Up 'n Blumin and Missy Can Do provided one of the best performances of the meet last Saturday when the pair hooked up for a neck-and-neck battle that provided a new track record for six furlongs.
With R.D. Williams aboard, Up 'n Blumin was outpaced to the first turn as Missy Can Do opened a lead of slightly more than five lengths. As they approached the far turn of this five-eighths mile oval, Up 'n Blumin was breathing down the neck of Missy Can Do and rider Yuri Yaranga.
For the first time, Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., will host a qualifying tournament for the Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship.
The qualifier is scheduled for Aug. 12-13, and the first three finishers will win trips to the finals, to be held in Las Vegas in January 2007.
Miss Macy Sue will try two turns for the first time when she heads a field of six 3-year-old fillies entered in Friday's $50,000 Panthers Stakes at Prairie Meadows.
The one-mile distance is the only question Miss Macy Sue - who has never run beyond six furlongs - has to answer on Friday, as she has a big edge in Beyer Speed Figures over her five rivals. The Beyer Figure of 98 Miss Macy Sue earned last out, defeating older allowance rivals by six lengths, was 14 points higher than any of her Friday rivals has ever run.
In attendance at River Downs last Saturday for Fisticuff's win in the Green Carpet Stakes was Verna Lehmann, the mother of Larry and Fred Lehmann, the owners and co-breeders of Fisticuff.
Verna Lehmann is the widow of Robert Lehmann, whose Golden Chance Farm owned the 1970 Kentucky Derby winner, Dust Commander. After Robert Lehmann's death in 1974, his family continued the racing and breeding operation and enjoyed more classic success when their homebred colt Master Derby won the 1975 Preakness.
MIAMI - Other than owner Harry Aleo and trainer Greg Gilchrist, nobody was rooting any harder for Lost in the Fog to win Saturday's Aristides Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs than the brain trust at Calder Race Course, who are hoping to lure the reigning Eclipse sprint champion back to their track for the $500,000 Smile Handicap on July 15. The Smile and the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap are the centerpieces of the $1.96 million Summit of Speed program.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - On the second Sunday in June last year, trainer Reade Baker was sending out half of the field of 10 for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks.
Gold Strike won that day for Baker, whose other starters were fourth-place finisher Whiskey and Low, fifth-place finisher Bosskiri, seventh-place finisher Pirouetting, and ninth-place finisher River Nore.
Baker had an even higher percentage of starters in the 2004 Woodbine Oaks, with Touchnow finishing second, and Hong Kong Dancer and Silver Bird finishing fourth and fifth in the five-horse field.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - After finishing a close second in two starts at this level, Wild to Go looks to score his first win locally in Friday's feature at Assiniboia Downs, a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs.
Kirkaldy, who carries a three-race win streak dating back to Aug. 8, should provide the toughest competition for Wild to Go. Kirkaldy defeated $8,000 claimers in his first start of the year on May 28.
ELMONT, N.Y. - As consistent as he has been throughout his career, Gold and Roses seems to be at his absolute best in races at one mile.
A perfect 4 for 4 at that distance, will have to deliver another flawless performance if he is to win Thursday's $65,000 Ormsby Stakes for New York-bred males at one mile at Belmont Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. - After an unscheduled 15-day vacation, trainer Tom Albertrani was back at work Tuesday, overseeing the final preparations of Deputy Glitters for Saturday's $1 million .
Albertrani, who on May 20 won the Preakness with Bernardini, was forced to serve a 15-day suspension from May 22 through Monday after one of his horses tested positive for the banned tranquilizer acepromazine on April 1. Albertrani spent three days in the Bahamas with his wife, Fonda, and their daughters, Teal and Noelle.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Merv Griffin and trainer Doug O'Neill wonder: Can lightning strike twice?
will make his debut Thursday at Hollywood Park, where the 2-year-old already is burdened by unfair comparisons to 2005 juvenile champion Stevie Wonderboy.
Both colts were purchased in February at a Florida sale of 2-year-olds in training. Both were selected by Doug's brother, Dennis O'Neill. Both worked well before they started. Stevie Wonderboy debuted in June at Hollywood, and Cobalt Blue makes his first start in June at Hollywood.
