ARCADIA, Calif. - Logician had the makings of a decent 3-year-old after he won a maiden race by 6 1/2 lengths in January 2003. When he failed to have an impact on the Triple Crown trail that year, owner Paul Reddam and trainer Craig Dollase looked toward the statebred division as a way to revitalize the colt's career.
That plan did not work out, either, resulting in a string of six losses.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Mogador could have been a live longshot in Saturday's $350,000 Kelso Breeders' Cup Handicap at Belmont Park. Instead, he will be the horse to beat in Wednesday's $60,000 Elusive Quality, an overnight stakes for horses that haven't won a turf stakes in 2003-04.
, a 4-year-old son of Danzig trained by Christophe Clement, heads a competitive 10-horse field entered in the Elusive Quality, which, like the Kelso, will be contested at one mile on Belmont's Widener Turf Course.
Jockey Shane Sellers said Monday he has quit riding until further notice, citing the lack of availability of disability insurance for jockeys. The sudden announcement comes at a pivotal time of year for Sellers, since a lucrative 17-day meet starts Friday at Keeneland, where Sellers is an eight-time leading rider.
"I don't want to be the next Gary Birzer," said Sellers, referring to the jockey who was paralyzed in a July 20 spill at Mountaineer Race Track.
Sellers, 38, contends that affordable insurance is the latest crisis facing North American jockeys.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Jockey Adalberto Lopez is happy to be back home after breaking his usual routine this summer.
Lopez, a mainstay on the northern California circuit, ventured north to Seattle to ride at Emerald Downs last spring and spent the summer there instead of riding the fair circuit here.
He finished fourth in the jockey standings there with 70 victories from 489 mounts, adding 78 seconds and 70 thirds. His mounts earned $752,855.
FRESNO, Calif. - The Big Fresno Fair opens Wednesday with a new look to its stakes calendar.
The main stakes race for older horses, the Bull Dog, has been changed from a six-furlong sprint to a one-mile race. The Bull Dog, the closing-day feature on Oct. 17, will have the same purse as last year, $50,000.
"That was something Fair management decided," racing secretary Zach Soto said, referring to the distance change. "The race has been getting some light fields the past couple years, so the Fair put it at a mile. With a $50,000 purse, some should come out and play."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Simply Lovely will try to win her second straight stakes in Wednesday's $134,500 Victorian Queen, a six-furlong dash for Ontario-sired 2-year-old fillies.
Simply Lovely, a $90,000 yearling purchase by owner Rocco Marcello, has already earned $93,000 in just two starts.
CHICAGO - One and three-quarter lengths separated Freefourinternet and Perfect Drift at the finish of Saturday's . Monday, they were a few miles apart, with Freefourinternet bedded down in his Churchill Downs stall, and Perfect Drift back home at the Trackside Training Center, also in Louisville, Ky. It's possible the pair will meet again at the end of the month in Texas, since both still are being considered for the Breeders' Cup Classic.
Up Like Thunder pounced on pace-setting favorite Caribbean Cruiser around the far turn, then left that rival in upper stretch to score a 4 3/4-length victory in the $109,700 Bertram F. Bongard Stakes for New York-bred juveniles at Belmont Park.
Freddy the Cap rallied four wide in the stretch to get second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Accurate. Caribbean Cruiser, the 3-5 favorite, was fourth.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Higher World moved to the head of the class of local 2-year-old fillies by winning the Grade 2, $278,750 here Sunday in her stakes debut.
Higher World, a Kentucky-bred 2-year-old, won her maiden by 8 3/4 lengths in her second career start, which came at seven furlongs here Aug. 14.
The 1 1/16-mile Mazarine marked Higher World's first start in seven weeks, which, trainer Mark Casse said, had not been the plan.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Roman Ruler will go to Lone Star Park as a probable favorite for the $1.5 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 30 and the full confidence of trainer Bob Baffert.
After finishing second in the Grade 2 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 8, Roman Ruler rebounded on Sunday posting an easy win in the $196,000 . Making his first start around two turns, Roman Ruler scored by 4 1-2 lengths over Boston Glory, finishing 1 1-16 miles in 1:44.27.
Corey Nakatani gave Roman Ruler a little more than a hand-ride.
