CALGARY, Alberta - The feature race is generally scheduled later in the program, but Stampede Park has placed Sunday's best race, a $21,300 optional claimer for older horses, in the fifth-race superfecta slot.
Superfecta fans, generally faced with low-level claimers or maidens, should relish handicapping the full field of 10 horses, as contention runs deep. The Sunday card consists of nine half-mile dashes.
Greater Good, a leading Kentucky Derby candidate who was labeled as a colt by The Jockey Club for the first seven starts of his career, will be listed as a ridgling for the first time on April 16, when he starts in the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.
Officials at Tampa Bay Downs reported Friday that three horses stabled at the track have tested positive for strangles. The affected barn has been placed under quarantine and the infected horses, all of whom are trained by the same trainer, have been isolated in a separate area.
The report is the latest finding of the infection, following cases at the Palm Meadows Training center in south Florida and the Trackside training facility in Louisville. Ky.
ARCADIA, Calif. - After fighting rainy weather and a problematic quarter crack in recent months, Wilko has his trainer, Craig Dollase, excited about his chances for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby next Saturday.
"I'm very pleased where I'm at right now," Dollase said.
The comment came a few hours after Wilko zipped through a six-furlong workout in 1:10.60 at Hollywood Park on Friday. It was the fastest of nine recorded works at the distance; the next quickest of 1:12 was recorded by Resonate and Thunder's Echo.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Island Fashion, one of the best mares in the West, will take on reigning Eclipse Award champion Ashado next Saturday in the Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares will be co-featured on a program with the Grade 2, $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap.
The Apple Blossom and Oaklawn handicaps mark the start of the annual Racing Festival of the South, a series of nine stakes run over the last six days of the meet. Total purses for the stakes are $2,775,000.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When trainer Bobby Frankel had to scrap his plan of running Ghostzapper in the Oaklawn Park Handicap, he thought he'd be able to go to his bench and run Badge of Silver instead. Unfortunately, Badge of Silver wasn't nominated, and horses may not be supplemented to that race.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Greeley's Galaxy never has run in a stakes race, but he certainly will be among the favorites here Saturday in the Illinois Derby. With two straight wins in Southern California, and a brand-name jockey in Kent Desormeaux, Greeley's Galaxy will attract as much attention as any of the other 3-year-olds who may or may not be coming to Chicago for the derby next weekend.
As of Friday, the Illinois Derby field remained in flux, with perhaps seven confirmed starters, none in the upper tier of Kentucky Derby hopefuls.
Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day has begun rehabilitation in Vail, Colo., following surgery on his right hip Wednesday. When contacted by Churchill Downs officials, he called the surgery a success, while noting that the cartilage damage lining his hip joint was more extensive than initially believed.
The 51-year-old Day plans to continue his rehabilitation in Vail until April 9 before returning to his home in Louisville. He said he maintains faint hopes of riding in the Kentucky Derby on May 7. He has ridden in a record 21 consecutive Kentucky Derbies.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Bub will challenge the local handicap stars in next Saturday's $20,000 Portland Meadows Mile.
Bub, a 5-year-old trained by Bud Klokstad, was the top 2-year-old at Emerald Downs in 2002, when he won three stakes. He missed almost all of his 3-year-old campaign due to illness, and took almost all of last year to round back into form.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Javier Castellano's first trip to Dubai produced a memorable victory aboard Saratoga County in the $2 million Golden Shaheen. It also will keep him out of action here Sunday and again the following Sunday at Keeneland.
Castellano was handed a two-day suspension by the stewards at Nad Al Sheba for his ride aboard Saratoga County in the six-furlong Golden Shaheen, despite the fact they did not disqualify the horse from his one-length victory over longshot Tropical Star.