ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stakes winner Edenwold will clash with the promising Victoria's Boy on Sunday at Woodbine in the $159,900 Vandal, a six-furlong stakes for Ontario-foaled 2-year-olds.
Edenwold, a $100,000 yearling purchase, has already earned $156,150 for owners Jim and Alice Sapara. He was second in each of his first two starts, including the Victoria Stakes, and then graduated in a romp before capturing the Colin Stakes.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Owner Thomas Bell is taking dead aim on both the Emerald Downs Breeders' Cup Derby and the British Columbia Derby, Sept 24.
Last Sunday, Bell won the Seattle Slew Breeders' Cup at Emerald with Alexandersrun. The Seattle Slew was the final prep for the Emerald Downs Breeders' Cup Derby, which will be run Sept. 5.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Oceans Seven seeks his third straight victory as he heads a field of 10 horses entered for a $13,000 claiming price at Northlands Park Sunday.
Oceans Seven, a 5-year-old owned by Donver Stable and trained by Greg Tracy, has beaten $10,000 and $13,000 claimers in succession. Stephan Heiler retains the mount on Oceans Seven, who breaks from post 6.
Tricky Toy, owned by Buddy Bensmiller, has received a quick promotion after beating $7,500 conditioned claimers in his first outing of the year. He will be ridden by Rickey Walcott.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Three of the last eight winners of the Travers Stakes were based in Southern California. The connections of Don't Get Mad hope that trend continues this year when they ship Don't Get Mad from the West Coast to the $1 million Travers on Aug. 27.
Don't Get Mad adds a bit of intrigue to what was shaping up to be an ordinary race. Roman Ruler, who has spent most of the summer on the East Coast with wins in the Dwyer and Haskell, and Flower Alley, the Jim Dandy winner, are the two favorites.
MIAMI - Calder's racing secretary, Bob Umphrey, spent the first part of his week attending a graded stakes committee meeting in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where he also received plenty of praise for putting together yet another outstanding Summit of Speed card here earlier this summer.
It's not often the Bay Meadows Fair sees a horse who would have been among the favorites for a Kentucky Derby. Wimbledon, injured just days prior to the 2004 Kentucky Derby, runs in Sunday's fourth race, an optional $50,000 claiming event at a mile on the turf.
Despite being a graded stakes winner, Wimbledon probably won't impress the bettors at Bay Meadows. He figures no better than second or third choice in the wagering in the $32,000 feature, which lured a field of seven. Unlike Wimbledon, who makes his turf debut, several in the field are proven commodities on this surface.
When a 2-year-old is good enough to win the Bashford Manor Stakes, as Deputy G did at Churchill Downs on July 10, the next logical move often is Saratoga.
Instead, Deputy G will turn up next at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. "We thought about Saratoga," said David Pate, who trains Deputy G for Spade Stable, a 19-member syndicate based in Louisville. "But not a lot of the owners wanted to do that. They're Kentucky people, and they want to keep the horse running where everyone can go and see him."
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Due to Win Again's victory in optional-claiming company in her last start could not have come at a better time for trainer Howard Scarberry. The win was the mare's first this year and - the obvious play on words aside - it should set her up well for another good effort in Sunday's $50,000 Sangue Handicap at Louisiana Downs. Eleven entered the 7 1/2-furlong grass race.
The Potters Hand was struggling in low-level claiming races when trainer Marie Vaught decided to try him on the turf in May. The change in surface breathed new life in The Potters Hand, who has registered 2 wins and 2 third-place finishes in 5 grass starts at River Downs this summer.
Three weeks removed from a turf allowance win over the champion statebred Ben's Reflection, The Potters Hand is poised to add a stakes win to his resume Sunday in the $40,000 Buckeye Native for accredited Ohio-breds at River Downs.
