Identity Theft, third in the Grade 1 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity at Los Alamitos, is well positioned to gain his first stakes win in the Grade 2, $140,960 Manor Downs Derby at Manor Downs on Saturday afternoon.
Identity Theft was sixth in the 2005 Grade 1 West Texas Futurity at Sunland Park and then went to Los Alamitos and finished a troubled ninth in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Futurity and third, at 5-2, in the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Owner K.K. Sangara and trainer Lorne Richards, who set up a division here at Woodbine in 2001, have found it to be a pleasure doing business with Mark Casse.
Several horses purchased privately by Sangara and Richards from owner/trainer/wheeler-dealer Casse have gone on to distinguish themselves, the most notable being Financingavailable.
And one of their more recent acquisitions will be on display Saturday as Ok Nothanks-foraskn makes his seasonal and stakes debut in the $125,000 Woodstock, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Proven Cure's record of two wins and a stakes placing in three starts this year is impressive, but even more so considering that he is 12. Saturday at Lone Star Park, he can add to his resume when he starts as a top contender in the $40,000 Littlebitlively.
The five-furlong turf race is an overnight stakes restricted to horses who have not won a stakes in 2006.
ALBANY, Calif. - Veteran jockey Dennis Carr guided Joan Elle ($8.40) to a three-quarter length victory over Audaciously in Thursday's fifth race at Golden Gate Fields to record the 2,000th win of his career.
"I honestly had no idea how many wins I had," Carr said. "I was surprised when they handed me the sign (proclaiming the 2,000th victory) in the winner's circle."
The 37-year-old rider, sixth in the GGF rider standings with 25 victories, has been a rider for 19 years, although he missed one year as an apprentice when he suffered a broken arm and wrist.
Delaware Park returns to live racing on Saturday with a new look in the clubhouse, a new contract with its horsemen, and all the largess that millions of dollars in slot-machine revenue can provide.
Ten years after slot machines were legalized at Delaware, the track has evolved into a stable, if not prosperous, fixture on the East Coast, attracting horsemen and jockeys from states along the Eastern seaboard. It's a far cry from the beginning of the 1990's, when a slots-less Delaware Park was struggling to survive.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The board of directors of Keeneland Racecourse unanimously approved a project Wednesday to reconfigure the track's racing oval and replace the dirt track with the synthetic surface Polytrack.
When the project is complete in September, just prior to Keeneland's fall meet, Keeneland will likely become the third racetrack in North America to use a synthetic surface. Turfway Park, which is co-owned by Keeneland, installed Polytrack last year prior to its fall and winter meet, and Woodbine racecourse in Canada is scheduled to install Polytrack this summer.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The handicapping principles that guide most horseplayers sometimes do not apply to steeplechasing. Take layoffs, for instance. Jumpers are trained in different fashion for the grueling races that await them, and it is not at all uncommon for a horse entered after a lengthy respite to win a steeplechase of high prestige.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The French filly Gorella made quite an impression on North American racing fans last fall when her torrid late run narrowly fell short of catching Artie Schiller and Leroidesanimaux in the Breeders' Cup Mile.
One race deep into her 4-year-old campaign, trainer Patrick Biancone is not wasting much time in having Gorella challenge males again. After winning her first start since the BC Mile, a Wednesday turf allowance at Keeneland, Gorella will race next in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on the May 6 Kentucky Derby undercard, said Biancone.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - With only eight cards remaining in the meet - and a forecast that calls for rain this weekend - it is not surprising that four of the nine races at Aqueduct on Friday are scheduled for the turf.
A first-level allowance race for New York-bred males was split in two divisions, and accounts for the co-features on the card. Both races are run at 1 1/16 miles.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Stanton has been an erratic performer in his 11-race career. Trained by Richard Mandella, he has been a disappointment when expected to run well, and has run well at times as a longshot.
Timias, who is by Seeking the Gold, had 1 victory in 6 starts in France, an allowance race at about 1 1/4 miles at Chantilly last August. He has not started since finishing fourth in an allowance race last September. Timias is now trained by Ben Cecil.
