ALBANY, Calif. - The Brazilian mare Fast Navy, a winner at Bay Meadows in her U.S. debut, will bid for a repeat in Friday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a $50,000 optional claimer at one mile.
The 5-year-old Fast Navy impressed in a first-level allowance race on Sept. 2 at Bay Meadows. She set the early pace, was nearly headed at the quarter pole, but found another gear as she pulled away to win by six lengths over Aim for Victory, who won her next start.
The San Mateo, Calif., City Council approved plans for a housing and commercial development at Bay Meadows racetrack by a 5-0 vote Monday night.
The vote would allow for development of 1,250 homes, 1.25 million square feet of office space, 150,000 square feet of retail businesses and restaurants, and 15 acres of parkland where the racetrack currently stands. At the meeting, Bay Meadows agreed to donate $1 million toward public art projects.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Cigno d'Oro turned in one of her best efforts in winning the Queen Lib Handicap last week at The Meadowlands Racetrack.
A 6-year-old mare, Cigno d'Oro was bumped at the break but quickly recovered in a strong front-running victory over New Jersey-bred fillies and mares. She earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure, only 3 points below her lifetime best.
The reward is an opportunity to do it again, only this time against open company. "She ran so good the last time, we've got to run her back again," said trainer Bob Durso.
Voters in Hot Springs, Ark., narrowly approved on Tuesday a proposal that will allow Oaklawn Park to install new electronic gaming machines. According to results released Tuesday night, 4,745 residents voted for the expanded gaming, and 4,656 voted against, a difference of 89 votes.
Results are to be be made official on Friday. There are still 10 provisional ballots left to count as well as one or two ballots that were sent to military members overseas, an election official said Wednesday. The remaining ballots are not enough to change Tuesday's tally.
STICKNEY, Ill. - When Russell Reineman died at 86 in the spring of 2004, it was uncertain what shape his extensive horse holdings would assume in the coming years. Reineman owned and ran Crown Steel on the South Side of Chicago and owned upward of 150 horses, both racing and breeding stock, at the time of his death. His broodmare band numbered about 35, he had racehorses with several trainers, and the 2002 Kentucky Derby winner and 3-year-old champion, War Emblem, was a product of the Reineman operation.
No jockey based in the region of Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana has won more races in North America this year than Quincy Hamilton or Cliff Berry, who are separated by just two wins atop the standings at Remington Park.
Hamilton is North America's ninth-leading rider in wins with 251 through Tuesday, while Berry ranks 13th, with 218. At their home track of Remington, Hamilton has won 97 races this meet as he works to defend his title, while Berry has 95. Remington's third-leading rider by wins is Nena Matz, with 37.
ANDERSON, Ind. - The eagerly awaited rematch between Lil Broad Tee and Spotless Mind will take place Friday night when the one-two finishers of the City of Anderson Stakes meet again in the $40,000 Miss Indiana Stakes for 2-year-old Indiana-bred fillies at Hoosier Park.
Both fillies rallied from well back and through traffic in the 12-horse field for the City of Anderson on Sept. 30, hooking up in the final furlong with Lil Broad Tee nosing out her rival for the win.
He needed some help from the stewards to do it, but Adams Tribe ended a 27-race losing streak that had lasted slightly more than three years when he was elevated from second to first in last Saturday night's $50,950 Frank Gall Memorial Handicap at Charles Town.
The 6-year-old Adams Tribe, a three-time stakes winner as a 2-year-old, was winless since capturing the West Virginia Lottery Breeders Classic in October 2002.
Rocky Gulch, who won his 11th stakes race Sunday in the $147,200 New Mexico Cup Classic at Zia Park, is being pointed for the $125,000 Johnie L. Jamison at Sunland Park on Dec. 11, said his owner and breeder, Larry Teague.
The 6 1/2-furlong Jamison is restricted to horses bred in New Mexico. Rocky Gulch, trained by Terry Walker, is one of the state's marquee horses, with earnings of $772,358. "Our goal is to be the first New Mexico-bred Thoroughbred to earn a million dollars," said Teague. "We're getting pretty close. We've got a good shot."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Twisted Wit, a double stakes winner in each of his first two campaigns, has failed to win any race in five starts this year, all at Woodbine.
That may well change on Friday, however, as Twisted Wit appears to have found a suitable spot in the $79,900 allowance feature, a six-furlong race for nonwinners of a race other than maiden or claiming in 2005.
