INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For the record, the second-place prize in Saturday's $750,000 CashCall Mile at Hollywood Park is worth $150,000.
If Shining Energy runs back to her last start, in the Grade 1 Gamely Breeders' Cup Stakes here on May 29, the runner-up share may be the only thing at stake for her eight rivals.
has emerged as a top female turf miler in California and will be favored in the Grade 3 CashCall Mile for fillies and mares on grass.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The defection of Bandini from Saturday's $400,000 Suburban Handicap not only took a Grade 1 winner from the field, but also took the primary speed out of the race.
could play cat and mouse on the lead in the Grade 1 Suburban, though none of their connections really want to see their horse setting the pace in the 1 1/4-mile race.
Invasor comes off an upset victory in the Grade 1 Pimlico Special. He raced within a length of the pacesetting Wanderin Boy through the first six furlongs, dropped back at the quarter pole, then came on again to get the win.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Taking advantage of dry conditions and a fast track, trainer Tom Albertrani sent Preakness winner Bernardini out Thursday morning for a five-furlong workout that Belmont Park clockers timed in 1:02.27.
It was the second timed work for Bernardini since his victory in the Preakness on May 20. On June 19, Bernardini worked five furlongs in 1:05.09. That day, Albertrani said, exercise rider Simon Harris had to take a hold of Bernardini at the quarter pole when he hooked up with another horse who was working.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The consistency that Somethinaboutlaura has shown in her career has led to top-three finishes in 11 of 14 starts and earnings of $267,735. One thing missing from her accomplishments is a graded stakes win, a goal that could be achieved in Saturday's $150,000 A Gleam Handicap at Hollywood Park.
does not face strong opposition in the Grade 2 A Gleam, which is run at seven furlongs. Behaving Badly, the winner of the Grade 1 Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita in January, would have been a heavy favorite but was not entered.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Attima will be ridden by David Flores for the first time when she starts as the expected favorite in Sunday's $750,000 American Oaks at Hollywood Park.
Unbeaten in two starts since arriving from France last winter, Attima was ridden by Victor Espinoza in an allowance race in May and the Grade 2 Honeymoon Breeders' Cup Handicap here June 4.
Earlier this month, Espinoza committed to riding the Japanese star Asahi Rising in the American Oaks, run at 1 1/4 miles for 3-year-old fillies.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - A Breeders' Cup runner-up makes his season debut at Monmouth Park for a second straight Saturday.
Last weekend, Flower Alley, the runner-up in last year's BC Classic, triumphantly returned in the Salvator Mile. Now, , the runner-up in last year's BC Juvenile, returns in the Grade 3, $150,000 Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes for 3-year-olds.
He faces five rivals in the Jersey Shore, a six-furlong race that kicks off the holiday weekend at Monmouth. Monmouth will race every day through Tuesday, July 4.
Handicapping this weekend's stakes features at Philadelphia Park and Delaware Park could be more complicated than usual because of the possibility the races will be contested over soft turf or moved to the main track.
Several days' worth of heavy rain, which included 3.1 inches falling in the Wilmington, Del., region on Tuesday and extensive flooding in five counties surrounding Philadelphia, created uncertainty whether the Philly and Delaware turf courses would be fit for racing by Saturday.
Ebony Rose appears to be the filly to beat if the 1 1/16-mile Denise Rhudy remains on the grass at Delaware.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, Ebony Rose won the Hilltop Breeders' Cup over a yielding course at Pimlico two starts ago, but came up empty when she had to carry an additional seven pounds in the Late Bloomer at Belmont last time out. She is assigned 122 pounds for Saturday, one less than she carried in the Late Bloomer but six pounds more than she carried in the Hilltop.
Pletcher is always dangerous at Delaware, where his horses are 9 for 29 (31 percent) this season.
It's Just a Dream, runner-up against open stakes company in her most recent race, figures to be favored when she faces Virginia-bred fillies and mares in the $60,000 Brookmeade, a 1 1/16-mile race over the inner turf at Colonial Downs.
A 3-year-old, It's Just a Dream will be meeting older horses for the first time, but her most recent Beyer Speed Figure of 83 fits well in this field. She came from off the pace to finish second over a yielding course in the Hilltop BC at Pimlico.
Two others with a shot at a price are Miswes and Elsie Lucille.
