WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Dark Nova, fourth in the La Verendrye Stakes last time out, heads a competitive field of eight fillies and mares in a first-level allowance race on Saturday here at Assiniboia Downs.
Trained by Darrell Hartley, Dark Nova has won 4 of 6 starts, with all of her races coming at Saturday's six-furlong distance. Owned and bred by Ila Khan, Dark Nova won 2 of 3 races here last year and won her two races at Stampede Park this year before her most recent start in the La Verendrye.
Julie B and Seattle's Bodgit, who both ran well in longer races out of town last time out, fit well in the $50,000 Lady Charles Town, a seven-furlong stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Julie B, cross-entered in Saturday's Susan's Girl at Delaware, is coming off a second-place finish in a one-mile overnight stakes at Delaware a month ago. She has three wins and a near miss in four starts sprinting at Charles Town.
In a field that includes two first-time starters and three other runners that have won only a maiden race, Union Avenue and Love Conquers are clearly the standouts in the $60,000 John D. Marsh Stakes at Colonial Downs.
The 1 1/16-mile race over the inner turf course is restricted to Virginia-breds.
Although Love Conquers is 2 for 2 over the Colonial grass, he is a deep closer who may not get the needed pace set-up.
Appearances by the top-figure female at a route in America this season and a filly that was denied a chance to run in last weekend's Grade 1 Acorn Stakes by a freak accident highlight a pair of six-figure stakes Saturday at Delaware Park.
Fleet Indian, a Todd Pletcher-trained 5-year-old mare who earned a 112 Beyer Speed Figure winning the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 3 Sixty Sails Handicap at Hawthorne last time out, will be a heavy favorite in the $100,000 Obeah Handicap. The 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares serves as a prep for the $1 million Delaware Handicap on July 16.
Jockey Chance Rollins, who suffered a severe head injury in a spill Sunday at Bay Meadows, was moved from the intensive care unit at Stanford Hospital to the neurological ward Wednesday afternoon and was able to walk with assistance.
"He has retained his motor functions," said Dr. David Seftel, the Bay Meadows track physician, "but there is still some cognitive compromise." Rollins was able to speak, which Seftel said was a positive given the short time since the injury.
Flower Alley, winner of last year's Jim Dandy and Travers Stakes, is expected to make his return to the races in the Grade 3, $150,000 Salvator Mile on June 24 at Monmouth Park, trainer Todd Pletcher said Thursday.
Flower Alley has not run since finishing second to Saint Liam in last October's Breeders' Cup Classic. Pletcher said he is hoping to use the Salvator Mile as a prep for the Whitney on Aug. 5 at Saratoga and the Woodward on Sept. 2, also at Saratoga.
Monmouth Park will hold the first race over its new turf course on Sunday, almost a full week ahead of schedule.
The racing office will put up an "extra" race for Sunday for $25,000 claimers going 1 1/16 miles. Monmouth's racing secretary, Mike Dempsey, expects strong interest when entries are taken Friday.
"There are a lot of grass horses waiting to run," Dempsey said. "This is one of our most popular categories."
After the Sunday race, Monmouth will wait until
June 24, the original course debut date, to fully resume grass racing.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - If everything had gone according to plan, might well have been pointing for a second straight run in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. But an injured left hind ankle kept him from starting last year in the Foster, and with the 2006 edition set for Saturday, trainer Bill Cesare is merely glad to have Second of June ready for an allowance race.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - After winning her only start at 2, Winds of Time was a bust last year in England, failing to hit the top three in seven starts. She has been rejuvenated on this side of the pond, however, and deserves top billing in Friday's Woodbine headliner, a $62,500 allowance/optional claimer.