HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Private Vow strongly suggested on Tuesday he will move forward off his seasonal debut, a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Rebel, when he breezed five furlongs in company in a bullet 1:00.34 at Oaklawn Park. The move was his first since the March 18 Rebel, and was part of his preparation for the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 15.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Thursday's forecast is for abundant sunshine and highs in the low 60's, and racing has switched to the main track, two sure signs of spring. But Thursday's card has a winter feel even if all systems are "go," according to track superintendent John Passero.
The main-track opening was delayed last year by persistent wintry weather, so the switch was pushed back three weeks this year to ensure March indeed went out like a lamb.
ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Terry Knight has been waiting to get Two Trails back on turf ever since he won a straight maiden race on the Bay Meadows grass in September. Knight may get his wish Thursday, when Two Trails runs in a $40,000 starter allowance at 1 1/16 miles, which is scheduled for the turf.
Knight claimed for $32,000 from his debut last summer. In his first start for Knight, Two Trails won a 7 1/2-furlong turf race, holding off the talented Sweet Roberto by a head.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Woodbine will become the second track in North America to install Polytrack in place of a dirt racing surface.
The announcement was made Tuesday by Woodbine Entertainment Group, in conjunction with Polytrack partners Martin Collins and Keeneland, who are providing the materials and overseeing the installation of the artificial racing surface. Collins pioneered Polytrack in England more than 20 years ago.
A bill that would save beleaguered Fairmount Park some $1.37 million per year by reducing the track's parimutuel tax from 1.5 percent to .25 of a percent passed the Illinois state Senate on Monday and has gone before Gov. Rod Blagojevich to be signed into law or vetoed.
State representative Jay Hoffman, whose legislative district includes Fairmount, which is located near St. Louis in Collinsville, Ill., filed the bill on Jan. 1. It passed the House later that month and cleared the Senate this week in its third reading.
Private Vow breezed five furlongs in company in a bullet 1:00.34 at Oaklawn Park on Tuesday, his first work since finishing seventh in his seasonal debut in the Grade 3, $300,000 Rebel Stakes. Trainer Steve Asmussen is pointing Private Vow, a two-time Grade 2 winner last year, to the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 15.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - On the Monday before the 2005 Florida Derby, only six horses were mentioned as possible starters for the race, and three of those - High Fly, Bandini, and Closing Argument - had missed scheduled works that weekend. In the end, Bandini and Closing Argument scratched and the starting lineup swelled to nine. High Fly recovered in time from a slight temperature to defeat stablemate Noble Causeway and give trainer Nick Zito a sweep of the top two positions in the richest of North America's Kentucky Derby preps.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Nobody would blame trainer Barclay Tagg if he were tempted to run Showing Up in Saturday's Grade 1 Florida Derby. After all, the 3-year-old Showing Up obviously loves the Gulfstream Park track, where he has won his only two starts by a combined 6 1/4 lengths, and the $1 million purse for the Florida Derby is the largest of any Kentucky Derby prep in North America. Plus, aside from the unbeaten Barbaro there does not appear to be any standouts in the field.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Pisgah and All Hail Stormy both had their form heading in the wrong direction when trainers Scott Lake and Allen Jerkens decided to put them on the turf Feb. 19. The strategy proved to be a wake up call for both horses - Pisgah finished first and All Hail Stormy finished second in the five-furlong allowance dash.