OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Many of the familiar, over-the-hill older horses on the grounds have gathered for Wednesday's $58,000 featured classified allowance race run at 1 1/8 miles over Aqueduct's inner track.
For bettors who have had their fill of Colita, Sinister G, and Aggadan, a better alternative may exist in .
ARCADIA, Calif. - With Stevie Wonderboy having gone to the sidelines, there is now no question that Brother Derek, Stevie Wonderboy's conqueror in last month's San Rafael Stakes, has ascended to the top of the charts among the West Coast's 3-year-olds.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Having dominated the modest 3-year-old crop in New York, Achilles of Troy is now headed to Florida to continue his preparation for the Triple Crown series. But instead of heading to Gulfstream Park, Achilles of Troy will continue his preparations at Classic Mile Park, a training center located in Ocala.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Three of the four top contenders for Saturday's $125,000 Sam Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs worked in south Florida on Sunday, including likely favorite Bluegrass Cat, who breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20 in company with stablemate Hot Cotton at Palm Meadows. The 1 1/16-mile Sam Davis is a prep for the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 18.
ALBANY, Calif. - What could be a big week for the Lost in the Fog connections of owner Harry Aleo and trainer Greg Gilchrist got off to a perfect start on Sunday.
The Eclipse sprint champion, Lost in the Fog had his first workout in preparation for his 2006 campaign, an easy 36.20 three-furlong work that put smiles on the faces of Gilchrist, Aleo, and jockey Russell Baze. It was the third-fastest time of 14 at the distance.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Patrick Valenzuela rode the as a match race, just as he did in the San Vicente Stakes a half-hour earlier on Sunday at Santa Anita. In the San Vicente, his mount stopped and finished last. But in the La Canada, Valenzuela's mount, Seafree, outdueled odds-on favorite Pussycat Doll, then held off Play Ballado to take the Grade 2, $200,000 race for 4-year-old fillies.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Too Much Bling tailed off at the end of last year, necessitating a rest. A subsequent switch to Southern California, along with a freshening, has made all the difference. For the second straight race this year, Too Much Bling won a Santa Anita sprint stakes in fast time, this time on Sunday in the Grade 2, $150,000 for 3-year-olds.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Marty Wolfson and jockey Eddie Castro orchestrated their second upset of a turf stakes at Gulfstream Park within the past two weeks on Sunday when combining with Can't Beat It for a 1 3/4 length victory over Mr. Silver in the $60,000 .
Shon's Secret became a stakes winner on Saturday night, when she rallied for a one-length win over Chromedoll in the $40,000 Tomball at Sam Houston Race Park. It was another length back in third to Brushabybaby.
Shon's Secret ($9.80) raced several lengths off pacesetter Chromedoll, who led the field through fractions of 25.78 seconds for the opening quarter, 50.95 for the half-mile mark, and 1:16.04 for six furlongs in the mile and a sixteenth turf race for fillies and mares bred in Texas. Shon's Secret advanced steadily, and rallied to cover the distance in 1:47.51.
ARCADIA, Calif. - With Folklore's status in question, and Wild Fit still unproven around two turns, Balance has emerged as the West Coast's leading contender for the Kentucky Oaks. She ascended to that position on Saturday at Santa Anita, when Balance out-finished Wild Fit to take the Grade 1, $250,000 , this track's major prep for next month's Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.
