FLORENCE, Ky. - Strong Contender, the unbeaten colt who figured as the favorite in the 35th Lane's End Stakes on Saturday, was excluded from the race when 12 other 3-year-olds with higher earnings were entered Thursday in the Turfway Park showcase.
Two Hall of Fame jockeys will attend the 40th anniversary High Hope Steeplechase meet at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington on May 21.
Chris McCarron will return to the saddle to ride in the Sportsman's Challenge, a two-mile flat race sponsored by Ashford and Coolmore studs. Pat Day will attend the one-day race meet in support of the Blue Grass Farms Chaplaincy, one of the designated charities to benefit from High Hope's proceeds.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Corinthian, who was disqualified from first in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, has suffered a minor fracture of his left hind ankle and will miss the entire Triple Crown series, his connections said Wednesday.
According to Dr. Stephen Carr, the racing manager for Corinthian's owners, Centennial Farms, Corinthian suffered a "very small hairline crack on the top of and the front of his long pastern bone in his left hind ankle."
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Given all his success at this meet, trainer Gary Contessa would be hard-pressed to pick out his favorite moment of the winter. His biggest disappointment, however, is much easier to pinpoint.
That occurred on Feb. 26, when had a brutal trip and finished third as the 4-5 favorite in the Busher Stakes. It ended a two-race winning streak for Daytime Promise, who had won the Busanda two starts back.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Bill Mott did not mince his words when describing Sweet Symphony's performance in the 2005 Breeders' Cup Distaff.
"She threw a stinker," said Mott, recalling Sweet Symphony's ninth-place finish in that race.
Sweet Symphony is scheduled to make her first start since that race Saturday in the Grade 2 Rampart Handicap.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Atlando, who won the San Luis Obispo Handicap last month, returns for a similar 1 1/2-mile turf race on Saturday, the Grade 2, $200,000 San Luis Rey Handicap. Martin Pedroza, who usually rides Atlando, is riding in Dubai on Saturday. So is Victor Espinoza. And Garrett Gomez. And Corey Nakatani. David Cohen and Felipe Martinez are there, too. Jon Court is riding at Golden Gate on Saturday, and David Flores is scheduled to be at Turfway Park.
ARCADIA, Calif. - He was born in Kentucky, and first raced in Florida, but the hillside turf course at Santa Anita has become home for Florida Keys. He has won half of his six starts on this course, and returns there in Friday's featured seventh race, in which he appears the horse to beat.
Nine horses were entered in the 6 1/2-furlong race, with Florida Keys drawing the advantageous outside post. The $55,000 race is an optional claimer for second-level allowance runners; Florida Keys is the only horse entered for the $62,500 tag.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Semaphore Man serves as something of a measuring stick for the three leading contenders in an optional claimer at six furlongs Friday at Oaklawn Park.
Random Gold, Wavering Banker, and Dr. Meatball all have turned in competitive efforts against Semaphore Man, who is one of the top sprinters on the grounds and could make his next start in the Grade 3, $150,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap here.
