DEL MAR, Calif. - Singletary, who won last year's Breeders' Cup Mile, has been fed a steady diet of one-mile races, nine in a row, since failing at 1 1/8 miles in the Del Mar Derby in September 2003. But on Sunday, Singletary will again stretch out to nine furlongs on turf when he runs in the Grade 1, $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar.
Don Chatlos, who trains Singletary, said the decision was not an easy one. Also under consideration was the Grade 2, $350,000
DEL MAR, Calif. - When the Del Mar meet opened one year ago, jockey Garrett Gomez was nearing the end of a self-imposed exile from the sport that had lasted nearly two years. It was not until the end of the meeting that Gomez even began to come around to the track and reacquaint himself with horsemen in preparation for his return to riding at Fairplex Park.
DEL MAR, Calif. - The start of the Del Mar meeting on Wednesday marks the unofficial launch of the Breeders' Cup prep season.
Maiden races over the seven-week meeting will produce candidates for the Del Mar Debutante for fillies on Aug. 27 and the Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7 as well as other top stakes around the country in September, and, ultimately, the Breeders' Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 29.
Even though it is only late July, there is little margin for error for a championship prospect. An illness or sore shins will derail even the best-laid plans.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Jim Ryerson worries a lot. It comes with the territory as a horse trainer.
Ryerson had a couple of concerns for Park Avenue Ball heading into Saturday's Long Branch Breeders' Cup Stakes at Monmouth Park: How would the colt respond to a layoff, having not run since finishing second to the eventual Preakness runner-up, Scrappy T, in the Withers Stakes at Aqueduct on April 30? Could he win a two-turn race?
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Lone Star Park closed out its 67-date meet Sunday with declines in average daily attendance and handle from the corresponding meet a year ago, but an increase in purses. The track raced 63 spring dates last year, then held a special fall meet to host the Breeders' Cup.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Canterbury Park president Randy Sampson has left open the possibility that the track could give up the Claiming Crown, at least for next year, in the wake of disappointing business results for the seventh running of the series Saturday.
Sampson said Monday that he was "frustrated" by a sharp drop in wagering handle and that "the floor is open" for discussing whether Canterbury should host the Claiming Crown next year.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Garrett Gomez won his first riding title in nearly seven years and trainer Doug O'Neill continued his dominance in Southern California at the Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting that ended Sunday. The meet was the last under the ownership of Churchill Downs Inc., which sold the track to the Bay Meadows Land Co. earlier this month.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The versatile Cat Alert makes her first start for trainer Joe Orseno on Wednesday in a $58,000 optional claimer at Belmont Park.
The 5-year-old was a welcome addition to Orseno's barn. She has already won 6 of 15 starts, including her last two races. Cat Alert dominated in her last start, a grass race at Keeneland on April 24. After dueling for the early lead, Cat Alert drew off to 10 1/4-length win that earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The final week at Belmont Park starts Wednesday with one title settled and another very much up for grabs.
Edgar Prado will be a runaway winner among the jockeys, with a 77-52 lead over Eibar Coa entering Wednesday's races.
It's a much different story among the trainers. Bill Mott holds a 20-19 lead over Juan Rodriguez, who is filling in for the suspended Richard Dutrow Jr., and Todd Pletcher. Mike Hushion and Christophe Clement, with 17 wins each, still have a shot.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - This past weekend was one of the hottest of the summer in Chicago, and on Saturday, in winning the by two lengths, Devilment turned in the fastest 1 1/8-mile time since Arlington Park reopened in 2000. But on Monday, Devilment was not acting like an overstressed horse, a good sign for a colt who has blossomed into one of the better 3-year-olds in the Midwest right now.
"No complaints with how he came out of it," said trainer Mike Stidham. "He's bouncing. He's a happy horse."
