OCEANPORT, N.J. - The retirement of leading handicap runner Eddington rippled all the way to Monmouth's $70,000 Skip Away Stakes on Saturday.
Trainer Mark Hennig had pointed Eddington for the Grade 1, $500,000 at Belmont Park on Saturday, but when Eddington suffered a career-ending injury, Hennig replaced him with Tap Day, who had been targeted for the Skip Away. Tap Day would have been formidable in the Skip Away following a career-best romp in Monmouth's Frisk Me Now Stakes.
MIAMI - Lost in the Fog worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Golden Gate Fields on Thursday in his final major tune-up for next Saturday's Grade 2 Carry Back Stakes at Calder.
Regular rider Russell Baze was back aboard the undefeated Lost in the Fog for Thursday's work after sitting out the last month with a fractured collarbone.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - A clean trip for once. That is what trainer Cole Norman wants for Victory Lap, who will shoot for her fifth straight victory Saturday in the $100,000 Lone Star Oaks at Lone Star Park.
The 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies is one of two stakes on the card. In the eighth race, 3-year-olds will square off at six furlongs in the $100,000 Alysheba Breeders' Cup.
PLEASANTON, Calif. - Some horses make an indelible first impression that leaves fans impatient for their next start.
Hystericalady, the likely favorite in Saturday's $40,000-added Juan Gonzalez Memorial Stakes at the Alameda County Fair, fits that bill.
The filly was sensational in her debut, which came at Golden Gate Fields, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 79, the highest in a 2-year-old maiden race this year in northern California.
ALTOONA, Iowa - Multiple stakes winner Casual Attitude shoots for the biggest victory of her career when she heads a wide-open field of seven entered in Saturday's $125,000 Iowa Breeders' Cup Distaff at 1 1/16 miles.
, a 5-year-old daughter of Formal Gold trained by Steve Hobby, has 9 wins from 22 starts and more than $275,000 in earnings. Both her wins and earnings are tops in the Distaff field.
Casual Attitude generally runs from well off the pace and the presence of sprinter Candybedandy and confirmed front-runner Ide Be a Lady should give her a good pace setup.
NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - The diverse group of eight entered in Saturday's
Grade 2, $350,000 Ohio Derby made their last starts in seven different states and in Canada. Choosing between them will give some handicappers a headache and likely reward others with a nice payoff.
The 1 1/8-mile derby will be televised on ESPN as part of the Road to the World Thoroughbred Championships. Other races on the broadcast, which airs from 4-6 p.m., are the Suburban and New York handicaps from Belmont Park, and the United Nations from Monmouth Park.
Pike Place Gold will get the chance to race over a distance that his trainer, Cole Norman, has long wanted to start him over Saturday, when he goes to post as the favorite in the featured 10th race at Louisiana Downs.
goes in an optional-claiming allowance at seven furlongs, and he comes into the race on the heels of an allowance win for which he earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 97.
That race, on June 3, came over 6 1/2 furlongs, and he rallied for a 1 1/4-length win. The additional ground he gets on Saturday should be a benefit.
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Fargo Forbes, the champion 2-year-old in the province last year, returns to Marquis Downs for Saturday's $6,000 Saskatoon Handicap and should be well backed in this year's first stakes for 3-year-olds.
The $15,000 Saskatchewan Derby goes Sept. 10, the final day of the meet, and the Saskatoon Handicap provides the public with the first glimpse of the local hopefuls. Seven colts and geldings will run six furlongs in the Saskatoon.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Curtis Sampson, the Canterbury Park chairman, will be represented by the uncoupled entry of Lt. Sampson and Wally's Choice in Saturday's $40,000 Blair's Cove Stakes. A field of nine Minnesota-breds was entered for the 1 1/16-mile turf contest.
