ELMONT, N.Y. - Whether or not he rallies to win the Belmont Park trainer title, Todd Pletcher won't put up the gaudy numbers here that he has the last three summers.
Heading into the final weekend of the meet, Pletcher's 19 wins from 89 starters were good enough for a third-place tie in the standings, two behind Bill Mott and one behind Juan Rodriguez. Pletcher, who was tied with Christophe Clement, had two horses scheduled to run on Saturday's card and three on Sunday's closing-day card.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Gygistar finds a cozy spot Sunday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Salvator Mile Handicap at Monmouth Park.
The highweight in the race at 119 pounds, Gygistar loves the distance. The 6-year-old gelding trained by Mark Hennig is 3 for 4 lifetime at a mile.
He should also like the company.
got a steady diet of Grade 1 and Grade 2 races last year. He ran competitively at that level but was only 1 for 12 on the season.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sam-Son Farm and trainer Mark Frostad have won the last three runnings of the Chinese Cultural Centre Stakes, and they will run three horses in Sunday's renewal: Silver Ticket, Colorful Judgement, and Burst of Fire.
The Chinese Cultural Centre Stakes is run over 1 3/8 miles on turf and is worth $343,200.
comes off the race of his life in the Grade 2 King Edward BC Handicap. After a four-wide stalking trip, he pulled away for a 2 3/4-length victory under Todd Kabel.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Mandi Tambi should appreciate what is likely to be a hotly contested battle for the lead in the feature race at Hastings Sunday.
The $25,000 claiming race for 3-year-old fillies drew seven horses, including the very fast Filly's Gone Wild, who has won all three of her races at Hastings. There is plenty of other speed in the 6 1/2-furlong race, though, and Mandi Tambi figures to be the main beneficiary if there's a meltdown up front.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Our Slewshan, favored in each of her four starts this year, heads a field of six 3- and 4-year-old fillies sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in Sunday's Northlands Park headliner. Our Slewshan's rider in this allowance race, for nonwinners-of-two, will be Quincy Welch. She has the rail.
Trained by Dale Saunders for co-owners Crystal Meadows, Dinger Investments, and Wayne Kraft, Our Slewshan has not been worse than second this year.
AUBURN, Wash. - Nine 2-year-old fillies vie for divisional leadership in Sunday's six-furlong Angie C. Stakes, the first stakes of the season for the juvenile set.
The two maiden special weight winners in the field - Ask Kathy and Secret Flame - are expected to contend for favoritism. Two other maiden special weight winners - Musical Wine and The Case Queen - were not entered because neither was eligible for the Northwest Race Series, of which the Angie C. is a part.
Jockey Tim Doocy is expected to be out of action for six to eight weeks after suffering a separated pelvis and internal injuries during the loading process of Thursday's first race at Prairie Meadows.
Doocy, who has won the last three riding titles at Prairie Meadows, was aboard a first-time starter, Chukkaluk, who reared up as she was being loaded. Doocy's right foot was stuck in the stirrup, and he was tossed to the ground in an awkward manner.
AUBURN, Wash. - Most fans will see Sunday's six-furlong Angie C. Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Emerald Downs as a rematch between Ask Kathy and Secret Flame, and for good reason.
Ask Kathy, a daughter of Preakness winner Louis Quatorze from the barn of trainer Steve Bullock, won the fastest five-furlong race for 2-year-olds at the meeting on June 4, getting the distance in 57.40 seconds to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths over Secret Flame and five other maiden special weight runners. The winning Beyer Speed Figure was a 59.
