INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Captain Squire, the millionaire and four-time stakes winner, is best known as a sprinter. Trainer Jeff Mullins is hoping to change that in coming months.
, 7, tries a new distance on Saturday when he starts in the $100,000 Ack Ack Handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Hollywood Park. If Captain Squire wins, Mullins said he might run him at a mile or farther this summer.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Slewpast will try to gain some of the respect she certainly deserves when she takes on Monashee in the Strawberry Morn Stakes at Hastings on Saturday.
Slewpast, who won five stakes races in 2005, has not only lived in the shadow of her more illustrious stablemate, Regal Red, but when she was a 3-year-old last year, most of the headlines related to her division went to Monashee.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When the reliably speedy Unbridled Sidney was unable to get the early lead in the May 4 Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill Downs, her trainer was prepared to wave the white flag.
"She'd never passed a horse down the lane," said Ronny Werner. "And I mean never. Never ever."
But there's a first time for everything, and Werner watched in amazement as Unbridled Sidney, who had chased from second the entire trip, dug in to nail the race-long front-runner, Very Vegas, by a nose.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - The home team will be well represented in Saturday's $65,000 Hillsborough Handicap at Bay Meadows.
The one-mile turf race drew 10 fillies and mares, seven of whom are based in northern California.
The locally based runners should dominate the pace with Heavenly Humor, Eleanor Rose, Midwife, and Marla Bay in the race.
, runner-up in the five-furlong Monterey in her turf debut here, figure to get great stalking trips, while strong Faith could be a factor late.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - In Rush Bay, the Churchill Downs-based trainer Tom Amoss has a horse that can win the Stars and Stripes Handicap next month at Arlington Park, and in Dynalympic, Amoss has a horse that can win Arlington's prep race for the Stars and Stripes.
MIAMI - The Maryland My Maryland Stakes proved to be a cakewalk for A.J. Melini after he was able to control all the pace in the 1 3/16-mile overnight race. But Saturday's 1 1/2-mile New York New York Stakes at Calder may turn out to be more difficult for A.J. Melini, the likely favorite, who is not expected to make the lead so easily this time around.
The New York New York shares top billing on Saturday's 13-race program with the Heckofaralph Stakes, carded at five furlongs on the turf. Each race carries a $45,000 purse.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - As perhaps the nation's most accomplished 2-year-old, Datrick was already a logical favorite to win Saturday's colts and geldings division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star Park. But after a Tuesday night barn fire in New Mexico killed his sire, 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick, he will also be a sentimental favorite for the race.
The TTA Sales Futurity is to be run in two divisions, with the other race on the card for fillies. Both divisions are at five furlongs and have an estimated purse of $100,000.
Rare is the stakes race carded at 1 1/2 miles on dirt, and eclectic is the cast assembled for the 1 1/2-mile Point Given Stakes, which is featured on a 12-race card Saturday at Monmouth Park.
Lower-level stakes at Monmouth sometimes fail to fill, but the track made two of them go Saturday: Besides the $60,000 Point Given, the 12-race card also includes the $60,000 Spruce Fir for New Jersey-bred fillies and mares at one mile and 70 yards.
Canterbury Park fans will be treated to what should be a memorable edition of the $50,000 Brooks Fields Stakes on Saturday when millionaire Full Moon Madness faces local legend Dontbotherknocking and 10 other rivals over 7 1/2 furlongs of turf.
Full Moon Madness, an 11-year old California-bred gelding, has won or placed in stakes in nearly every season since he began racing in 1997. Full Moon Madness's stakes resume includes victories in the California Cup Sprint, the Bay Meadows Express, and two victories each in the Robert Kerlan Memorial and Valiant Pete handicaps.
The $50,000 Regret Stakes, the first stakes of the Great Lakes Downs 2006 meet, brings together nine 3-year-old fillies, including three of the top juveniles from last year. Easy Ellie, the Michigan Sire Stakes champion, will face Fiji Island, a two-time local stakes winner, and Charedi's Peak, winner of the Michigan Juvenile Fillies.
Easy Ellie, from the barn of leading trainer Bob Gorham, has raced just once this year. After an awkward start, she was fifth in an optional claimer against older filly and mares.
