Fri, 07/15/2005 - 00:00

Mile is right in High Strike Zone's wheelhouse

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - High Strike Zone has been unbeatable at one mile, and on Sunday he will be a clear favorite at the distance in the $75,000 Bob Johnson Memorial, the closing-day feature at Lone Star Park. Others in the six-horse field include Majestic Thief and Intelligent Male.

Fri, 07/15/2005 - 00:00

Softest spot in several years for McDynamo

McDynamo, the Eclipse Award-winning steeplechase horse of 2003, races in something other than a Grade 1 stakes for the first time in nearly three years in Sunday's David L. "Zeke" Ferguson Memorial Hurdle Stakes at Colonial Downs.

The Grade 3 Ferguson, which will be contested at 2 1/4 miles, drew just five entrants, including the 2003 winner, Anofferucantrefuse.

The 8-year-old , trained by Sanna Hendriks, could be in need of a confidence booster after losing his last three starts, including two this spring.

Fri, 07/15/2005 - 00:00

In Summation at head of the class

Skip Smith
In Summation's Birdonthewire win made him the early favorite in the Florida Stallion Series.

MIAMI - Now that the Summit of Speed is in the record books, local attention will turn almost completely to the 2-year-old division and the upcoming Florida Stallion series, which begins Aug. 13 with the $75,000 Dr. Fager and Desert Vixen stakes. Both races will be decided at six furlongs.

The early favorite in the open division of the stallion series is the undefeated In Summation, who ran his record to a perfect 3 for 3 with his victory in Sunday's Birdonthewire Stakes.

Fri, 07/15/2005 - 00:00

Risen Empress a filly on the go

Skip Smith
Where Is My Daddy, winning the Mademoiselle, has lost to Risen Empress.

Risen Empress, a winner of two straight against Louisiana-breds and stakes-placed against open company earlier in the Louisiana Downs meeting, will attempt to extend her win streak in Sunday's Hallowed Dreams Stakes. The six-furlong statebred headliner is named for the remarkable Louisiana-bred filly who strung together 16 wins in a row in her home state a few years ago.

Fri, 07/15/2005 - 00:00

River Downs: Hoover jam-packed

Bettors who like playing stakes races, especially those with full, wide-open fields, will thoroughly enjoy the $40,000 Hoover Stakes at River Downs.

No fewer than 15 Ohio-bred 2-year-olds were entered for the 5 1/2-furlong Hoover, with 14 allowed to start. Among the 15 are three fillies, including Fight Girl, who might start as the favorite.

Fri, 07/15/2005 - 00:00

Be a Halo taking steps to become a router

Emerald Downs
Aunt Sophie, the top older filly or mare of last year's meet at Emerald, has been retired at age 7.

AUBURN, Wash. - Be a Halo registered his first official workout since arriving from Arlington Park on Tuesday, going five furlongs in a minute under exercise rider Bryson Cooper.

"He did just fine," said Kay Cooper, assistant to trainer Jim Penney. "We're trying to teach him to relax and rate so that he will stretch out. We've still got more work to do, but Bryson said he was more manageable than we thought he'd be. It was a good first step in the process."

Fri, 07/15/2005 - 00:00

Stephen's hand forced with Columbia Moon

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Trainer Peter Stephen has won races at a high percentage throughout his career, and part of the reason is his patience. He rarely runs a horse out of line, and if the right spot isn't available for a particular horse, he's willing to wait until a race comes up that suits him.

For the past few weeks, Stephen has been trying to find a race for Columbia Moon. After entering the promising 4-year-old in optional races that didn't fill, Stephen finally ran out of patience, and he has entered Columbia Moon in a non-conditioned allowance race Sunday.

Thu, 07/14/2005 - 00:00

Working class has its day

Peb

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - There is more than $650,000 at stake Saturday in the seventh annual .

For the men and women who have converged on Canterbury Park in suburban Minneapolis, there is the opportunity to prove to the racing public that there are capable horsemen out there besides guys named Frankel, Pletcher, or Dutrow.

There also is the matter of regional pride, as horses have come from a wide range of racing circuits for the seven-race series.

Thu, 07/14/2005 - 00:00

Several live plays in deep Emerald

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Horseplayers are constantly clamoring for big fields of quality horses. The , the annual series to be run Saturday at Canterbury Park, has been known to satisfy those demands, and although several races on the Claiming Crown undercard drew short fields, that certainly wasn't the case with the second-richest race of the day, the $125,000 Emerald.

Thu, 07/14/2005 - 00:00

Rare taste of success

Lone Star Park
Trainer Beverly Fowler has won a career-best eight races this year, including two stakes by Rapid Transit favorite Rodeo's Castle (2).

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Beverly Fowler has had plenty of time to think about what might unfold when the is run Saturday at Canterbury Park.

Fowler, aside her longtime friend, Donna Holmes, rode for 17 hours Tuesday in a truck pulling a horse van from Louisiana.

"We left Bossier City at 5 in the morning and got here at about 10 p.m.," said Fowler.