ETOBICOKE, Ontario - When a field of six breaks from the gate at approximately 6:50 p.m. on Wednesday evening, Woodbine will become just the second racetrack in North America to race over a Polytrack surface.
The Polytrack opened for training on Sunday, and the finishing touches, including the outer rail and timer hookups, will be completed prior to Wednesday's ribbon-cutting.
A total of 84 horses worked over the new surface on Sunday, and another 140 on Monday.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Training began Sunday morning over Woodbine's new Polytrack, and the synthetic surface drew rave reviews from horsemen.
A total of 84 horses worked over the Polytrack, which replaced the former dirt surface on the one-mile main track. Stakes winner Like a Gem drilled the fastest five-eighths, going in 1:00.
Chris Evans, Woodbine's vice-president of Thoroughbred racing, said the feedback from horsemen was better than expected.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Coming from slightly off the pace, Nechako scored a convincing 2 3-4 length victory over Thesaratogaexpress in the $54,159 New Westminster Stakes for two-year-olds at Hastings Sunday.
With Rohan Singh aboard, Nechako had what can only be described as a perfect trip. Sitting just behind a three horse speed duel for the first half-mile,
Nechako made a strong move to engage the leaders approaching the quarter-pole. He took the lead mid-stretch and then drew clear under left handed urging from Singh.
DEL MAR, Calif. - T.H. Approval scored his third graded stakes win of the year in Sunday's $250,000 , leaving trainer Eduardo Inda contemplating a lucrative late-season prize.
Inda said that T.H. Approval would be considered for the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4 or the $4.6 million Japan Cup in Tokyo on Nov. 26.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Apparently what happens at Calder Racecourse stays at Calder Racecourse.
After finishing a disappointing sixth as the 1-4 favorite in the Princess Rooney Handicap last month at Calder, Dubai Escapade returned to her flashy dominant ways Sunday, rolling to an easy front-running, 8 1-2-length victory in the Grade 1, $250,000 before 12,675 at cool, damp Saratoga.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Rush Bay, based at Churchill Downs with trainer Tom Amoss, raced forwardly under David Clark and held off Last Answer in deep stretch to capture the Grade 2, $301,200 at Woodbine Sunday.
Over a course labeled yielding, Rush Bay vied with Pellegrino through slow fractions in the mile and a half marathon. Favored Jambalaya loomed three-wide into contention on the far turn, then hung in the final furlong, as Last Answer closed between rivals.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Promenade Girl fought back to beat Round Pond by a head at the end of a furious stretch battle to win the Grade 2, $294,000 in the slop Sunday at Monmouth Park.
Promenade Girl ($7.60) shot right to the front in the 1 1-16 miles race and was closely tracked by Lexi Star and Round Pond, the 1-2 favorite.
Round Pond made a brief run at the leader with a three-wide move on the back side but backed off when Promenade Girl let out a notch at the urging of Jeremy Rose.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Bluegrass Cat, the Haskell Invitational winner who finished second to Bernardini in Saturday's $1 million Travers at Saratoga, came out of that race with a fractured right hind pastern bone and will be retired, trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning.
Pletcher said he noticed that Bluegrass Cat was lame in his right hind Sunday morning and that X-rays revealed a non-displaced fracture.
"We don't know yet whether it's going to require surgery or not, but at this stage of his career it will be a retirement situation," Pletcher said.
Junior College became just the fourth horse in Ellis Park history to sweep the track's two biggest stakes for handicap runners when he cruised to victory as the heavy favorite Saturday in the $50,000 Governor's Handicap.
Ridden by Jesus Castanon, Junior College led all the way when finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of Esprit du Roi in the one-mile Governor's. The winner paid $3 after finishing in 1:35.14.
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Neither an injury induced layoff nor an unfamiliar track proved a hindrance to Lawyer Ron in the $250,000 at Fairmount Park Saturday night.
Rated in midpack by regular rider John McKee, Lawyer Ron launched a bid around the far turn, took the lead turning for home, and determinedly held on through the stretch to win by three-quarters of a lengths over 30-1 longshot Smokeyjonessutton. Lewis Michael, the second choice in the wagering, finished another two lengths behind in third.
