ARCADIA, Calif. - The filly-mare turf program in Southern California continues to be hampered by rain. First it was the Dahlia Handicap in December at Hollywood Park, which was switched from turf to dirt. Then it was the San Gorgonio in January at Santa Anita - also switched to dirt.
Now comes the $75,000 Tuzla Handicap on Thursday at Santa Anita, and another rainy-day dilemma.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Traci Girl, who closed out last year in sharp form after receiving a trainer change to Bruce Levine, turns back from a route to six furlongs and will have to catch the speedy Electrical Carlita in Thursday's eighth race at Aqueduct.
Thursday's card was originally scheduled to be run last Sunday, but Aqueduct was shuttered for the entire weekend due to a blizzard, so handicappers have had ample time to go over every nuance of this recycled program.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The waters may have just gotten a little deeper for anybody with a good 3-year-old pointing for the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes here Feb. 5. Trainer Bill White has reconsidered his options for High Fly, his undefeated colt, and is now leaning toward starting him in the 1 1/8-mile Holy Bull.
High Fly served notice that he will be a serious player in the 3-year-old division this season by registering a nine-length victory in the one-mile Aventura. The win was his third one-sided triumph in as many starts.
NEW ORLEANS - Destiny Calls will try to return to her winning ways against a field of nine in Thursday's feature race at Fair Grounds, a $36,500 allowance for Louisiana-bred fillies and mares at about 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf.
The 5-year-old Destiny Calls has an outstanding record at Fair Grounds, where she has been worse than second in only one of 10 starts. Unfortunately, that was her last race, another turf sprint, in which she was outrun by the top open-company female grass sprinters on the grounds, including Leggio winner Ambition Unbridled.
NEW ORLEANS - Robby Albarado became only the third jockey to win 1,000 races at Fair Grounds when he rode No Cash to victory on Monday for trainer Dallas Stewart in the second race on the card.
Albarado broke No Cash well from the gate, grabbed inside position from Maid Guinevere, and kept the 3-year-old filly to her task to win by three lengths.
"That was an easy one," said Albarado, a 31-year-old native of Lafayette, La. "Dallas had the filly placed in the right spot, and all I had to do was ride her."
As usual, the West Virginia Breeders Classics races will be the focus of the stakes schedule at Charles Town.
The 19th annual series of stakes for West Virginia-breds will be held Oct. 8, highlighted by the $300,000 Breeders Classic at 1 1/8 miles and the $250,000 Cavada for fillies and mares at seven furlongs.
The only other six-figure stakes on the schedule is the $100,000 Charles Town Dash on July 4.
Two new stakes for 2005 are the Go for the Green, a $75,000 event at 1 1/4 miles July 2, and the Auld Lang Syne, a $50,000, seven-furlong race Dec. 31.
ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Steve Miyadi finds himself in a bit of a quandary going into Thursday's Golden Gate Fields feature.
It will be tough enough for his recently acquired First Draft to beat to beat six rivals in a $50,000 optional claimer at one mile on the turf.
ARCADIA, Calif. - It's hard to guess who will be more nervous Wednesday: the bettors chasing a pick six carryover of $143,319.66 or trainer Ron McAnally as he gets ready to saddle Mea Domina in the featured seventh race.
McAnally will be holding his breath Wednesday, hoping his talented 4-year-old filly does not unravel like she did before the La Brea Stakes on Dec. 27.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When one is going as well as trainer Tom Bush is going this winter, it's quite understandable to think big. Bush, who has maintained a 39 percent win rate through the first two months of the inner-track meet, has ambitious plans for his 4-year-old filly True Gold.
ALBANY, Calif. - Wednesday's Golden Gate Fields feature is a $16,000 claimer for older runners going 1 1/16 miles. A pair of six-figure earners and another who has earned $98,844 are among the seven entrants.
, who lost by a nose at this level in his last start when given a quintuple jump off a claim, looks best - if he can behave himself before the starting gate opens.
He was fractious in the post parade and while being loaded for that last start. He broke through the starting gate, then hooked up in a pace battle before sticking his head in front at the eighth pole.
