AUBURN, Wash. - A half-dozen of the best 3-year-olds on the grounds will prep for the $65,000 Seattle Slew Breeders' Cup on Aug. 7 in Friday's Emerald Downs feature, a one-mile allowance event with a purse of $19,600.
The field includes the second- through fourth-place finishers in the division's last stakes, the one-mile Tacoma Handicap on
EDMONTON, Alberta - When Nessarose won the Northlands Oaks last weekend, her effort was reminiscent of her second-place finish against males here in last fall's Canadian Juvenile. Nessarose made a late charge from last place in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile, but came up a half-length short of Poor Iggy.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - With 15-time winner Buckeye Bates and a very tough Pioneer Pete in the field, the seventh race easily shapes up as the best race on the Friday night card at Hastings. Just about all of the eight horses entered in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for $20,000 claimers appear to have a chance at the top prize.
Above the Clouds, who has won 2 of his 5 starts at the meet, figures to be the one they will be chasing. Unless One Handsome Devil goes with him early, Above the Clouds could be very tough to catch.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stakes winners Expect an Angel, Hatpin, and Black Rock Road clash on the grass in Friday's Woodbine feature, a seven-furlong event for $80,000 optional claimers.
Expect an Angel, 5, captured the Grade 3 Chaposa Springs Handicap as a 39-1 outsider last December at Calder. She went on to have a busy winter campaign at Gulfstream, winning a $16,000 starter allowance and finishing fifth in three graded stakes.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer John Ward is taking a somewhat unconventional approach with For All We Know in Saturday's $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.
For All We Know is undefeated in three starts, but has never raced in a stakes or beyond a mile. The Coaching Club American Oaks is a Grade 1 at 1 1/4 miles.
Ward said it's "a strange way" to introduce For All We Know to stakes company.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Unbeaten Joey P faces an important test Friday in the featured $47,000 allowance race at Monmouth Park.
If Joey P, the winner of the Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes, fares well Friday in his first two-turn race, it's on to the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 7.
A 3-year-old New Jersey-bred, Joey P puts a five-race winning streak on the line in the one-mile race. Joe Bravo, the meet's leading rider, will be aboard for trainer Frank Costa.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - A funny thing happened early Wednesday afternoon at Arlington Park. It rained.
The Chicago area is wrapped in drought, a drought categorized as D3, or extreme drought, by the National Weather Service. Distinguishing characteristics on the weather service scale include: "major crop/pasture losses; extreme fire danger; widespread water shortages or restrictions."
VALLEJO, Calif. - Trainer Jim Barnes doesn't have a big stable, but he gets the most he can from it.
Barnes is hoping that Snowbound Nan, whom he claimed for $5,000 in her comeback on May 25, can go 2 for 2 for him in Friday's Solano County Fair feature, a $12,500 claimer at five furlongs.
The field of six fillies and mares contains five pace types who want the lead, plus Smoke 'n Triumph, who figures to be last early.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Friday's allowance feature, for those who have not won a race "other than" since March, is loaded with stakes horses. The six-furlong headliner could produce a starter or two for the Island Whirl Stakes on July 20.
While back-class abounds, consistent recent form is a little difficult to come by in the race. The public is therefore likely to have a difficult time determining a favorite. That honor could fall to , who comes off an improved second-place performance.
Omar Camejo, the jockey injured in a spill at Finger Lakes racetrack on Tuesday, was in guarded condition Wednesday at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., with a punctured lung and three cracked ribs, according to a spokeswoman for Camejo's family.
The spokesperson, Julie Pierson, the fianc?e of Camejo's agent, Pedro Carrasquel, said that Camejo was communicating with his wife using hand signals on Wednesday morning.
