SAN MATEO, Calif. - Fate often plays a role in racing, and it is a major reason why Murano will run in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Handicap.
Murano was sixth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap, his first start after being claimed for $62,500 by trainer Mike Mitchell on Aug. 14.
The Oregon Thoroughbred Breeders Association's annual mixed sale, held in Newberg, Ore., last Saturday, registered strong gains in gross sales, average price, and median price.
A total of 104 horses - 12 horses of racing age, 33 yearlings, 15 weanlings, 37 broodmares, and 7 Quarter Horses - were sold for a total of $224,600. The gross was up 36 percent from last year's sale, while the average price of $2,160 was up 10 percent and the median price of $1,600 represented an increase of almost 7 percent.
ELMONT, N.Y. - A scheduled work by Funny Cide was postponed because of a wet track Wednesday and was rescheduled for Thursday. On Saturday, will probably run in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.
On Wednesday, trainer Barclay Tagg said he was "leaning toward" starting Funny Cide in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup rather than the $750,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup the same day. Entries will close for the Jockey Club Gold Cup and the Hawthorne Gold Cup on Thursday.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Candid Glen, who has earned $1.2 million by winning some of the most significant turf races in the region, is nearing a comeback. He has not started since finishing eighth to Honor and War in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap on July 26, 2003.
Candid Glen, a 7-year-old gelding, was sidelined with a suspensory injury.
Hoosier Park's stakes schedule springs to life in a big way this weekend, with over $1 million in purses on the line over a three-day festival that includes Friday's Grade 3, $400,000 Indiana Oaks and Saturday's $500,000 Indiana Derby, which has been upgraded to a Grade 2 this year.
Indy Groove found graded stakes company in Southern California and Illinois a bit too tough, but the competition in Tuesday's $75,000 Autumn Leaves Handicap at Mountaineer Race Track was just right.
Ridden by Mark Guidry for trainer Tom Proctor, the 4-year-old Indy Groove ($4.60) earned her first stakes victory by pulling away from Canadian shipper Clouds of Gold by 3 1/4 lengths. She covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:45.02.
The annual Canadian invasion of horses from Fort Erie has changed the complexion of handicapping here, and full fields with also-eligibles have become the order of the day. About 150 horses have shipped in, along with new trainers and jockeys.
Trainers Ken Albu and Patrick County Jr. both showed they will be factors when they each won a pair of races last week. A large group of riders also arrived, including Clint Magera, Pierre Mailhot, Michael Quong, Mellissa Polkey, Gillbert Rodney Searchwell, and Sean R. Deveaux.
Nominations have closed for the Oct. 9 Michigan Sire Stakes, with 100 horses eligible. The Sire Stakes, the highlight of the track's racing calendar, is a series of six races for the progeny of Michigan stallions. The six divisions are by age and gender, and each offers an estimated purse of $120,000.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Frank Passero has kept a low profile since returning to the training game this summer following a year's absence.
But that could be about to change as Passero, at age 71, is gearing up for a winter at Gulfstream Park.
Passero has spent many a pleasant winter at Gulfstream, where his accomplishments include his record-breaking meeting in 1996, when he saddled the winners of 14 consecutive races.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - The 2-year-filly Gold Strike ($9.40) romped to a 15 3/4-length victory here last Sunday in the restricted Buffalo Stakes.
A daughter of Smart Strike, Gold Strike recorded her second win, both in stakes, and increased her earnings to $51,592 in three starts. Trained by Blair Miller and ridden by Jerry Pruitt, Gold Strike completed the mile in 1:40.20, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 75.
Gold Strike, owned by the Harlequin Ranches, is headed to Woodbine and trainer Emile Allain.
