Laurel Park in Maryland will open its 78-day fall meeting on Wednesday, showcasing its new, European-style turf course.
The course, completed this summer after several weather-related delays, has been widened from 75 feet to 142 feet and can accommodate six different configurations. Laurel officials have said that they will schedule at least four turf races a day, continuing a trend in the Mid-Atlantic region toward more grass racing.
CHICAGO - The highest-priced horse on the Arlington backstretch makes an appearance in the featured fifth race here Wednesday.
But it's not like Courthouse cost some ungodly sum at auction. His boxcar prices have come on the odds board, and bettors consistently have underrated Courthouse this meet. Consider that he: won a race at 45-1; has finished second at 70-1 and 27-1; and was most recently third in the Cigar Stakes on Arlington Million Day at almost 45-1.
The outside post in the largest field in the race's 27-year history proved no problem for Sun King, who galloped to a 4 1/2-length victory under Rafael Bejarano in the Grade 2, $750,000 race Monday at Philadelphia Park.
Southern Africa got up for second by a nose over Smokescreen.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Todd Pletcher capped his fourth consecutive Saratoga training title in style on Monday as Honey Ryder won the Grade 3 , the closing-day feature of the 36-day Saratoga meet.
The Glens Falls victory was the last of 22 wins for Pletcher this summer. Pletcher also won the training title in 1998. John Velazquez, who finished second in the jockey standings to Edgar Prado, rode Honey Ryder to his meet-leading 15th stakes win.
MIAMI - Bob's Proud Moment, frustrated by numerous near-misses in stakes races here over the past two seasons, finally had things go his way when he posted a neck victory over 21-1 Dancing Master in Monday's Grade 3, $150,000 at Calder. Southern Cal, the 7-5 favorite, finished third after tiring badly in late stretch.
Frank Brothers trains arguably the top 2-year-old in North America in unbeaten First Samurai. Monday, Brothers unveiled a highly capable backup when Laity, ridden by Corey Lanerie, romped to an 11 3/4-length victory in the $200,000 , the annual highlight of the summer meet at River Downs.
"You can never get enough good 2-year-olds," Brothers said.
Laity, a homebred colt by Pulpit, finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.60 over a fast track and returned $10 as third choice in a field of eight 2-year-olds.
As expected, the New York Breeders' Futurity turned out to be a romp. Not by the horse everyone expected to see, however.
Classic Pack ($8.70), who won his maiden in fast time before running into the sensational First Samurai, was easily best in the $248,400 Futurity - the richest run ever run at Finger Lakes.
The six-furlong stakes became wide open when One Way Flight, who would have been odds-on, was scratched.
Ready for Roses trailed the opening quarter, accelerated rapidly when set down, and drew off to a 5 1/4-length win in the 54th running of the $75,000 Governor's Buckeye Cup at Thistledown. Bernard's Candy finished second, a nose in front of Count on My Word.
Ready for Roses is trained by Tim Hamm, was ridden by Irwin J. Rosendo, and paid $5.20. The winning time for 1 1/4 miles was 2:05.24 over the fast track.
Stormy Roman rallied for a repeat victory in the $60,000 Bob Harding Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The Harding was the final race run over the course, which will be torn up this week and have new sod added later in the fall in preparation for the 2007 Breeders' Cup.
Stormy Roman ($8.80) won twice in eight trips over the course. Both times he rallied to capture the Harding, a one-mile race named for the late turf writer for the Newark Star-Ledger.
