OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Dreadnaught, a former jumper, collared the pacesetting Certifiably Crazy to win the Grade 2, $150,000 by a nose Saturday at Aqueduct.
Dreadnaught ($13.20) ran the 1 3/8 miles over good turf on a drizzly afternoon in 2:18.87 in the final grass stakes of the year in New York.
It was the first graded stakes victory for the 4-year-old gelding Dreadnaught, whom trainer Tom Voss called "a big, dumb, unathletic horse" until he made three runs over hurdles this spring.
Friday night's program at Portland Meadows was canceled after three races when the jockeys declined to ride, citing unsafe track conditions.
The track was extremely wet because of a procedure performed at the insistence of the Oregon Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. The group wanted the silt washed out of the track by repeatedly mixing the surface with graders and harrows, then drenching it with water.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Elliott Walden has no trouble right here in River City. Even with just one win at the Churchill Downs fall meet and an overall 2004 that pales in comparison to some of his better years, Walden says he is "happier than ever."
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Alfonsina has had perfect trips winning her first two starts by a combined nine lengths. Sunday's $100,000 Valley Stream at Aqueduct looks like the ideal spot for the 2-year-old filly to earn her first graded stakes victory.
With the speedy Megascape and Winsome among her four challengers in the Grade 3 race, Alfonsina should have a strong pace to stalk. Alfonsina will break from post 4 under Cornelio Velasquez.
Cryptograph would like what he would see if he could read the past performance lines of his 11 rivals in the Grade 3, $150,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Sunday. He's a closer and there is no shortage of speed in the race, with entrants like Quintons Gold Rush, Britt's Jules, and Gamblin.
The Oklahoma Derby, which drew more starters than expected with the entry of some locals, is one of four stakes that will make up the richest card of the meet. The stakes are linked by a special pick four that includes the $75,000 MEC Mile.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The once-beaten Roving Angel will try to rebound from the drubbing she took in the Grade 2 Astarita when she starts Sunday in the $136,875 Glorious Song Stakes, a seven-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies.
Roving Angel defeated the talented Victorious Ami when she won her debut in August, but she was scratched at the gate when in against males in the Sept. 6 Silver Deputy Stakes. Four days later, she won a six-furlong allowance in a romp,
and then captured the Finger Lakes Juvenile Filly Stakes by 7 1/4 lengths.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Horseplayers face a variety of challenges Sunday at Hollywood Park, where eight juvenile fillies sprint seven furlongs in the $100,000 Moccasin Stakes.
With division leader Sweet Catomine awaiting the Santa Anita winter meet, the Moccasin shapes up as an interesting handicapping puzzle with ramifications into next month's Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Local hall of fame trainer Allan Jack got off to an uncharacteristically slow start this meet, but he's been winning more than his share of races lately and there's a good chance he will add to his total when he sends over Swingingintherain for the feature race at Hastings Sunday. The $11,000 optional sprint for 3-year-olds drew seven horses, including Arizona Sky, who could be dangerous as the lone speed. It goes as the seventh race.
NEW ORLEANS - Fair Grounds opens a new era with the start of its 133rd season Thursday, featuring the traditional opening-day stakes, the Thanksgiving Handicap. Long one of the most coveted of the nation's independent racetracks, Fair Grounds will now be part of the powerful Churchill Downs Inc. after Churchill purchased the track in October for $47 million.
