The date parameters of a proposed Fair Grounds meet at Louisiana Downs became more defined Friday after the Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association reached an "agreement in principle" with Fair Grounds owner Churchill Downs, Inc., said Sean Alfortish, president of the Louisiana HBPA.
The meet would run approximately 40 days, and extend from around Nov. 10 to Jan. 15.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.'s double-team worked brilliantly as Show Boot and Crafty Player softened up Commentator and Saint Liam cruised to an easy two-length victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 before 8,365 at Belmont Park.
The victory not only avenged Saint Liam's neck loss to Commentator in last month's Whitney Handicap at Saratoga, but also establishes Saint Liam as one of the favorites for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic to be run here on Oct. 29.
Global Trader returns from his summer vacation in Monday's $60,000 Derby Trial at Fairplex Park. The Derby Trial, run at 1 1/16 miles around three turns, is a prep for the $100,000 Pomona Derby, run at the about distance of 1 1/8 miles at Fairplex on Sept. 24.
The Derby Trial will be Global Trader's first outing since he captured a preliminary allowance from gate to wire over the Calder turf course in May, and it will also be his first start outside the state of Florida.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Same script, different venue.
In a virtual replay of the United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park this summer, Better Talk Now and his rabbit, Shake the Bank, double-teamed the competition to win a Grade 1 stakes.
Better Talk Now outdueled King's Drama by a neck to capture the $500,000 on Saturday at Belmont Park. Relaxed Gesture was third.
Better Talk Now ($8.10) ran the 1 3/8 miles in 2:11.65, equaling the stakes record set by Influent in 1997 and Royal Mountain Inn in 1994.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Luas Line found life in North America better the second time around.
Making her second overseas trip from Ireland in 10 weeks, Luas Line toyed with three rivals and even trampled a few geese en route to a 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1, $300,000 at Belmont Park. Asi Siempre rallied for second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of odds-on favorite My Typhoon. Insan Mala was last.
Under John Velazquez, Luas Line ran nine furlongs over the inner turf course in 1:45.62, the fastest Garden City Breeders' Cup in nine runnings at the 1 1/8-mile distance.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Nick Zito could see In the Gold starting to blossom in the cool morning air at Saratoga as fall approached.
"She really started to come around," Zito said. "A lot of fillies get better in the fall."
In the Gold, who had a tough spring and summer campaign, responded to the seasonal change with a 2 1/4-length victory over Leave Me Alone in the 110th running of the Grade 1, $250,000 for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Belmont Park.
In the Gold ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.75 and paid $5.90.
MIAMI - The old adage of pace making the race was never more evident than at Calder on Saturday, when Pampered Princess was surprisingly allowed to control the $40,000 The Draw In Stakes from start to finish en route to a 6 1/2-length victory over 1-2 favorite D'Wildcat Speed.
On a day the young rider James Graham could do just about nothing wrong, Home of Stars showed he is just about as good on the turf as he is on dirt. One of the best Illinois-bred dirt route horses in recent seasons, Home of Stars beat a decent field of open horses in the $40,000 John Henry Stakes on Saturday at Arlington Park.
For Graham - ho hum - it was still another victory, his fourth on the day after only eight races.
"Everything went according to plan today," Graham said.
The last four Thoroughbred races were canceled on Friday night at Prairie Meadows after the jockeys complained that the racing surface was uneven near the quarter pole.
The riders said a hole began to develop near the quarter pole on Thursday evening after an afternoon thunderstorm dumped nearly two inches of rain on Altoona, Iowa, where Prairie Meadows is located.
