Although Canterbury Park has hosted only four days of racing since its Derby Day opening, it hasn't taken jockey Israel Ocampo very long to make an impression on local race fans.
Ocampo has won four races at this meeting from just 13 mounts and put an exclamation point on that statistic with an eye-catching finish in the eighth race last Sunday to prevail by a half-length aboard Turbulent Thinking in an allowance, edging 1-2 favorite Glitter Star.
Storm on the Lake ($20), winner of the Niagara Stakes as a 3-year-old filly three years ago but winless since wining an allowance in November 2003, regained her form by leading wire to wire in a $20,500 overnight handicap last Sunday at Finger Lakes.
The 6-year-old Storm on the Lake, trained by Charlton Baker, provided leading jockey John Davila Jr. with his third of four wins on the card.
She's That Cat ($7.80) erased what looked like an insurmountable lead by pacesetter Rain Song to capture Tuesday night's $75,000 Hancock County Handicap at Mountaineer Race Track.
Rain Song, the 1-2 favorite, appeared well on her way to her fifth straight victory when she opened up a seven-length lead at the three-eighths pole of the five-furlong stakes and was still comfortably on top by three lengths with a furlong remaining.
Miguel Hernandez rode five of the nine winners on Sunday's program at Turf Paradise to move within two of leading jockey Glen Corbett's 117 wins heading into the final three days of the long meet, which began last Sept. 30 and concludes Sunday.
"It's real simple what I have to do: win races," said Hernandez, 40, of Mexico City. "I'm giving it my best shot."
Zia Park has increased the purses of a number of its stakes and introduced a major Quarter Horse invitational futurity as part of its 33-race schedule for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. The mixed meet will open Sept. 23 and continue through Dec. 12.
Of the stakes, 20 are for Thoroughbreds. Total stakes purses this meet exceed $3.8 million. Last year, the inaugural meet opened with a schedule of 32 stakes worth $2.4 million.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Scottsbluff lowered the world record for 5 1/2 furlongs on turf to 1:00.26 on Monday, when he pulled a minor upset in the $78,000 Bullet Stakes at Hollywood Park.
The previous record of 1:00.46 was set by Pembroke in the Robert Kerlan Handicap at Hollywood Park in July 1995.
Scottsbluff ($17.60) rallied from last in a field of six to win the Bullet Stakes by a half-length over 6-5 favorite Taikun. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Scottsbluff rallied wide, making up 5 1/2 lengths in the final 2 1/2 furlongs.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Revealed emphasized her ability in turf sprints with an electrifying late kick on the hillside course at Santa Anita last month. Seventh in the first quarter-mile, she made up four lengths in the final furlong to win the third race of her career.
On Thursday at Hollywood Park, will attempt to win the longest race of her career in a $58,000 allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
The race has drawn only five starters, but all are accomplished. Several could appear in stakes for fillies and mares in coming months.
Silvestris, who ran in three stakes sprints at the turn of the year, including a front-running win in the Ruthless, returns from a three-month layoff in Thursday's eighth race at Belmont Park.
The second-level allowance/optional claimer drew a field of six fillies and mares. As the lone 3-year-old, Silvestris gets up to eight pounds from her older rivals.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Backers of Eyeforglory need not be concerned if that one remains away from the fence in Thursday's sixth race at Churchill Downs, an optional claiming race at five furlongs on turf. Such a move would be by design, trainer Bob Pincins said.
The reason? doesn't have a right eye, Pincins said, and he would rather have him see the opposition with the one eye he has, his left.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Seeking Shelter has a lot of positives going for him in Thursday's sixth race at Woodbine, a 6 1/2-furlong allowance for 3-year-olds, and probably deserves top billing.
Trained by Malcolm Pierce, Seeking Shelter won his maiden on the grass in his second start at 2. He then finished a close second in the restricted Simcoe Stakes to Edenwold, who won the Sovereign Award for champion 2-year-old.
