Ramsey Zimmerman continues to dominate the rider standings at Hoosier Park, which reached the midway point of its 60-day season last Sunday. Zimmerman scored his second four-win night of the meet on Saturday, following up riding triples on both Thursday and Friday.
Zimmerman has moved out to a 61-35 edge over Rodney Prescott in the standings at the Anderson, Ind., track, with Lester Knight a close third at 34 wins. Zimmerman ranks fourth in the country in races won this year with 271.
Apprentice Kyle Kaenel appears on the way to establishing himself in this riding colony.
Through Monday at this young meet, Kaenel had 3 wins from 18 rides, putting him just 4 wins behind leading riders Wilson Dieguez and Mick Ruis. Kaenel is the son of "Cowboy" Jack Kaenel, who is best known for riding Aloma's Ruler to victory in the 1983 Preakness at age 16.
Kyle Kaenel, 16, scored his first victory on 30-1 longshot Load a Chronic on Sept. 20 at Kentucky Downs.
Steve Nolan, Kaenel's agent, says Turf Paradise is a good place for a young jock to get a foothold.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Picking the winner of the $1.5 million Pattison Canadian International, to be run Oct. 24 at Woodbine, is usually a matter of tabbing the right European shipper, and it doesn't have to be the most accomplished runner from across the pond.
A total of 36 European invaders competed in the last 10 runnings of the Grade 1 event, and seven of them won, while returning an average price of more than $13. Local runners made 27 starts during that same time, and were victorious twice, while only one United States shipper from 30 starters got the job done.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Plans for Perfect Soul and Wando, both reigning Canadian champions, are up in the air after their most recent performances.
Perfect Soul, last year's Sovereign Award-winning turf male, was looking to use Saturday's Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland as his stepping-stone to the Breeders' Cup Mile at Lone Star Park.
But Perfect Soul failed to fire in the Shadwell, which he had won last year, finishing 11 1/2 lengths back as the seventh-place finisher in the field of nine.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Eurosilver has generated big news at the last two Keeneland meets. Last fall, he became a favorite for the 2004 Kentucky Derby with an eye-popping victory in the Breeders' Futurity. Last spring, he fell ill to a mysterious infection, thus becoming the most notable defection on the Triple Crown trail.
Now here it is, fall again, and once again Eurosilver is making headlines at Keeneland. He will make his first start in seven months when he runs Thursday in the $100,000 Perryville Stakes.
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LEXINGTON, Ky. - Although Keeneland racing officials say more starters probably are forthcoming, only six 3-year-old fillies had been confirmed as of Tuesday afternoon for the fourth and last Grade 1 race of the fall meet, the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.
With known jockey assignments, this is the prospective lineup for the QE II, an invitational that will be run for the 21st time Saturday: Barancella, no rider; Island Sand, Pat Day; Mambo Slew, Edgar Prado; Phantom Wind, Jerry Bailey; River Belle, John Velazquez; and Ticker Tape, Kent Desormeaux.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Richard Dutrow will give Big Sid's Party an early start on what he hopes will be a productive winter campaign when the horse returns from a five-month layoff in Thursday's feature at Belmont Park.
A field of seven was entered for the $60,000 classified allowance race run at 1 1/16 miles. Big Sid's Party was one of three horses entered for the optional claiming tag of $100,000. Dutrow also entered Classic Endeavor, but plans to scratch him.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Kedington finished second to Tizbud in the $250,000 California Cup Classic last November - not bad for a horse who had been claimed for $16,000 seven months earlier.
This year, much of Kedington's season has been geared toward Saturday's renewal of the California Cup Classic at Santa Anita, a race that trainer Rafael Becerra feels Kedington can win in an upset.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Dream Machine gets a little extra attention from trainer Kristin Mulhall each morning.
"I spend like an hour and a half on him every single day," said Mulhall, who exercises many of her own horses.
Since was claimed for $40,000 in July, Mulhall says the 5-year-old gelding has been a project. She said he was anxious, but has become calmer in recent weeks.
Whether that attention has been successful will be known on Thursday when Dream Machine starts as a favorite in a $48,000 optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita.
