Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

After two $1 million turf races, Showing Up may target Travers

Horsephotos
Lexington winner Showing Up is not being considered for the Belmont.

ELMONT, N.Y. - While his stablemate Barbaro tries to recover from a life-threatening injury suffered in the Preakness, Showing Up will continue to carry the mantle for Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stables.

However, Showing Up, sixth in the Kentucky Derby, will be doing his running on the turf for his next two starts. Showing Up worked five furlongs over Belmont turf Sunday in 1:01.67 and will be pointed to the $1 million Colonial Turf Cup on June 24. If all goes well, he'll then run back in the $1 million Virginia Derby on July 15.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

A $616,000 carryover, and no clear single

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A weekend of longshot winners in the pick six has generated a whopping two-day carryover of $616,240 into an otherwise ordinary card Wednesday at Hollywood Park.

Three maiden races, two claiming races, and a starter allowance are included in the pick-six sequence (races 3-8). Is it a big deal? Well, yes. Bettors historically wager five times the amount of the Southern California carryover coming off a weekend. The $3 million expected Wednesday would create the largest pick-six pool of the meet.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Shoemaker biggest U.S. test for Silent Name

Horsephotos
Silent Name, winning the Arcadia, eyes his first Grade 1 in the Shoemaker.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Silent Name's victory in the Grade 2 Arcadia Handicap at Santa Anita last month was the most important victory in his 12-race career. That may only be temporary, however, pending the results of Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile at Hollywood Park.

The Shoemaker will provide a better indication of whether Silent Name belongs in the upper echelon of the nation's turf milers and is one to follow in the preps for the Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs in November.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

New pick 3 scratch rule

The California Horse Racing Board on Wednesday will implement a rule that allows for a consolation payoff or refund in the case of a scratch from a pick-three race.

Bettors who have a horse scratched out of the second or third leg of a pick three after the first leg of the wager has been run will receive a consolation payoff. If a scratch occurs before the first leg has been run, the bet is refunded.

The previous rule gave bettors the race favorite in place of the scratched horse.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Battle of South Americans

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Wednesday's eighth race at Churchill Downs half looks like a race from South America.

Three of the seven entrants in the eighth race, a $62,000 optional claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, are from there. Two of them, Whopper Victory and Esprit Du Roi, originally raced in Chile. The other, O'Connell's, raced previously in Brazil. All have started in the United States.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Romans appealing takedown

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Dale Romans said Monday that he has appealed the disqualification of Smart N Pretty from Friday's Grade 2, $250,000 at Pimlico.

Smart N Pretty, first across the wire, 3 1/2 lengths in front of Regal Engagement, was taken down by Pimlico stewards and placed second behind Regal Engagement, whom stewards ruled she fouled when the pair bumped in midstretch.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Lewis Michael unlikely to run in Belmont

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Sunriver (left) zips by Lewis Michael just before the wire in the Peter Pan.

CHICAGO - Lewis Michael had been training since March like a vastly improved 3-year-old, but because of a troubled trip in the April 8 Illinois Derby, Lewis Michael's connections couldn't be sure how good their horse was. That's what Lewis Michael's trip to New York last weekend was all about, and after taking heavily favored and highly regarded Sunriver down to the wire in the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes, finishing second by a neck, Lewis Michael gave proof in the afternoon of what trainer Wayne Catalano had been seeing during morning training.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Press Camp looks headed to Florida

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Billy Morey was excited by Press Camp's runner-up performance in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes on Friday at Pimlico, and Morey said Press Camp will now be pointed to the Grade 3, $300,000 Azalea at Calder's Summit of Speed on July 15.

Press Camp was beaten two lengths by Wildcat Bettie B, a wire-to-wire winner, but finished five in front of favored G City Gal.

Press Camp was steadied in close quarters down the backstretch, and Morey said that might have made the difference.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Malakoff going straight to Plate

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Malakoff, who had quietly been developing a following here, barged into the Queen's Plate picture by cruising to a 7 1/4-length victory in last Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Marine Stakes.

Owned by Stronach Stables and trained by Brian Lynch, Malakoff made his stakes debut in the 1 1/16-mile Marine after winning his maiden over the same distance here April 30.

Malakoff, the only Canadian-bred in the field of five, earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90 under jockey Todd Kabel.

Mon, 05/22/2006 - 00:00

Top Notch Lady confronts 'Angel'

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Top Notch Lady and Angel on Watch could vie for favoritism in the Grade 3, $250,000 Selene Stakes on Wednesday at Woodbine.

The 1 1/16-mile event was originally scheduled for last Sunday, but was postponed when the day's last seven races were called off because of high winds.

Top Notch Lady captured the Glorious Song Stakes in November over Angel on Watch. She was absent for four months heading into the Grade 3 Bourbonette Breeders' Cup Stakes at Turfway March 25, which she won by a neck on the Polytrack surface.