The entry box at Laurel Park was a busy place Wednesday, when the races were put together for Saturday's card, which contains four stakes worth $100,000 or more, highlighted by the Grade 1 .
A total of 105 horses were entered for seven stakes, an average of 15 per race. But since 14 starters are the maximum, quite a few of those horses were relegated to also-eligible status.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A sneak preview of winter rudely plunked itself down on the Churchill Downs backside Wednesday morning. Cincy Dollase, leading a horse to the racetrack, was braving the cold when she started second-guessing herself about why she was even there in the first place.
"California, here I come," said Dollase.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Picking the winning horse in the featured race Friday at Churchill Downs looks fairly difficult. Picking the winning sire does not.
Amazingly, five of the 11 entrants in the ninth of 10 Friday races were sired by A.P. Indy, the highly decorated 16-year-old who was voted Horse of the Year in 1992. Those colts are Indy Storm, Under Caution, Indy Moon, Scipion, and Patriot Act.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - An aura of international intrigue surrounds Friday's third race at Aqueduct, as South American imports We Can Seek and El Provinciano make their U.S. debuts in a tough $58,000 allowance/optional claimer.
Philanthropist, Infinite Glory, and My Snookie's Boy also entered the one-mile race for older males who have not won a purse of $28,000 in 2005 or have never won four races other than maiden, claiming, or starter.
MIAMI - Jockey Manoel Cruz has been one of the premier jockeys on this circuit since his arrival here three years ago, although his only riding title during that period came in 2003 B.C. - Before Castro. But on Sunday, without even winning a race, Cruz suddenly became the overwhelming favorite to capture the Tropical at Calder riding championship after jockey Eddie Castro decided to withdraw appeals of three of the four separate riding suspensions he has received during the course of the season.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It has been a long time between sips for Wholelottabourbon, who will be making his first start in almost six months in Friday's $79,900 allowance feature here at Woodbine.
Wholelottabourbon also will be facing older rivals for the first time in this six-furlong prep for the $125,000 Kennedy Road, which will be run at the same distance here Dec. 10.
"I'm not crazy about running him against older horses," said Wholelottabourbon's trainer, Nick Gonzalez. "But it's the end of the year. You're at a lot less disadvantage."
ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Lloyd Mason sends out a potent entry in Friday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a $32,000 claimer at one mile on the turf.
Mason's one-two punch consists of Proud Chief, who won his last start, and Sauxsoe, who has run second or third in his past three starts, including the race won by Proud Chief.
Friday's race, which is restricted to 3-year-olds, attracted 10 horses, but only eight will be permitted to start.
Dreamsandvisions, who defeated eventual Oklahoma Derby winner Military Major two starts ago, will make his first start against Texas-breds on Saturday night in the $100,000 Star of Texas Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park.
The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up will be the richest of eight stakes on the annual Texas Champions Day card. All of the races on the card are restricted to Texas-breds. The stakes offer total purses of $475,000.
Entries for the races were taken on Wednesday, and Dreamsandvisions drew post 8 in a field of 9 for the Star of Texas.
Interest continues to mount here in anticipation of a rare winter meeting that will begin on Dec. 1. Due to extensive damage suffered by Delta Downs at the hands of Hurricane Rita in late September, the winter and early spring dates for that track have been transferred to Evangeline. The unusual set of circumstances is also being played out in the northern part of the state, as Fair Grounds will conduct its racing this year at Louisiana Downs thanks to Hurricane Katrina, which struck in late August. That abbreviated 37-day season begins Saturday.
