Ed Burke Memorial Futurity winner Heza Secret Diamond shoots for his third straight win when he runs in the fifth of 10 trials to the Grade 1, $1 million Golden State Futurity on Friday night at Los Alamitos.
The 10 fastest qualifiers from the trials qualify for the finals on Nov. 7.
Apprentice rider Jaleina Farrell got her ceremonial dousing with water by members of the Hoosier Park jockey colony last Friday evening as the 17-year-old from Biloxi, Miss., had her first career win in the seventh race.
Farrell rode Valid's Beauty up the rail, survived a bumping incident near the wire, and prevailed by a neck at 39-1 over the muddy track for trainer Ronald Bosarge. The inquiry light was lit as the stewards investigated contact in deep stretch, but the order of finish stood with Farrell and Valid's Beauty in front in a three-way photo for the win.
Power Wave's demonstrative 2 1/2-length win in last Saturday's $62,978 Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders' Sales Stakes at Turf Paradise marks him as an up-and-comer, and trainer Michael Lenzini is now eyeing bigger events with this son of All Thee Power. A 2-year-old California-bred colt, Power Wave is now 4 for 4, including two stakes wins. All four victories have come by daylight and the colt appears to be getting even better.
Lenzini said Power Wave will be pointed to the Arizona Juvenile at Turf Paradise Dec. 26, or a race at Sunland, or even a race at Santa Anita.
Rick Scott risked his entire bankroll on a 4-year-old maiden filly, and when Cavallo Grigio cruised home six lengths in front as the 6-5 favorite, it turned out to be a worthwhile gamble.
Scott, a businessman from Mechanicsburg, Pa., jumped from fourth to first place in last Saturday's World Series of Handicapping at Penn National Race Course when he hit his $181.60 win bet. He collected his real bankroll of $397.60 and $3,700 in prize money for outlasting a field of 74 contestants.
Owner Rick Poje is sharing his good fortune with others at Thistledown. He has donated his car, a 1991 Buick, to jockey Javier Cabrera and his family.
Poje became an honorary owner of the horse Captilea when he won local radio station WGAR's horse giveway contest in July. Since that time he has been collecting the money the horse has won and will continue to do so until the end of the year.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - European-based 3-year-old fillies have dominated the E.P. Taylor Stakes since the early 1980's.
The trend began in 1982, when Vidor started a run of nine straight Taylor victories for overseas 3-year-olds. They had another five consecutive wins from 1994 through 1998 and also won in 2001 and 2002.
Last year was an exception, as the 5-year-old Volga and 4-year-old Tigertail ran one-two in the Grade 1, $750,000 E.P. Taylor.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sunday's editions of the Canadian International and the E.P. Taylor Stakes will boast a strong European flavor, with five overseas shippers here for the $1.5 million International and four for the $750,000 Taylor.
The European presence was completed Tuesday after Brian Boru, Simonas, and Ecomium checked in for the International and Asti arrived for the Taylor.
The International and the Taylor are Grade 1 turf races, with the 1 1/2-mile International for 3-year-olds and upward and the 1 1/4-mile E.P. Taylor for fillies and mares.
ELMONT, N.Y. - As the days at Belmont Park's fall meet wind down to a precious few, a marketing genius might bill the final Thursday card as "Aqueduct Preview Day."
The best race on the program, or at least the one with the fastest horses, is a $50,000 claimer that goes as the seventh race.
The seven-furlong sprint drew a field of 10, including the Richard Dutrow-trained entry of Here's Zealous, a graded stakes winner once upon a time, and Champion Ri, who has been away since running fourth at odds-on in allowance company back in March.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Before Quiet Ruler can bid for a three-peat in Saturday's $150,000 Mohawk Handicap at Belmont Park, he first has to get into the race. Apparently, that's not as easy as it sounds.
Quiet Ruler was assigned only 113 pounds for the Mohawk, one of seven stakes races restricted to New York-breds on New York Showcase Day. Depending on how many horses weighted above him enter, and how many horses are permitted to start, Quiet Ruler could be excluded from the race.
MIAMI - Aclassysassylassy's bid to become only the second filly to sweep the Florida Stallion Stakes and the turf debut of the multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed Eddington highlight Saturday's Festival of the Sun at Calder. The 15-race card begins at a special post time of noon.
