ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Reade Baker's duo of Judiths Wild Rush and Silver Bird fared the best of five Woodbine invaders at Monmouth last Sunday, when each finished third in a $100,000 stakes.
Judiths Wild Rush missed second by a head in the six-furlong Teddy Drone, which Wildcat Heir won by 5 3/4 lengths.
"He didn't seem himself down there; he was awfully quiet," said Baker. "He wasn't going to handle the winner, but he should have been a distinct second."
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Bay Meadows will offer 11 stakes worth $830,000 during its 33-day fall meeting, which begins Aug. 26.
The highlight of the meet is the Grade 3, $125,000 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Two $100,000 California-bred turf stakes are also scheduled, the California Turf Championship at one mile on Labor Day and a new five-furlong sprint on Sept. 24, the California Turf Sprint Championship, which replaces the California Sprint Championship on the main track.
Racing returns to the smallest venue in California on Thursday for a 10-day meeting at Ferndale that runs through Aug. 21.
The C.J. Hindley Humboldt County Marathon will be run for the 50th time this year and headlines a schedule of nine stakes races for several breeds. A 1 5/8-mile race run over Ferndale's half-mile track, the Marathon sees runners cross the finish line four times.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Late runner Expect an Angel may have found a confidence-boosting spot in Thursday's third race at Woodbine, an $80,000 optional claimer for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on the main track.
Expect an Angel took the Grade 3 Chaposa Springs Handicap over a sloppy track at a shocking 39-1 last December at Calder. She has won just once in nine races since, in a $16,000 starter allowance at Gulfstream on March 4.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - There were not enough entries to fill the $65,000 Quick Call Stakes, so the feature on Wednesday's Saratoga card is a $52,000 third-level allowance race for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles.
A field of six was entered, including the coupled Overbrook Farm entry of Family Business and Winning Season. The race also carries an optional claiming tag of $75,000. Only Think Fast is eligible to be claimed.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Despite winning a stakes in his last start, T. D. Vance was overlooked in the betting in Monday's $150,000 , which he won by a nose at Saratoga before a crowd of 16,938.
Silver Whistle came with a late run, but had to settle for second.
T. D. Vance ($35) stalked the pacesetter, High Limit, who led through six furlongs in 1:11.32. T. D. Vance drew clear in the stretch and was able to hold off Silver Whistle, who was gobbling up ground with every stride.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Forever Rascal was the upset winner in a field of 11 for last Saturday's 1 1/16-mile Count Lathum at Northlands Park, the final major local prep for the $300,000 Canadian Derby here Aug. 28. The race, however, was marred by a three-horse spill that cost the life of Lonesome Leo, who fractured his right front leg when he stumbled down the backstretch under jockey Chris McGregor.
Vancouver invader Hotenuforyoo, with Rickey Walcott aboard, also went down when Lonesome Leo fell right in front of him, with Alberta Derby champion Knight's Covenant also falling.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jockey Jerry Bailey was forced to take off his final two mounts Monday after suffering an injury to his nose when the horse he was to ride in the fourth race, Performing Diva, head-butted him during the post parade.
Bailey, who received some stitches from Dr. Rick Alfred on track, was scheduled to get X-rays on Tuesday at Albany Medical Center. Performing Diva, a juvenile filly trained by Bill Mott who was making her debut, ran off and was scratched.
"She threw her head back and head-butted me in the face," Bailey said. "She won, I lost."
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - If Whitney one-two finishers Commentator and Saint Liam meet again in next month's Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park, Richard Dutrow Jr., the trainer of Saint Liam, promises to have something waiting for Commentator: a rabbit.
"I should have nominated a speed horse [to the Whitney]," Dutrow said. "I'll do it the next time. I'll just put something in there to make the pace honest."
