ELMONT, N.Y. - Lady Tak, a two-time Grade 1 winner, towers over her six rivals in Sunday's $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park.
, the 122-pound highweight in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, is coming off a win in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga on Aug. 29. The Ballerina pushed Lady Tak's earnings over $1 million and was her second Grade 1 win at Saratoga, following her victory in the Test Stakes in 2003.
Turfway Park's all-sources handle at the 22-day fall meet that ended Thursday remained nearly the same as last year's, but ontrack wagering decreased 10 percent.
Handle from all sources at the Florence, Ky., track grossed more than $53.7 million, an increase of less than 1 percent over the corresponding dates in 2003. Daily average handle from all sources exceeded $2.4 million.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Lenatareese was entered in the Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks at Hoosier Park on Oct. 1, but her connections decided to scratch and run her in Monday's $100,000-added Pebbles on the turf at Belmont Park.
David Carroll, Lenatareese's trainer, said he believes Lenatareese is better on the turf, where she is undefeated in two starts, including the Audubon Oaks at Ellis Park on July 31. Lenatareese, a daughter of Broad Brush, has won two races from three starts on the dirt.
Trainer Ernest Haynes made what has turned out to be one of the best claims of the 2004 season at Charles Town when he paid $10,000 to acquire Trumpets Delight in mid-March.
Since being taken out of a nonwinners-of-two-lifetime sprint race, the 4-year-old Trumpets Delight has gone on to win three races, including two allowances going long.
Sunday, Trumpets Delight gets a shot to become a stakes winner in the $50,000 Governor's Cup Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race for older horses at Charles Town.
The connections of Super Derby winner Fantasticat would like the emerging colt to make his next start in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic. The deciding factor will be if he can get into the field for the 1 1/4-mile race, which will be run at Lone Star Park on Oct. 30.
Fantasticat has bloomed late this year and might need the nod of the selection panel to get in the Classic if it is oversubscribed, as he is not among the leading point earners for the race. However, a field of 14 can be accommodated, and the last time the Classic had 14 starters was 1999.
After racing on grass in her last start, Wildwood Royal will move back to dirt Sunday for the $25,000 Miss Kansas City Handicap at the Woodlands in Kansas City, Kan.
The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares drew a field of nine, including defending champ Market's Best.
Wildwood Royal is the 122-pound highweight. She last raced on Sept. 25, finishing second in the $100,000 Kentucky Cup Ladies Turf at Kentucky Downs. Before that, she was second in the $75,000 Dade Turf Classic at Ellis Park.
A catalog of 120 horses will be offered during a winter mixed sale at Delta Downs on Sunday. The sale features yearlings, broodmares, and horses of racing age and is being operated by the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Sales Co.
All of the 2003 foals auctioned in the sale will be eligible for the $50,000 Bayouland Sales Stakes at Delta in 2005.
* Kristina's Wish, who won all four of her starts at Lone Star during the spring, will return to Lone Star in the sixth race on Sunday, an optional claimer at one mile for fillies and mares.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A Bit O'Gold and Organ Grinder, the two best 3-year-olds at Woodbine, will face off in Sunday's $160,050 Ontario Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race that could have Sovereign Award implications.
A Bit O'Gold is widely regarded to be the leader of the Canadian 3-year-old division, and Organ Grinder would likely need a blowout victory Sunday to be put at the top of the heap.