OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Wild Gams had impressed trainer Ben Perkins Jr. so much in the mornings, that before she ever ran he told owner Ebby Novak "this might be the nicest filly we ever raised.''
As Wild Gams won just once in her first four starts, Perkins knew what Novak must have been thinking.
"He probably thought I was nuts," Perkins said. "I kept telling him this is a nice horse, believe me."
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Not all of the best 3-year-olds on the grounds were to have run in Saturday's Gotham Stakes. Several intriguing runners were entered in an entry-level allowance race at 1 1/8 miles, which serves as Aqueduct's feature race on Sunday's card.
Scanlon's Song, Marco's Tale, and Don'tfearthereaper were all noteworthy maiden winners at this meet. Sunday, they try to take the next step toward a possible stakes engagement down the road.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Having been the dominant apprentice jockey in New York this winter, Kyle Kaenel's career starts anew this weekend as he begins life as a journeyman rider.
Kaenel, 18, lost his apprentice status - and the all-important five-pound weight allowance that goes with it - on Friday. He went winless in six mounts on his final day as an apprentice. Kaenel won 60 races as an apprentice over the inner track, good enough for fourth-place in the jockey standings.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The fact that only seven of the 24 3-year-old fillies nominated for Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park entered the race speaks volumes for the respect local horsemen have given to J'ray, who figures to go off at odds of 1-2 or less.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Anybody worried about an honest pace for the $1 million Florida Derby need worry no more, now that trainer Dale Romans has committed Sharp Humor to the meet's marquee event on April 1.
Sharp Humor has won his last three starts, all stakes, including the Grade 2, seven-furlong Swale in his 3-year-old debut on March 4. A New York-bred son of Distorted Humor, Sharp Humor has been on or with the pace in each of his six starts, and Romans said he is not about to change his horse's style now.
ARCADIA, Calif. - When he starts Sunday in the $100,000 Crystal Water Handicap at Santa Anita, front-runner Uncle Denny will be racing for the first time on a turf course that is playing fair.
"He wants to be a free-running horse and use his speed," trainer Rafael Becerra said. "You can't take him back." It was too bad, because from Jan. 19 through Feb. 24, not a single front-runner, including Uncle Denny - who ran ran twice that period - won on the Santa Anita turf.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The queen of the hill is not about to abdicate the throne.
Cambiocorsa was pressured sharply early, and received a formidable challenge late, but she held on tenaciously to capture Friday's $134,125 Irish O'Brien Stakes at Santa Anita.
The victory was the sixth in as many starts for Cambiocorsa on the 6 1/2-furlong hillside turf course. She is 0 for 5 in all other starts.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - There is no shortage of sprint talent in the $50,000 Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Sunday, but there appears to be a shortage of front-runners. It is a scenario that could favor the quick Rodeo's Castle, whose chief rivals include Stolen Time, Santana Strings, Level Playingfield, and Joe Six Pack.
comes into the six-furlong race off a second-place finish in an optional claiming sprint at Oaklawn on Feb. 26. He was prominent throughout, and overtaken in the later stages by Level Playingfield.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - One of the best sprinters on the grounds won't be running in Sunday's $50,000 Hot Springs at Oaklawn Park. Semaphore Man has developed rapidly this meet, and his trainer, Kelly Von Hemel, said he is being considered for the Grade 3, $150,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at six furlongs at Oaklawn on April 13.
"We're very happy with where we are and how he came out of his last race, and that's definitely one of the options we're looking at," said Von Hemel.
