Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Warrior Song fresh and fast

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Warrior Song looks like the controlling speed against a strong group of regional stakes winners on Saturday in the $200,000 Louisiana Downs Breeders' Cup Handicap. The 1 1/16-mile race is one of four turf stakes supporting the card's main event, the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Three-way rematch in Schapiro

Ashkal Way, Dreadnaught, and Interpatation, who finished within a length of each other as the top three horses in last month's Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap at Saratoga, are poised for a rematch in Saturday's $200,000 John Schapiro Memorial Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park.

Like the Baruch on Aug. 26, the Schapiro will be contested at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Golden Gate: A match race in the making

The $75,000 Pacific Heights at Golden Gate Fields has the look of a match race.

Somethinaboutlaura and Jill's Sky both have speed and quality. While the one-mile turf race may be a Cal Cup prep for both, neither Somethinaboutlaura's trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer, nor Jill's Sky's trainer, Jenine Sahadi, is looking past the race, which drew seven entrants. Somethinaboutlaura may be a bit easier to rate, which could give her the edge.

Royal Kleven, runner-up to Vaca City Flyer in her past two starts, returns to the turf and stretches out. She could be a pace factor as well.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Actin Good brings credentials to futurity

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer and co-owner Bobby Dibona has high hopes for Actin Good in the colt division of the National Association of Two-Year-Old Consignors Futurity on Saturday at Monmouth Park.

This is the second year Monmouth hosts the colt and filly divisions, each worth $200,000. The six-furlong stakes are restricted to horses that were cataloged in a 2-year-old sale this year and whose consignor paid a fee to the NATC advertising fund.

Having a juvenile with promise is an exciting prospect for Dibona in his first summer at Monmouth.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Thirty-three split $3.9 million pick six pool

POMONA, Calif. - A $5,000 claiming race at the Los Angeles County Fair was the most important race in the country Wednesday, as horseplayers everywhere reaffirmed that gambling is the sport's chief appeal.

A three-day carryover of nearly $1 million attracted fresh money of $2.9 million into the pick six Wednesday at Fairplex Park, where the first leg of the sequence was a low-rung claimer. Full fields throughout the card made for competitive racing even at the bottom levels, and by the end of the afternoon, handle on the 11-race card soared to a Fairplex record of $10,390,081.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Strong Contender sitting on big effort

Strong Contender's best race was a seven-length rout of the Grade 2 Dwyer at Belmont Park in July. He did not duplicate the effort in his next and most recent start, when he finished third in the Grade 1 Haskell. But Strong Contender is giving his connections every indication he is set to run back to his Dwyer effort Saturday in the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Late trainer Miller to be honored

The late trainer Robert M. Miller will be honored at Great Lakes Downs with a permanent memorial. The feature, the $50,000 Sickle's Image Stakes, will then be run in his memory. The race, for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs, is headed by Valley Loot, winner of the Temptress Stakes. Valley Loot will face four of her Temptress rivals, plus two new shooters.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Woodlands opens 31-day mixed meet

The Woodlands in Kansas City, Kan., the dual-purpose facility that hosts both year-round Greyhound racing and a Thoroughbred/Quarter Horse mixed meet, begins its 31-day horse racing season Saturday. The meet will continue through Nov. 4, Breeders' Cup Day.

Racing is conducted on a Saturday-through-Wednesday basis with post time at 12:30 p.m. Central through Oct. 28. For the final five days of the meet, post time will be noon. The 10-race cards will generally feature seven Thoroughbred and three Quarter Horse races.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Refinery finally gets his derby

POMONA, Calif. - Refinery was one race away from the Santa Anita Derby, until a bruised foot and a subpar effort in the Grade 2 San Felipe in March knocked him off the derby trail.

Refinery can still become a derby winner, on a smaller scale. The Richard Mandella trained-colt is one of seven good 3-year-olds entered in the $100,000 Pomona Derby on Saturday at Fairplex Park.

The field includes sprinter Northern Soldier, local Derby Trial runner-up Gimme S'mor, improving allowance runner Quebec Citizen, front-runner The Five J's, closer Two Trails, and Sensational Score.

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 00:00

Kimchi tops Casse power duo

Trainer Mark Casse will take two shots at the $125,000 La Lorgnette Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday, when he runs Kimchi and Top Notch Lady. The La Lorgnette is run at 1 1/16 miles and will have a field of 12 3-year-old fillies.