CHICAGO - The trainer Clayton Pierce never has had more than a handful of horses in his stable. A handful, in fact, constitutes a somewhat populous season. But every now and again a decent one comes Pierce's way, and Ripe Tomato is at least decent. She has won two of her four starts, finished second and third in her two others, and looks like one of the primary contenders in the featured seventh race on Monday at the National Jockey Club meet.
CHICAGO - Entries for this Saturday's pair of graded stakes at the National Jockey Club meet, the National Jockey Club Handicap and the Sixty Sails Handicap, were to be taken on Tuesday, and it is only after the races are drawn that we may know precisely who is in them. Fields for both were in flux as of Saturday, with the NJC racing office reporting just three firm starters in the NJC Handicap and five in the Sixty Sails.
Teammate, the 6-5 morning-line favorite, was scratched out of Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct due to a bruised right front foot, trainer Allen Jerkens said.
"She was just a little sore this morning, a little bit off," Jerkens said. "We took pictures anyway just to be sure that's all it is."
The results of those X-rays were not available.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A two-day carryover of $376,859 will be the focus of Saturday's 10-race program at Santa Anita.
The pick six covers the fifth through 10th races, a sequence that features full fields in all races.
Two of the races are scheduled for turf - the seventh race, the $100,000 La Puente Stakes at a mile for 3-year-olds; and the ninth race, a starter allowance at 1 1-8 miles which drew 12 entrants. Both races are wide-open with full fields.
Rain fell in Southern California on Friday, and the course be softened by those conditions.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Todd Pletcher won his second major stakes of this year's Racing Festival of the South at Oaklawn Park on Friday, when Ready to Please proved three lengths best over Miss Norman in the Grade 2, $250,000 .
Less than a week ago, Pletcher sent out Spun Sugar to win the Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap on the opening program of the Festival, which comprises nine stakes worth $2.8 million over the final week of the meet at Oaklawn.
"We've had a pretty good run," said Pletcher.
Barring an unforeseen setback, horse racing is returning to the beleaguered city of New Orleans this year. Fair Grounds Race Course announced Friday that it has submitted an application to the Louisiana State Racing Commission for an 81-day meet beginning this November, putting to rest months of speculation over the future of the historic track.
"Normally when I turn in a dates application it's pretty much a non-event, but due to circumstances it is an event this time," said Fair Grounds general manager Randy Soth.
ARCADIA, Calif. - No one beats Cambiocorsa on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita. Not yet at least.
A field of 12 fillies and mares entered the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Handicap, a 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint in which Cambiocorsa tries for her seventh downhill win. The $100,000 Las Cienegas is her fifth start of the meet.
"If we're going to beat her, I think we're taking her on at the right time," said trainer Mike Machowsky, whose improving filly Sandra's Rose enters on a two-race win streak.
ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Gloria Buckridge has had one of the best meets of her career at Golden Gate Fields this spring, and on Sunday her big horse will get to run at the meet for the first time, in a $31,000 allowance at a mile on turf.
is coming off a victory in a $32,000 optional claimer March 3 at Santa Anita, a race that was scheduled for turf but moved to the main track.
Well Said was scratched out of Saturday's Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby after being diagnosed with a bone chip in his right front ankle, his trainer, Walter Bindner Jr., said Friday.
The scratch left a field of 13 for the race, with Lawyer Ron the favorite.
Well Said was fourth to Lawyer Ron last out in the Grade 3, $300,000 Rebel, which served as his stakes debut. One start before that, he won a highly rated allowance at Oaklawn.
