Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

Kentucky Downs cancels Saturday

Kentucky Downs - the all-turf racetrack in Franklin, Kentucky - cancelled racing Saturday, citing heavy rain and a threat of tornados. The four stakes races that were to be run Saturday as part of the track's Kentucky Cup Turf Festival have been rescheduled for Monday, Kentucky Downs General Manager Ryan Driscoll said.

Driscoll said early Saturday that the track planned to place the four stakes in front of nine races that had already been drawn for a Monday afternoon of racing, thereby creating a 13-race card. A special Monday post time of noon central is planned.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

No stars, but several to consider in Hinds

Horsephotos
Southern Africa, winner of the Lone Star Derby last year, "has the right running style" to win at Fairplex, said his trainer, Mike Puhich.

POMONA, Calif. - A good, anonymous field will try to prove that name recognition is overrated Sunday at Fairplex Park in a 1 1/8-mile stakes that is the richest open race of the 2006 Los Angeles County Fair meet.

Only two of the 10 entered in the $125,000 Ralph M. Hinds Handicap have won graded stakes. Does it matter? Not to bettors. It would be hard to find a more evenly matched field than the meet's top race for older horses. Find the winner and get paid.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

Turf mare Our Love Kentucky-bound for First Lady

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Our Love will not be beaten this meet at Louisiana Downs. She has won all four of her scheduled starts here, and is now headed to Keeneland. Trainer Jeff Trosclair said Our Love is being pointed to the Grade 2, $200,000 First Lady for fillies and mares at a mile on turf Oct. 14.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

Mott's backup figures bang-up

The undefeated Win With a Wink will go after win number three in Saturday's Gimma for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies. A field of 10 was entered.P

By DAVID GRENING

ELMONT, N.Y. - The absence of leading New York-bred juvenile filly Chief Officer leaves Saturday's $100,000 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes a wide-open affair. A field of 10 was entered in the seven-furlong race restricted to statebreds.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

Jet West lands in rugged spot

POMONA, Calif. - Jet West is ready to run one of the best races of his career Sunday at Fairplex Park, and it might take just that to win the $65,000 Governor's Cup Handicap.

A salty field runs 6 1/2 furlongs in the Governor's Cup, race 10 on the card and a stronger race than the $125,000 Ralph M. Hinds Handicap on the same card. Nine entered the Governor's Cup. Though the status of Grade 1 winner Captain Squire was uncertain as of Friday, it will take a top effort to win regardless.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

Short stay for Dreaming of Anna

STICKNEY, Ill. - Fresh off her scintillating Sunday win over males in the Summer Stakes at Woodbine, Dreaming of Anna, a significant prospect for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, has settled in at Hawthorne Race Course - but not for long.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

Kaufy Machine back from layoff for hot barn

MIAMI - The red-hot team of owner Richard Averill and trainer Kirk Ziadie will attempt to continue their recent success when they send out Kaufy Machine as one of the choices in Sunday's $45,000 Whippleton Stakes.

Averill and Ziadie combined to win three races on Thursday's program, including the main event with Rgirldoesn'tbluff. They missed another winner earlier in the day when Ladyinblue was run down in the final furlong to finish second in a first-level allowance race.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

Fabulous Strike 'ready to go'

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Fabulous Strike was primed and ready for the City Zip Stakes at Monmouth Park until Tropical Depression Ernesto intervened.

Heavy rain and wind washed out the card on Sept. 2 and forced trainer Todd Beattie into a fallback option: the $60,000 Restoration Stakes on Sunday, closing day at Monmouth.

The City Zip and the Restoration are both 3-year-old sprint stakes with one major difference: the Restoration is a grass race.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

Wait a While will prepare for Breeders' Cup in Yellow Ribbon

Wait a While, the emphatic winner of the Grade 1 American Oaks at Hollywood Park in July, will return to California for Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Fri, 09/22/2006 - 00:00

Stone Rain main speed in fast field

Stone Rain, a front-runner who in his last start earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 109, could face a significant amount of pace competition Sunday in the $150,000 Premier Breeders' Cup Stakes at Zia Park.

Still, trainer Billy Morey is confident in Stone Rain.

"I know there are a couple of speed horses in there," he said. "I know [Sweepingly], he's fast. So are we."