LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The last time Ronny Werner tried to run Unbridled Sidney, the filly never made it off an also-eligibles list. That was last month in the Franklin County Stakes at Keeneland, a 5 1/2-furlong turf race that drew an overflow of horses and left Werner frustrated to no end.
But when the $70,800 Pent Up Kiss is run on the Mrs. Revere undercard Saturday at Churchill Downs, Unbridled Sidney will be there with bells on.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - One of the most popular and durable performers on this circuit, Bluesthestandard, went over the $1 million mark in earnings on Wednesday with a three-length victory in the fifth race, a $40,000 claimer.
Bluesthestandard, 8, was making the 44th start of his career. He dipped into cheap claiming races midway through his career, improved enough under the care of trainer Ted H. West to finish second in the 2003 Breeders' Cup Sprint, and has competed in high-priced claiming races this year.
STICKNEY, Ill. - The trainer Bobby Springer, every crotchety inch of him, was himself stabled in Kentucky this week, but it is in Chicago on Saturday that Springer figures to make a mark. While his perennially high-percentage barn has gone winless from 12 starts so far this Hawthorne meet, Springer is set up for a big day Saturday, when Hawthorne hosts six $100,000-added stakes for Illinois-bred horses.
STICKNEY, Ill. - The aging tigers in the Illinois-bred sprint division appear to have been declawed. Silver Bid has lost six in a row, looking little like his former self in two recent defeats. Shandy is winless in 2005, and Out of My Way has raced only once in 19 months. At least those guys made it into the Lightning Jet Handicap, one of six $100,000-added Illinois-bred stakes on Saturday at Hawthorne. Take Achance on Me, the Maryland-based sprinter who has won the last two Illinois-bred sprint stakes in Chicago, has been on the shelf since mid-summer.
Thinking Out Loud benefited from a dream trip under jockey Todd Kabel to win the $254,370 Coronation Futurity at Woodbine on Thursday, the most important race of the year for Canadian-foaled 2-year-olds.
The 102nd Coronation Futurity, at 1 1/8 miles, was originally scheduled for Nov. 6 but high winds led to the postponement of the latter part of that afternoon's card.
Owned by D. Morgan Firestone and trained by David Bell, Thinking Out Loud broke sharply and then stalked the speed of longshot Ashlee's Cat through soft fractions of 24.23 seconds, 48.72, and 1:13.69.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Raylene, a venerable 5-year-old who has competed at every major track in Canada, will likely be favored in Saturday's $198,800 Maple Leaf Stakes, a 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares at Woodbine.
Raylene, a multiple Grade 3 stakes winner in western Canada, finished third to the recently retired One for Rose in last year's Maple Leaf, and was a distant fifth behind that one in the 2003 renewal.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - After the Knight will try to win her fourth straight race when she tackles older horses for the first time at Hastings on Saturday. Avalanche Bay looks like the main threat in the 1 1/16-mile allowance race for fillies and mares that haven't won a stakes race in 2005.
AUBURN, Wash. - Colony Lane will shoot for his third straight win on Saturday when he heads a field of nine in the six-furlong feature for $8,000 to $6,250 claimers at Portland Meadows.
Colony Lane, a 6-year-old son of Majesterian, was claimed by trainer Jim Fergason for owner David Green for $15,000 in August at Emerald Downs. After posting a third and a fourth in his next two starts, he was dropped to the $3,500 level on Oct. 10 and responded with a half-length win in 1:09.40 for six furlongs.
ALBANY, Calif. - With five supplemental entries because of the lack of turf racing at Hollywood Park, a full field of 12 3-year-old fillies has signed up for Saturday's $75,000 Moment to Buy Handicap at Golden Gate Fields.
The grass stakes will be contested at 1 1/16 miles.
In addition, two other turf races Saturday saw 20 runners pass the entry box, including six Southern California-based fillies and mares who make up the first race, a $50,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles.
