LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As strong a hand as Bob Baffert may possess in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, the cards he has to play in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff a few hours earlier are even better.
In Behaving Badly, Baffert sends out the mare with the best early speed, not to mention the best record. In Pussycat Doll, Baffert sends out the filly with the best closing kick. The Grade 1 winners will be separate betting interests in the $250,000 Humana, run at seven furlongs over Churchill's main track.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - His upset wasn't quite the magnitude of Giacomo's win in last year's Kentucky Derby, but Battle Won did provide one of the more shocking results on Derby Day 2005 when he rallied to an easy 3 1/2-length victory at 16-1 in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Breeders' Cup Handicap.
Battle Won's supporters will have to settle for a much shorter price when he returns to defend his title in this year's seven-furlong Churchill Downs BC Handicap, one of the more competitive of the five stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Woody Stephens used to say the buildings get mighty tall when you cross the Hudson River, but evidently no one told Larry Jones. He shipped to Belmont Park for a reason and not the season when he saddled Island Sand to win the 2004 running of the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes, and is back with another 3-year-old filly, Hello Liberty, in Saturday's Nassau County Breeders' Cup Stakes at seven furlongs.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Bettarun Fast will have to win without trainer Vladimir Cerin when she starts in Saturday's $100,000 Railbird Stakes at Hollywood Park.
As Bettarun Fast tries to win her second stakes of the spring, Cerin will be missing the race because he was scheduled to undergo knee replacement surgery on Thursday. Worse, he was not sure that he would be able even to see the Railbird while recovering.
"They don't have TVG in the hospital," he said. "That must be in the premium rooms."
CALGARY, Alberta - Bell n' Gone, champion juvenile colt on this circuit last year, thanks to stakes victories in the Birdcatcher and Canadian Juvenile, and Teagues Fight, winner of the Sales Stakes and Alberta Premier's Futurity, renew their rivalry in the $50,000 President's Handicap at Stampede Park on Saturday.
A field of 10 3-year-olds will run in the President's at six furlongs, with Bell n' Gone breaking from post 7 under Real Simard as the 120-pound highweight.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Canterbury Park begins its 20th season of live racing with anticipation running high among management, horsemen, and fans alike. The 69-day meeting will feature a new centerpiece on July 15, as Canterbury Park has combined its traditional $100,000 Lady Canterbury with the $600,000 Claiming Crown card.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The road to the $1 million Queen's Plate on June 25 begins in earnest Saturday at Woodbine in the seven-furlong $150,000 Queenston Stakes.
Among the seven Ontario-foaled 3-year-olds in the lineup are last year's Canadian champion 2-year-old, Edenwold, his speedy stablemate Vibank, and the unbeaten Bad Hat.
