OCEANPORT, N.J. - This will be a very busy stakes weekend for trainer Jim Ryerson at Monmouth Park.
He will saddle Park Avenue Ball, one of the leading contenders in the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Sunday. His action begins, though, on Saturday, when he sends out Livermore Valley in the $60,000 Colleen Stakes.
The 5 1/2-furlong Colleen is the traditional Monmouth prep for the $100,000 Sorority on Sept. 3, the major event of the meet for 2-year-old fillies.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Handicappers who include the homefield advantage in their assessment of a runner's chances are presented with an interesting puzzle when Chicago shipper Scooter Roach meets Dontbotherknocking on his home course in Saturday's $75,000 John Bullit Handicap at Canterbury Park. A 1 1/16-mile turf contest, the John Bullit is named in honor of the Canterbury Park Hall of Fame runner who dominated turf racing here in the 1980's.
EAST BOSTON, Mass. - Established Massachusetts-bred fillies and mares square off against a rapidly improving youngster in Saturday's $40,000 First Episode at Suffolk Downs in one of the most wide-open statebred stakes here this year.
Defending champion African Princess, fresh off her third-place finish in the Last Dance Stakes on July 4, drew the outside post in the field of six for the 1 1/16-mile race. She takes on Ask Queenie, who has finished first or second in her last five statebred races, against both males and females.
The purse for Saturday's Chesapeake Stakes at Colonial Downs is a modest $60,000. Yet the six-furlong sprint attracted the pacesetter in last fall's Breeders' Cup Sprint and an old-timer whose resume includes $1.4 million in earnings along with a Grade 1 stakes victory.
The front-running Abbondanza and deep closer Peeping Tom bring a touch of back class to the Chesapeake, one of only four dirt stakes on Colonial's schedule.
Six as yet undistinguished 3-year-olds will try to strengthen their credentials for next month's Pennsylvania Derby in the $100,000 Larry Riviello President's Cup at Philadelphia Park.
As an incentive, the race winner earns a berth in the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 5.
Legal Control, a two-time stakes winner against Maryland-breds, and Letterman's Humor, winner of an overnight stakes at Delaware Park in June, are the only stakes winners in the field.
Bohemian Lady shortens up to six furlongs after setting the early pace and tiring slightly going a mile in the Grade 2 Shuvee Handicap at Belmont in May when she heads a group of 11 fillies and mares in the $55,000 Make Me Conquer at Delaware Park.
The 4-year-old Bohemian Lady, trained by Todd Pletcher, ran well off a layoff in a sprint last January, posting a career-best 102 Beyer finishing second in a high-priced optional claimer at Gulfstream Park.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Gold and Roses blew by Galloping Grocer, the even-money favorite, in upper stretch to win the $250,000 by 6 3/4 lengths at Saratoga on Wednesday.
Galloping Grocer finished second in the 1 1/8 mile race for the progeny of New York stallions. It was another 4 3/4 lengths back to Western Galaxy in third and an additional 9 3/4 lengths back to Organizer in fourth. Meniscus, Twooutsintheninth, and Breeze On completed the order of finish.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Eric Kruljac visited Saratoga several years ago and watched a couple of races before heading home to California. The next time he is here, Kruljac will have a starter in Saturday's Grade 1 Test.
Kruljac will be represented by Leave Me Alone, the winner of the Grade 3 Azalea Breeders' Cup at Calder in her last start, in the $250,000 Test for 3-year-old fillies.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - After five years as a trainer, Frank LaBoccetta Jr. will saddle his first starter in a Saratoga stakes-Bank Audit, who is the horse to beat in Friday's $150,000 Honorable Miss Handicap.
is the likely favorite among eight fillies and mares in the six-furlong Honorable Miss.
A winner of three stakes in New York in 2005, Bank Audit packs 120 pounds as the highweight in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss.
EDMONTON, Alberta - The midseason reunion of jockey Leanne Painter and Alberta's 2003 horse of the year, Deputy Country, has continued to pay huge dividends. Deputy Country, a 7-year-old owned by Arnold Heppner, won last Saturday's Klondike Handicap, his second straight win under Painter after having captured the Spangled Jimmy here July 9.
Deputy Country, who was the second favorite to Vancouver invader Blowin in the Wind in the Klondike, returned $7.30.
On Monday, Alberta's 2002 horse of the year Sixthirtyjoe won the Sun Sprint Championship on a disqualification.
