CHICAGO - It would have at least been interesting to see how Caruso and Chillin Villain, the two best Chicago-based Illinois-bred 2-year-olds seen so far this year, stacked up at a route distance, but answers to that query won't come until 2007, if they come at all. Chillin Villain, who suffered his first defeat at the hands of Caruso in the Nov. 11 Sun Power Stakes at Hawthorne, left for trainer Christine Janks's Florida farm less than a week after the Sun Power, and won't run again until spring.
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DRF Past Performances
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - How the turf mares Blue Cay and Vatchesvendetta handle the transition to racing on a synthetic surface is likely to determine the outcome of an optional claimer for California-breds at Hollywood Park on Thursday.
Both Blue Cay and Vatchesvendetta have run well on turf in recent starts, but have not raced on Hollywood Park's new synthetic surface. Judging from the way they are training, the experiment is worth a gamble, according to their respective trainers.
The optional claimer carries a purse of $46,000 and is run at 1 1/16 miles.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Handicappers will probably have to do last-minute calculations for Thursday's Bay Meadows feature.
The $25,000 claimer for fillies and mares at one mile on the turf drew five entrants. But with heavy rain Monday night and calls for continued rain Tuesday, the status of the turf course may not be determined until Thursday morning.
A switch in surface could bring scratches, as might a soft turf course.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - He had not run in 18 months and had never raced further than five furlongs when he entered the walking ring near the end of the opening session at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Still, there was something about Half Ours that made Aaron Jones shell out $6.1 million for the colt he had once purchased for $625,000. Perhaps it's as simple as his breeding - Half Ours is a son of Unbridled's Song out of a Storm Cat mare. Perhaps it was his two brilliant victories at age 2.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After Liquidity, Mistical Plan, Notional, and Super Freaky were beaten in stakes earlier this fall, trainer Doug O'Neill reassessed his training techniques for 2-year-olds.
Worried that he had been too soft on some of his leading 2-year-olds, O'Neill began asking more of the horses in morning exercise, a tactic he does not necessarily employ with his older horses.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After finishing ninth and 10th in her first two starts, Sekira deserved to be 43-1 when she made her third start at Hollywood Park on Nov. 25.
But her front-running upset victory that day did not entirely surprise trainer Dan Hendricks. Now he is hoping that Sekira will duplicate that effort when she makes her first start on turf, in an optional claimer at six furlongs at Hollywood Park on Wednesday.
Wave Carver ended his career at the top of Quarter Horse racing on Saturday, winning the $600,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos in his final start before going to stud in Oklahoma.
A three-time stakes winner in 2006, Wave Carver, 3, is likely to be named World Champion on the basis of his victory Saturday in an outstanding field.
Wave Carver gave trainer Paul Jones his fourth win in the Champion of Champions in the last five years. Wave Carver is a full-brother to the 2005 Champion of Champions winner Ocean Runaway, who was trained by Dennis Ekins.
CHICAGO - There are Thoroughbreds bought like The Green Monkey, the unraced 2-year-old whose $16 million purchase price made him a story before he was anywhere close to making a start. And then there are the General Darbys of the equine world, a horse bought out of a Missouri field as a yearling.
"He was kind of a homely looking baby, but he was strong," recalled trainer Eddie Essenpreis, who tromped out into that field just south of the Iowa border to check out General Darby long before he had ever thought about setting foot on the racetrack.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Donna Elordi may have paid attention to that noted philosopher Woody Allen, who said, "Eighty percent of success is showing up."
Since being claimed for $20,000 in a 16-way shake by Elordi, Royal Kleven has enjoyed great success - in part because she always shows up.
Last Saturday's victory in the $97,500 California Distaff Turf Championship at Bay Meadows was her first stakes victory. But Royal Kleven has twice finished second sprinting behind Vaca City Flyer and twice routing behind Somethinaboutlaura this year in stakes.