Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

High-quality field for an allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The $48,000 allowance feature at Aqueduct on Wednesday came up very tough for a midweek race.

The second-level allowance at one mile drew a field of 10, including four who have won their last start. Nine have earned career-best Beyer Speed Figures of 91 or better.

was one of those last-out winners, posting a career-best 91 Beyer when he won at Monmouth Park in early September. A 3-year-old gray colt, Dance Quiet has two wins and a second in his last four starts, all at Monmouth for trainer Mark Hennig.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

This time it's Albarado by nose

Churchill Downs
My Typhoon, Robby Albarado up, defeats Isla Cozzene by a nose in Saturday's Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - What goes around apparently does come around. Four weeks before he won the only graded turf race for 3-year-old fillies at the Churchill Downs fall meet, the Grade 2 , veteran jockey Robby Albarado endured one of the most heart-breaking losses of his career in the same division: the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Keeneland.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

Resurgent Bowman runs 'Victory'

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Carl Bowman long has been known as the strong-but-silent type, but in recent years, the veteran trainer has been rather quiet in the wrong category: races won.

But silence was supplanted by strength Saturday when Bowman sent out a pair of long-priced winners at his home track, Churchill Downs. Red Cherries Spin, a first-time starter, led all the way to easily win the third race at a $38.80 mutuel, and Forth and Forever was up in a long drive to narrowly win the sixth race at $29.40.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

Cotey poised to continue hot streak

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Owner-trainer Dave Cotey has been resurgent at Woodbine recently, racking up a triple last Friday and compiling a record of 4-2-0 from his last six starters.

And, after a day of rest Sunday, Cotey figures to be front and center again Wednesday with solid contenders for the co-featured 2-year-old allowance races on the nine-race program.

One Quiet Cat, a Kentucky-bred who was a 3 1/2-length winner for a $40,000 claiming tag last time out, comes back at the same six-furlong distance in the evening's first race.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

Nicks looks to keep his perfect local record intact

Louisiana Downs
Northern Scene, based at Louisiana Downs, will ship in to Sam Houston.

Trainer Morris Nicks means business when he ships to Sam Houston Race Park in Houston.

In the last year, he has started just one horse at the track, and the filly, Countryfide, won the $50,000 Yellow Rose during the 2004 edition of Texas Champions Day. Prior to that race, the only other career start Nicks had made at Sam Houston was during the track's first season in 1994, when he sent out Groovy Jett to win the $40,000 Intercoastal.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

Moss-Sherman team runs three good ones

ALBANY, Calif. - Art Sherman might have run the two best fillies in Sunday's $57,125 Piedmont Stakes, winning with Talverna and finishing fifth with Brahms Allegro.

Talverna was the second 2-year-old homebred filly to win for Jerry and Ann Moss last week. On Friday, Ruttina scored a $40,000 starter allowance win for them.

"This filly was still eligible for the first [allowance] condition," Sherman said after Talverna sat behind a three-way battle for the lead, rallied wide into the stretch, put away the pacesetters, and then held off Seam Seeker by a head.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

Ballroom Deputy seizes rare opportunity

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Josie Carroll has had a difficult time finding dances for Ballroom Deputy at Woodbine this year.

But Ballroom Deputy found herself with plenty of partners in Saturday's Grade 3, $210,100 Maple Leaf Stakes and took advantage of the occasion to record her first career stakes victory.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

Fairmount shippers prove quite capable

CHICAGO - Fairmount Park is not open for racing at the moment, and even when it is, not a whole lot of people outside the region tend to notice. The small track - formerly known as Cahokia Downs - that sits on the Illinois side of the St. Louis metro area is mired in a cycle of low purses and problematic handle trends.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

Aqueduct: Saint Daimon rolls in Huntington

Saint Daimon sat behind a hot early pace before rallying for a 3 3/4-length victory in the $81,350 Huntington Stakes for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct.

Ridden by Andrew Lakeman, Saint Daimon settled in fifth in the early going, as Urban Guy took the field through opening quarters of 22.09 and 45.11 seconds. Lakeman made an inside move on the turn and slipped through an opening in upper stretch to pull away to the victory.

Mon, 11/14/2005 - 00:00

Mountaineer: 'Presidential' cruises

Presidentialaffair ($4.80), unchallenged early by his only three rivals following four scratches, coasted by 16 3/4 lengths in the $125,000 Mountaineer Mile.

Allowed to set a comfortable pace under jockey Todd Glasser, Presidentialaffair was in front by four lengths after a half-mile in 45.96 seconds, and increased his advantage to 11 lengths following six furlongs in 1:11.52. Presidentialaffair completed the mile in 1:40.81.

It was the 11th win in 27 lifetime starts for Presidentialaffair, based at Philadelphia Park with trainer Martin Ciresa.