Frankel said.

Sun, 01/14/2007 - 00:00

Carryover of $178K Sunday at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. – For the third time in the last five days, no one hit the pick six on Saturday at Santa Anita, leading to a one-day carryover of $178,390.20 heading into Sunday's races.

 There is a nine-race card at Santa Anita on Sunday, so the pick six will begin with the fourth race, with a post time of 2:03 Pacific.