INGLEWOOD, Calif. - General Moody and Charbonnier ended layoffs of nearly a year when they finished second and fifth, respectively, in an allowance race at Santa Anita on Oct. 15. The race was the foundation of a campaign that resumes on Friday night at Hollywood Park and could result in one of them winning the seventh race.
Run over 1 1/16 miles on turf, the $39,000 allowance race is for California-breds. There could be a surface switch if the forecast of rain holds true.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - If good things happen to those who wait, then trainer Bob Holthus could be in for a big weekend at Churchill Downs.
Holthus will have top contenders in each of the 2-year-old stakes that will be run here Saturday: Kota, winner of the Ellis Debutante in August, will be one of the fillies to beat in the $100,000 Pocahontas Stakes, while Greater Good, winner of the Kentucky Cup Juvenile in September, figures as one of the top colts in the $100,000 Iroquois Stakes.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The names are enough to make a horseplayer think he has his days mixed up. Bedanken, Honor in War, and Ay Caramba, all exiting rich weekend stakes at Keeneland, have resurfaced in separate turf allowances on what shapes up as an exceptionally good Friday program at Churchill Downs.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The presence of speed in Friday's eighth race at Aqueduct could provide Watchem Smokey with the perfect setup to win the optional claimer.
Six sprinters were entered in the 6 1/2-furlong dirt race, which has a purse of $58,000. Mr. Whitestone and the Mark Shuman-trained entry of Spooky Mulder and Highway Prospector were entered to be claimed for $100,000. Only one of the Shuman horses will run, as Aaron Gryder was named on both horses.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Mark Casse-trained entry of Tommy's Topper and New Topper, both sons of successful California freshman sire Old Topper, will likely be favored in Friday's seventh race at Woodbine, a six-furlong allowance for 2-year-olds.
Tommy's Topper lost his Aug. 7 debut on the main track by just a neck, then graduated three weeks later in a six-furlong maiden special weight event on the grass.
CHICAGO - In an era when short fields have become the norm at many racing venues, Friday's Hawthorne card looks like a double feature, with enough horses entered on a 10-race program to fill two cards at a less populous racetrack.
The Breeders' Cup this is not, but who would expect star quality on a November afternoon in Southwest Chicago? And with 107 horses entered on the day, a fat exacta or pick three surely hides in some shadowy thicket, waiting to be taken home.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Reading condition books is one key to a barn's success, and Southern California-based trainer Patrick Gallagher has proven adept at picking the right spots in northern California.
Gallagher sent Kingdom Come and Talaris north to Bay Meadows last month to gauge whether either should be considered for Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Bay Meadows Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - This has been a difficult year for the father-and-son team of Gerry and Kevin Sleeter, as they lost two top stakes-winning New Jersey-breds.
Something Smith, winner of the Bernie Dowd Handicap at Monmouth Park, was put down in August after contracting a virulent infection. The mare Whoop's Ah Daisy was retired several weeks later because of chronic bad ankles.
What a difference 700 slot machines have made. Just five seasons ago, purses at Sunland Park in New Mexico averaged $30,000 a day. When the track opens Friday for 87 days of racing, purses will average $210,000 a program and the stakes schedule will include a nationally televised prep for the Kentucky Derby.
Purses at Sunland have surged since the track opened a slots casino in 1999.
"It's exceeded all of our expectations," said Harold Payne, the general manager of Sunland. "It's been very rewarding."
In the final two months of the year a number of matchups will determine the Quarter Horse divisional championships. This weekend Los Alamitos and Sam Houston will hold races that could influence year-end balloting.
On Friday night at Los Alamitos, Be a Bono, a top prospect for world champion, will meet Hawkish, 2003's champion 2-year-old colt, in the Grade 1, $604,450 Los Alamitos Super Derby. On Sunday night, fastest-qualifier Hardly Hateful meets two Grade 1 futurity winners in the Grade 1, $1 million Golden State Million for 2-year-olds.
