STICKNEY, Ill. - Trainer Roy Houghton wears his cowboy hat pulled low. He has been known to bicycle on a rickety 10-speed from his barn to the Arlington racetrack to watch his horses train. Around friends, he can be voluble. Most of the time, however, Houghton's communications take the less-is-more approach.
For instance, Houghton was asked what he thought of his Hawthorne meet so far. "Well, it's been okay, I guess," he said.
ALBANY, Calif. - Neither Candi Capri nor Just a Tizzy has done much wrong in their brief careers.
Both lost their debuts to a pair of eventual stakes winners. Since then, Candi Capri has won two starts and Just a Tizzy has won her lone start. Something will have to give when the pair meet four other rivals in Wednesday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a $25,000 optional claimer for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Morado will be the only runner to compete without a selling price in Wednesday's Woodbine headliner, a $66,800 allowance optional claimer at seven furlongs. And that certainly counts for something.
Morado has posted three wins in nine outings this year. He was claimed from his current connections, Jim Dandy Stable and trainer Sid Attard, when he won his maiden comfortably for $40,000 in early August, but they promptly took him back from a $62,500 victory Aug. 20.
Morado captured a seven-furlong preliminary allowance, which was taken off the grass,
Mr. Trieste won his eighth consecutive race when he drove to a four-length win in the $106,000 Distance Championship, the closing day feature at the inaugural Zia Park meet in Hobbs, N.M. Silver Axe, the favorite, finished second, a length in front of third-place Don't Strike Out.
Mr. Trieste ($5.80), ridden by Ken Tohill for trainer Gary Cross, stalked the pace set by Don't Strike Out and Inamorato, then took over in the stretch and pulled away. His winning time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:56.60.
Shemoveslikeaghost, gone nearly 13 months, came back to reclaim her throne as the top New Mexico-bred female in the $125,000 New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap, her third straight victory in the race.
Shemoveslikeaghost stalked the pace under jockey Joe Martinez, moved strongly to the lead into the lane, opened up a clear lead, then had just enough to keep the strong-closing Mystic Melissa at bay by a half-length. The $75,000 winner's share pushed her bankroll to over $530,000 from 11 career wins, and made her the richest New Mexico-bred female of all time.
Home and Away took advantage of her inside post to get a ground-saving trip before rallying from last to win the $83,450 East View Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies by 4 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct.
Zippy Missy, the 4-5 favorite, had a wide trip and had to settle for second after making the lead in upper stretch. She finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of Bee in a Bonnet.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainers Red Johnson and Sid Attard long have been regarded as deft hands at the claiming game
And both Johnson and Attard were rewarded last weekend when horses they claimed this year won the two stakes run at Woodbine.
Johnson, 58, claimed Our Madison for $40,000 on Aug. 11 and sent her out to win Sunday's $162,550 Ontario Lassie for owner Kenneth Sawatzky.
Attard, 55, claimed Miss Concerto for $50,000 here July 31 and sent her out to win Saturday's $179,350 Bessarabian for owners Lou and Carlo Tucci.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Proud Tower Too won the first stakes of his career and House of Fortune ended a 10-race losing streak in stakes for state-breds at Hollywood Park on Sunday.
Proud Tower Too set remarkably quick fractions and held off a late run from Jack's Wild to win the $101,000 On Trust Handicap. Ridden by David Cohen, Proud Tower Too ($16) finished 7 1-2 furlongs in 1:27.37, after setting early fractions of 21.56, 43.52 and 1:07.76. Jack's Wild finished a half-length in front of 9-5 favorite Areyoutalkintome.
Jockey Chance Rollins will miss at least two weeks after fracturing his left shoulder blade and severely bruising his left knee in a first-race spill at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday.
Rollins was on Jamestown Flash when the horse broke down in the stretch, pitching Rollins toward the rail. A following horse, Yak Attack, appeared to strike Rollins as he tried to leap over him.
Jamestown Flash, a 4-year-old gelding, was euthanized.
