Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Rich in Spirit spurs Proctor revival

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It has been more than a decade since trainer Tom Proctor sent out One Dreamer to a 47-1 upset in the 1994 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Churchill Downs. During the years that followed what remains the greatest win of Proctor's 27-year career, he has never quite been able to recapture that magic, and his friends occasionally tease him about selling his soul to the devil for that one victory.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Anderson to bring top local juvenile talent together

Golden Gate Fields' next generation of stars will be in the spotlight Saturday in the $75,000 Malcolm Anderson for 2-year-olds.

The five-furlong race, the lone 2-year-old stakes of the spring meeting, will have at least nine runners, including the filly Outta Candy, trained by Ellen Jackson.

Cause to Believe, Don Jaun Con, I Dream of Genius, and Toss the Pearls, all coming off victories, should make the race an interesting one.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Smile Sprint looks likely for Silver Wagon

MIAMI - The decision is not yet etched in stone, but it seems more and more likely that Silver Wagon will make his next start defending his home turf in the $500,000 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder Race Course on July 9. The Smile Sprint shares top billing with the Grade 2, $500,000 Princess Rooney Handicap on a Summit 0f Speed card that will offer in excess of $2 million in purses.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Gill departure frees up stall space

Equi-Photo
Megantic, winner of the Battlefield Stakes at Monmouth last year, has arrived from Florida.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Owner Michael Gill removed his 36 horses from Monmouth Park over the weekend.

Gill, the leading owner at Monmouth the last two seasons, relocated the New Jersey division to the Bowie training center in Maryland.

Tim Ritchey could be one of the trainers filling the vacant stalls.

Ritchey listed Monmouth as a possible destination for Afleet Alex following the colt's victory in the Belmont Stakes. Ritchey has said he will point Afleet Alex to Monmouth's $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 7.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Layoff no sweat for Skylist

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Friday's Louisiana Downs allowance feature is a little short on experience and a little long on ambition.

Most of the 13 fillies and mares who passed the entry box for the one-other-than mile turf race for Louisiana-breds have been dealing with their conditions for claiming prices, but the $31,500 purse proved ample inspiration to kick it up another level. The field will be limited to 10 starters, with the temporary rail out 20 feet.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Prescott gets his chance to catch Baze

With jockey Russell Baze temporarily sidelined by a fractured collarbone, there is an opening for Rodney Prescott, the leading rider at River Downs, to close the gap in the race for leading rider in the nation by number of wins.

Prescott, a clear second behind Baze, has been doing double duty for the last couple of months, riding at River Downs in the afternoon and at Indiana Downs in the evening. The constant work has paid off, as Prescott leads the standings at both tracks. Through Tuesday, Prescott trailed Baze nationally by 26 wins, 179 to 205.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Canterbury Downs track report

Canterbury fans did a double take after looking at the splits posted in Saturday's fourth race. Favored Cyber Hacker had dueled through fractions of 21.93 seconds, 43.81, and 1:08.43 before drawing off in the 6 1/2-furlong allowance, stopping the timer in 1:14.91. The splits and final time were within hailing distance of a legendary track-record performance (1:14) in 1988 - a stretchlong duel between California shipper Don's Irish Melody and Midwest star Who Doctor Who in the $150,000 Chaucer Cup.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Delta Downs track report

Delta Downs in Vinton, La., will race 88 Thoroughbred dates during its 2005-06 meet. The season will open Oct. 21 and continue through March 25, 2006.

Post time for the Wednesday-through-Saturday-night schedule has been moved up slightly, to 5:55 p.m. Central. There will be three afternoon programs during the meet, on Nov. 22, Dec. 20, and Dec. 27, with those cards set to start at 2:45 p.m.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Great Lakes Downs track report

Trainer Wayne Minnock is 1 for 1 at Great Lakes Downs this year after shipping in from Kentucky to capture Monday's $45,000 Lansing Stakes with Speak of Kings.

Speak of Kings ($5.80) won by 2 1/4 lengths over Demagoguery, last year's juvenile champ at this track. Demagoguery's chances were compromised when he broke in the air.

Gerald Bennett, trainer of Demagoguery, won the week's other 3-year-old stakes, the $45,000 Regret, with Musical Factor, who defeated the 2004 filly champ, Foolininthemeadow, who finished fourth.

Wed, 06/15/2005 - 00:00

Lincoln track report

Jerry Carkeek turned in the riding performance of the season last Friday when he collected five wins on the card from his eight mounts. Carkeek won the final race on Thursday night before scoring five times on Friday. He added a triple on Sunday to leapfrog from sixth to third in the jockey standings.

Trainer Diana Maass saddled her first career winner on Thursday night when her uncoupled entry of Pug's Pistol and My Man ran one-two in the third race. Pug's Pistol returned $35 to win and combined with her stablemate for an exacta worth $157.60.