FLORENCE, Ky. - How can a good horse run so bad? Surely that's what trainers Todd Pletcher and Speedy Smithwick were asking themselves recently when High Cotton and Warrior Within threw in absolute clunkers when trying to keep their already thin Kentucky Derby chances alive.
, a romping winner of the WEBN Frog Stakes in February, finished last of 12 for Smithwick in his lone subsequent start, the March 4 Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park.
FLORENCE, Ky. - In any other year, having a horse in the Lane's End Stakes would have made Buff Bradley giddy. Based year-round in Kentucky, and a longtime regular at Turfway Park, Bradley never has had a 3-year-old good enough to crack the lineup of the track's premier event.
But when it rains, apparently it pours - and with Bradley in Dubai to run Brass Hat in the $6 million Dubai World Cup, it also happens that the 42-year-old trainer will be making his Lane's End debut Saturday with Pair of Kings.
ARCADIA, Calif. - When Atlando and King's Drama were coupled in the betting last month in the Grade 2 San Luis Obispo Handicap, it did not matter to bettors which Gary Tanaka-owned gelding won the 1 1/2-mile turf race at odds of 2-5.
King's Drama tired to third, but Atlando rescued the entry by scoring a three-quarter-length win over T.H. Approval.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Graded-stakes winner Elusive Diva, who won six races and $484,510 from 17 starts, has been retired. Trainer Mark Glatt said the decision to retire the 5-year-old mare was made now "to take advantage of the upcoming breeding season."
Owned by Allen and Susan Branch and John Konecny, was at her best in turf sprints and won two Grade 3 handicaps on the Santa Anita downhill course in 2005 - the Las Cienegas by four lengths, and the Sen. Ken Maddy by three lengths.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Saint Augustus has joined the short list of horses pointing for the $1 million Florida Derby on April 1.
Saint Augustus, a son of Saint Ballado, earned his way into the Grade 1 race with a 3 1/2-length second-level allowance win going 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream on Feb. 26. The victory was the third in eight starts for Saint Augustus who also captured Calder Race Course's What a Pleasure Stakes in his 2-year-old finale.
The announcement that Saint Augustus would run in the Florida Derby was made Thursday by Dogwood Stable president Cot Campbell.
ALBANY, Calif. - It's not unusual for northern California's leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer to dominate a race.
He sends out half of the six-horse field in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Golden Gate Fields Handicap, and each of the three runners have a legitimate shot to win. Each can handle the main track as well as, if not better than, turf, the surface on which the race is scheduled. There is a chance the race will come off the turf. Hollendorfer's three rivals, all coming north for the race, seem to have superior turf form.
ALBANY, Calif. - Favored Greenie ($2.80) raced three-wide in a four-way speed duel, took over into the lane and pulled away to win the $50,650 Fishermans Wharf Overnight Stakes on Thursday at Golden Gate Fields.
The 5-year-old Cal-bred won his third straight race and first stakes of his career, covering six furlongs in 1:09.48. Late-running High Standards finished second, beaten six lengths as he outfinished Left 'Em Burning by a neck.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - A new and improved Smokey Glacken returns to New York in career form and is strictly the one to beat in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff Breeders' Cup Handicap at Aqueduct.
, a 5-year-old daughter of Forestry, will meet six rivals in the Distaff, which will be run at six furlongs over the inner track for the first time since 1994. Classy Mirage won that year's running for Allen Jerkens, the father of Jimmy Jerkens, who trains Smokey Glacken.
