OZONE PARK, N.Y. - As far as realizing his potential, it's better late than never for Happy Hunting.
A regally bred 4-year-old son of Seeking the Gold, Happy Hunting made it three consecutive wins and four from his last five starts Thursday when he won a third-level allowance race by 1 1/4 lengths over longshot Olivers Success at Aqueduct. Happy Hunting ($5.10) ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:42.43 in his first start around two turns.
OLDSMAR Fla. - Tampa Bay Downs, once considered "that little track" on Florida's west coast, has come of age. On Saturday Tampa Bay will start its 80th season of Thoroughbred racing with full fields, fresh faces, and a goal to continue an upswing in business that has gained national attention the past five years.
Tampa Bay Downs will run a 94-day live meeting featuring a purse structure of more than $125,000 a day. The track's stakes schedule of 26 races will offer $2.3 million in purses.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Trotamondo was a star in Chile in 2004, when he won the triple crown en route to being named horse of the year.
How that form will translate into stakes competition in the United States will be revealed in Saturday's $100,000 at 1 1/8 miles at Hollywood Park. The Grade 3 Native Diver will be Trotamondo's second start in this country, following a runner-up finish in an allowance race here on Nov. 9.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The Los Angeles County Fair meeting at Fairplex Park in Pomona will make a retroactive purse payment of $241,209 to owners whose horses earned prize money during this year's meeting, officials with the county fair announced on Thursday.
The increase is equal to a 6 percent purse increase, according to George Bradvica, Fairplex's equine manager.
"The checks go out next week, just in time for Christmas," Bradvica said. "That is a lot of money. We're happy to do it."
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Same horse. Same race. Same post. Different venue.
That's the story of favored Witt Ante on Saturday in the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic at the Fair Grounds meet at Louisiana Downs. The 1 1/8-mile race is the richest on a card of 10 stakes for Louisiana-breds worth $1 million.
ALBANY, Calif. - , last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, will make his first start since sustaining an ankle chip during the Preakness when he returns to the races Saturday in the $50,000-added Larkspur Stakes for 3-year-olds at Golden Gate Fields.
He drew post 5 in the field of seven for the six-furlong sprint.
He has the quality and class to win even though he is better suited for longer distances and even though this is primarily a prep race for the Grade 1 Malibu on opening day at Santa Anita, Dec. 26.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Track-record holders High Blitz and Sophia's Prince will clash at six furlongs in the $140,125 Kennedy Road Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.
Owned by Stronach Stable, High Blitz has blossomed into one of the country's finest sprinters this year under the guidance of trainer Justin Nixon. High Blitz broke Fort Erie's six-furlong track record in his season debut in June and went on to finish second here in the Bold Venture Handicap.
PORTLAND, Ore. - There can't be much doubt that Bullishdemands is the best sprinting filly or mare on the Portland Meadows grounds. Though still a 3-year-old, Bullishdemands has humbled older rivals twice in six-furlong handicaps.
She won the Diane Kem by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:12.20 on Oct. 29, then scored a 3 1/2-length victory in the Matinee Girl on Nov. 19, when she got the distance in 1:12.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Marathons will be the order of the day here at Woodbine on Sunday, as the marathon meeting winds up with a 12-race program that includes the two longest races run here this year.
The 1 3/4-mile Valedictory Handicap, the longest stakes race of the meeting and the traditional closing-day feature, will go as the final race of the Ontario and Canadian season.
A starter allowance, which at 1 7/8 miles is the longest race of any type at this stand, will go as the eighth race.
