SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Brian Pitnick is looking forward to Sunday's feature at the San Mateo Fair at Bay Meadows. He sends Logan Avenue Linda against seven older rivals in a $62,500 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the turf - a surface on which he's been wanting to try Logan Avenue Linda.
Logan Avenue Linda has won two straight. She romped in a starter allowance at Pleasanton, then was in a battle all the way at Solano, winning a first-level allowance race by a nose.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Tim Ritchey hopes Amandatude will continue her improvement Sunday in the Grade 3, $200,000 Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.
"She's gotten better with every start and I think the best is still ahead of her," Ritchey said.
Amandatude faces five rivals in the 82nd running of the 1 1/16-mile race, and all six filies are seeking their first graded stakes victory.
The Arlington Park stewards have fined trainer Marty Wolfson $1,000 and taken away second-place purse money from Can't Beat It, runner-up in the American Derby on Aug. 22, after the 3-year-old tested positive for trace levels of the prohibited substance isoxsuprine, the Arlington stewards said.
The ruling, issued Friday, infuriated Wolfson, who said he and Can't Beat It's owner, Charlotte Weber of Live Oak Farm, would likely appeal the decision. Wolfson said he would never race in the state of Illinois again.
Jockeys Thomas Clifton and Ediberto Rodriguez were hospitalized with injuries sustained when their mounts fell during Thursday night's third race at Penn National Race Course.
Clifton, 37, the track's leading rider with 96 wins, broke his nose, collarbone, and several ribs. He also underwent a non-surgical procedure to halt internal bleeding caused by a lacerated liver and is expected to spend several days in the intensive care unit of the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Jockey Carlos Gonzalez picked up career win number 2,000 in dramatic fashion Friday afternoon at Louisiana Downs, narrowly prevailing in the ninth race of the day aboard 9-5 favorite Del Norte. Gonzalez outfinished leading apprentice Cody Meche, who was aboard Brickadier General, following a spirited stretch battle. The winner is trained by leading trainer Cole Norman who has been riding Gonzalez first call for most of the season.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Mutakinmove, an improving maiden, will try to turn the tables on favored Spread the News in Sunday's $150,000 Vandal Stakes for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.
When they met last month in the Clarendon Stakes, Mutakinmove made a strong rail bid to finish second, a neck behind Spread the News. In his only other start, Mutakinmove finished fourth by 1 3/4 lengths in a quality maiden special won by Seaside Links.
Trainer Lorna Perkins said Mutakinmove figured to move forward in the Clarendon.
AUBURN, Wash. - Immigration heads a field of eight promising juveniles in Sunday's $45,000 Strong Ruler Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.
A son of Delineator trained by Howard Belvoir, Immigration has won his first two starts. He won his debut by three-quarters of a length, finishing 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.80 on June 25, then returned July 22 to win the Emerald Express Stakes by four widening lengths, finishing six furlongs in 1:09.80. Belvoir said Immigration continues to impress in the mornings, and he expects another strong effort Sunday.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - It could be worthwhile to stick around for the last race at Hastings Sunday. The maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds and up going 6 1/2 furlongs drew a full field and it looks like the most interesting race on the 10-race card. It's certainly a very good betting race, with several who have shown potential and no real standout.
Great Prince has been right there in all three of his starts in similar races. He drew the rail, and with his good speed could be tough to get past. Great Prince hasn't started since finishing third June 11.
MIAMI - Trainer Marty Wolfson could be the busiest trainer in North America on Saturday, Sept. 2, when he plans to run three horses in three stakes at three different locales, none his home base of Calder Race Course.
Wolfson has penciled in the Grade 1 Forego Handicap at Saratoga for Pomeroy, the Grade 3 Red Bank Handicap at Monmouth Park for Miesque's Approval, and the Grade 3 Kent Breeders' Cup Stakes at Delaware Park for Can't Beat It that day. Wolfson, who rarely travels with any of his horses, said he will likely be at Monmouth with Miesque's Approval that afternoon.
After a 2005 meeting that produced a record in all-sources handle, Fairplex Park has added $300,000 to purses for its upcoming meeting at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, Calif., from Sept. 8-25.
The increase will result in higher purses for 15 of the meeting's 17 stakes.
The most significant increase is to the meeting's top race for older horses, the $125,000 Ralph Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap at about 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 24. The race was worth $100,000 in 2005.
