SAN MATEO, Calif. - The unbeaten Trolley Belle returns after 10 months on the sidelines Friday in a six-furlong optional $50,000 claimer for fillies and mares.
The 3-year-old has had a steady series of drills, including one at Friday night's distance, but she faces tough going in her comeback. She was on the lead at every call in both of her starts, and she'll face pace pressure from Sexy Helmsman, a 4-year-old filly drawn outside her. Trolley Belle is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Fellowship Road, coming off a career-best effort at the first allowance category, will try to take her sharp form to the next level in Friday's Woodbine feature. A field of eight fillies and mares was drawn for the optional $62,500 claimer, which will be run at six furlongs on the main track.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Crown's Justice seeks his second straight victory, and his third in four races, in the 6 1/2-furlong feature for $30,000 claimers here at Northlands Friday.
An Ontario-bred 5-year-old trained by Pam McDougall, Crown's Justice will face six rivals. Crown's Justice will retain the riding services of leading rider Rickey Walcott following a two-length win as the favorite at the $30,000 level. He has also won twice this season with a $22,000 claiming tag.
AUBURN, Wash. - A field of seven 2-year-old fillies, six of whom coming off a maiden win, will shoot for a second career victory in Friday's 5 1/2-furlong feature at Emerald Downs. The race is for horses eligible to be claimed for $15,000 or $12,500.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Successful in his first venture south of the Canadian border when he won the Grade 3 Saranac last month at Saratoga, Jambalaya has returned to New York, where he has sights set on Saturday's Grade 2, $300,000 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park.
Jambalaya ran his record to 4 for 4 on turf when he outlasted Silver Whistle to win the Saranac by a nose. The connections of Jambalaya believe he is even better now than he was in September.
MIAMI - Trainer Bill White had planned on running his graded stakes winner D'Wildcat Speed in Sunday's Grade 1 Spinster at Keeneland and then sending her through the Keeneland November sale. But those plans changed abruptly earlier this week with the news that D'Wildcat Speed's racing career is likely over.
"Some of her old aches and pains flared up again, so right now it appears she'll just go directly into the sale," White said during training hours on Wednesday.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - The Daddy began preparations for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Wednesday, when he went back to the track for the first time since his win in the Grade 2, $750,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Saturday.
The Daddy jogged a couple of miles at his Belmont Park base, said his owner, Greg Norman.
"He was full of himself. Very, very fresh," said Norman.
STICKNEY, Ill. - The first part of Fifteen Rounds's Kentucky adventure - getting there - was a success. Part 2, his first graded-stakes start in two years, comes on Saturday, when Fifteen Rounds runs in the Grade 3 Phoenix Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The virus that attacked many of the 2-year-olds in trainer Jim Ryerson's barn in August also claimed Park Avenue Ball. After running a slight temperature, Park Avenue Ball had to skip the Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park on Sept. 5. Ryerson also felt the Pegasus Stakes on Sept. 30, another major fall objective, came too soon for a return.
"He had been sick and we needed another week," Ryerson said. "It was just too tight."
Owner Michael Gill and trainer Scott Lake each has a potent entry for one of the two $50,000 sprint stakes on Friday night's card at Charles Town.
Thermal Ablasion and City Fire, a pair of mares owned by Gill with 21 lifetime victories between them, are both serious contenders in the seven-furlong HBPA City of Ranson Handicap, which goes as race 9.
Lake is scheduled to ship in Outcashem, unbeaten in seven starts since he was claimed for $25,000 in March, and 7-year-old millionaire Shake You Down for the 4 1/2-furlong HBPA City of Charles Town Handicap (race 4).
