Jonathan Sheppard had heard the horror stories of how hard Saratoga's rain-deprived turf courses had allegedly become. So concerned was Sheppard, he considered scratching Latice out of Friday's .
But Sheppard decided to walk the course himself Friday morning, and when he did he found the myth outweighed the facts.
"I didn't think it looked that bad. They've got a good grass cover, and they've obviously been irrigating it well," Sheppard said.
Dinner Choice came three wide on the turn to engage the pacesetting Tri Uimet and outgamed him in a stretch-long drive to gain a head decision in the $40,000 Cleveland Kindergarten Stakes at Thistledown on Friday afternoon. It was 4 3/4 lengths farther back to Fisticuff in the field of seven Ohio-bred 2-year-olds running six furlongs.
Tri Uimet, the odds-on choice, was leaning on the gate at the start. He hustled up to make the lead about a quarter-mile into the race, and fought back gamely when challenged by the winner.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Provided Sunday's $100,000 West Point Handicap for New York-breds remains on Saratoga's inner turf course, there is a very good chance the winner will come out of Barn 9.
Which end of the barn is the question.
On one end is Sicilian Boy, a 4-year-old son of Senor Speedy who enters the West Point off three solid efforts for trainer Richard Schosberg. On the other end is Certifiably Crazy, a 5-year-old gelded son of Fit to Fight trained by Brad Wallace who is Grade 2-placed and beat open-company allowance runners last time on turf.
CHICAGO - High Expectations finished third in the $100,000 Round Table Stakes on July 16. He showed, however, that he could hang with open company, an open question after High Expectations rose to the top of the Illinois-bred 3-year-old class with a convincing win in the Springfield Stakes in late June.
But how will fare in an open allowance race against older horses, a race in which he may have to run down a loose-on-the-lead Iosilver?
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.
