HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Bill White is hoping his past doesn't catch up to him when he runs High Fly in Saturday's $125,000 Aventura Stakes. Run at a mile, Aventura is the and drew a full field of 12 3-year-olds.
High Fly, who is undefeated in two starts, will have to contend with two horses whom White trained in 2004: Magoo's Magic, who is now trained by Allen Jerkens, and D'court's Speed, who is trained by Nick Zito.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gulfstream Park president Scott Savin was smiling as he walked to the paddock before Thursday's 10th race.
"What a difference a day makes," said Savin as the second day of the 2005 Gulfstream meeting was drawing to a close. "This was just a great day. Everything went just the way it was supposed to.
We really needed those 48 hours to work out the bugs."
ARCADIA, Calif. - Three months after they finished a head apart in the Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap, Lundy's Liability and Total Impact meet again in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 at Santa Anita.
Both could use a win as a springboard to more important stakes, and to offset recent losses. But an expected off track, and the presence of a few rivals capable of an upset, may spoil those plans.
ARCADIA, Calif. - At least on paper, Saturday's $150,000 San Gorgonio Handicap for fillies and mares at Santa Anita appears to be an outstanding turf race.
That may be as close as the race gets to being run on turf, though, because of recent wet weather. With further rain expected, there is a strong chance the Grade 2 San Gorgonio will be run over 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
A transfer would most likely lead to the withdrawal of Grade 1 stakes winners Ask for the Moon and Megahertz.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Declan's Moon and Wilko, two of the three finalists for the Eclipse Award as the nation's outstanding 2-year-old male of 2004, are being pointed for the $200,000 Santa Catalina Stakes on March 5, their respective trainers said.
The Grade 2 Santa Catalina, run over 1 1/16 miles, is a key prep to the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 9.
Declan's Moon, unbeaten in four starts including three stakes, is currently jogging at Hollywood Park, trainer Ron Ellis said.
NEW ORLEANS - Crimson Stag, the impressive winner of the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile in his last start, heads a field of seven entered for Saturday's Crescent City Derby at Fair Grounds.
will be trying two turns for the first time in his career in the Crescent City, which is run as a handicap for 3-year-old Louisiana-breds at 1 1/16 miles. Crimson Stag will carry high weight of 122 pounds.
Trainer Dallas Stewart has kept Crimson Stag sharp for this race, working him a half-mile in 48 seconds last week.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Quiz the Maid and Pete's Dolly will be rematched in Saturday's best race at Portland Meadows, a $7,000 overnight handicap at a mile that has drawn a field of seven fillies and mares.
Quiz the Maid and Pete's Dolly first met in a similar race on Dec. 4, when Quiz the Maid staged a remarkable stretch rally to collar the pacesetting Pete's Dolly near the wire in 1:39. It was the seventh win from nine local starts for the 4-year-old Quiz the Maid, who is trained by Jim Fergason.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Tamburello, winner of the Gallant Fox Handicap in his last start, has been sold to Saudi Arabian interests and will be pointed to the King's Cup, a 2 1/8-mile race run on Feb. 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mike Miceli, who owned and trained Tamburello during his stint in North America, could not reveal to whom Tamburello was sold or for how much.
"He has been sold to the Saudis, but the owner requested to be anonymous," Miceli said Thursday. "The transaction was made [Wednesday] and they picked the horse up this morning."
Rockport Harbor, a top Kentucky Derby candidate trained by John Servis, arrived at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., on Thursday morning from his base at Philadelphia Park. He is pointing for Oaklawn's 3-year-old series, which Servis swept last year with Smarty Jones, who went on to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
After his 20-hour van ride, Rockport Harbor was placed in the same stall Smarty Jones occupied last year.
