HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bob Holthus has trained for more than 50 years, and, he said, no horse he has managed accomplished more at 2 than Greater Good. Needless to say, everyone associated with the colt is excited to see where the road will lead at 3.
The journey begins Saturday, when Greater Good makes his 2005 debut in the $100,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.
Officials for Churchill Downs Inc. said Tuesday they expect to purchase an insurance policy that would cover jockeys who ride at six of the company's seven tracks for up to $1 million in medical bills.
The insurance policy would increase by ninefold the amount of accident coverage offered to jockeys at Churchill's racetracks. The current limit at Churchill tracks is $100,000 in medical bills, the same coverage provided by most tracks in states without workers' compensation programs that include jockeys.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Speightstown left trainer Todd Pletcher some big and very fast shoes to fill after retiring following his Eclipse Award-winning season last year. But Pletcher appears to have a worthy candidate to replace Speightstown at the top of the sprint division after watching Forest Danger return from a nine-month vacation to demolish a strong field of high-level optional claiming rivals while setting a track record Monday at Gulfstream Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Mystery's Jules was 6-1 and Lilah even money when they met for the first time at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 7. But after Mystery's Jules ran away to a 4 1/2-length victory in the third-level optional claiming and allowance dash, the odds figure to be a lot closer when the pair meet again under similar conditions in Thursday's $37,000 main event at Gulfstream Park.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Aside from pure common sense, there is another good reason maiden winner Wooden Ticket will not be rushed onto the Kentucky Derby trail by owner-breeder Marty Wygod.
"I already have my Derby horse," he said.
The message was clear - the filly Sweet Catomine is headed for a showdown with colts this spring. Although Wygod's well-bred colt Wooden Ticket - a son of A.P. Indy out of Grade 1 winner Exotic Wood - overcame trouble Sunday to score a promising debut victory, he will run next in a simple one-other-than allowance going two turns.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Lucky J.H. has had very little luck in his five-race career, which is why he is still eligible for the best race Thursday at Santa Anita.
Nine colts and geldings entered the seventh race, a one-other-than allowance/optional $80,000 claimer for 3-year-old California-breds in which Lucky J.H. is the deserving favorite and most likely winner. It is a familiar role for this son of Cee's Tizzy, whose maiden romp in his second start last summer hinted at more to come.
NEW ORLEANS - When the dust settled after Saturday's stakes races at Fair Grounds, the picture heading into the Grade 2, $600,000 Louisiana Derby and Grade 2, $300,000 Fair Grounds Oaks, both scheduled for March 12, finally began to come into focus.
There is no doubt that the best 3-year-old at Fair Grounds on Saturday was Summerly, who won the Grade 3 Silverbulletday without turning a hair. Summerly toyed with her field, running the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:43.70, much faster than it took Scipion to cover the same distance in the Risen Star, which went in 1:44.54.
NEW ORLEANS - Dancing Liebling was tons the best in her last race, but fell a neck short after encountering traffic trouble in the stretch.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Dancing Liebling gets another shot Thursday at Fair Grounds in a similar race, facing three-other-than fillies and mares with a $62,500 claiming option going one mile on turf.
In her last race, at 1 1/16 miles on the turf Jan. 30, was stopped dead when jockey Donnie Meche tried to guide her along the rail in the stretch. Meche then took her up, swung her to the outside, and they still just missed.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Think Fast and Grinch, who finished one-two and ran lifetime top Beyer Speed Figures in their first start over the inner track, head a field of older fillies and mares in Thursday's featured mile race at Aqueduct.
A field of 10 entered the $48,000 third-level allowance with an optional claiming price of $75,000. The Joe Orseno-trained entrymates of Grinch and Meadow Fox both have leading rider Rafael Bejarano named, so one must scratch.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - is the horse to beat in a two-other-than allowance sprint for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn on Thursday, but two horses who did not have much racing luck in their last start are worth a long look.
could both fire big with clean trips in the allowance, which carries an optional claiming price of $100,000.
The race will go as the second on a nine-race card on Thursday.
