Sat, 09/04/2004 - 00:00

Fairmount: Hammond optimistic

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Local 2-year-old Yukon's Gambler is fourth choice in a field of six at 4-1 on the morning line for the $25,000 Buckpasser Stakes at Fairmount Park, but trainer Kim Hammond likes her horse's chances.

"I've always been one who feels that the people from the hometown track have the edge," said Hammond, a Fairmount regular who through Thursday has sent out 25 winners from 162 starts this meet. "He's been training excellent, and he had such a good showing with [Rafael] Bejarano."

Sat, 09/04/2004 - 00:00

Columbus: Slight edge to 'David'

COLUMBUS, Neb. - What About David aims for his second stakes win of the meet when he faces a tough field of six entered in the $10,000-added Labor Day Handicap at the Columbus Races.

The field for the 6 1/2-furlong race may be small, but the quality of competition is high, as Watch Me Dazzle, Iowa invader Blue Eyed Tiger, and Thundering Verzy are all capable of winning.

Sat, 09/04/2004 - 00:00

Schedule tackles route in Pa. Oaks

Stretching out from six furlongs to a two-turn route race is never easy, let alone doing it in stakes company. So even though Schedule was beaten a head in the Serena's Song at Monmouth Park in July, the race may have signified a breakthrough.

On Monday, Schedule will make her second two-turn start, against nine rivals in the $100,000 Pennsylvania Oaks, one of two supporting stakes on the Pennsylvania Derby undercard at Philadelphia Park.

Sat, 09/04/2004 - 00:00

All signs point to 'Caribbean'

Caribbean Cruiser will be a heavy favorite Monday to win the second of three juvenile stakes of the Finger Lakes meet, the $217,000 New York Breeders' Futurity for New York-breds at six furlongs.

The New York Breeders' Futurity is the featured stakes race of three on the Labor Day card, all for New York-breds. The $75,000 New York Oaks kicks off the stakes triple, followed by the $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders' Handicap and the New York Breeders' Futurity. They will be run as races 7 through 9.

Sat, 09/04/2004 - 00:00

Victory Light hard to gauge

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - In many ways it's a long way from Saratoga to Hastings, the small five-furlong oval that sits right next to the Georgia Inlet in Vancouver. Victory Light, who has been racing with the aristocrats of racing in the East, will be able to see the Pacific Ocean when he makes his first start on the West Coast in the Richmond Derby Trial on Monday.

Fri, 09/03/2004 - 00:00

Del Mar carryover reaches $150,826

DEL MAR, Calif. - The final weekend of the Del Mar meeting starts on Saturday with a pick six carryover of $150,826.

On Saturday's 10-race program, the pick six covers the fifth through 10th races.

Here is a glance at the late changes and leading contenders.

Fri, 09/03/2004 - 00:00

Canani's having a sizzling summer

Horsephotos
Special Ring has one of Julio Canani's five stakes wins at this year's Del Mar meet.

DEL MAR, Calif. - In the 1960's, there was the Summer of Love. On "Seinfeld," there was the Summer of George. And this year at Del Mar, it has been the Summer of Julio.

Trainer Julio Canani has been the unquestioned star this season at Del Mar. With just a modestly sized 25-horse stable, Canani won three of this track's five Grade 1 stakes races, including a one-two finish in the Eddie Read Handicap. He has won two other stakes, giving him five for the meet, more than any other trainer.

Fri, 09/03/2004 - 00:00

Domestic Dispute all prepped

DEL MAR, Calif. - Domestic Dispute's second-place finish to Kela in the Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup Handicap on Aug. 15 served as a wake-up call.

The race was Domestic Dispute's first start since a sixth-place finish in the Dubai World Cup in March, and the way he finished through the stretch left trainer Paddy Gallagher encouraged about a late-summer and fall campaign.

Gallagher's feeling will be tested when Domestic Dispute starts in Sunday's $250,000 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap over a mile.

Fri, 09/03/2004 - 00:00

Mullins, O'Neill fire two each

DEL MAR, Calif. - It's come down to two. Jeff Mullins and Doug O'Neill are locked in a pitched battle to unseat Bob Baffert as the new training champ at Del Mar. Entering Friday's card, O'Neill led Mullins, 24-23, with Baffert another six back with 17.

For the first time since 1996, a name other than Baffert will be atop the standings when the meet ends Wednesday. A pivotal race in the battle between O'Neill and Mullins might be Sunday's $125,000 Solana Beach Handicap, in which both trainers will send out two runners.

Fri, 09/03/2004 - 00:00

Translation: Blackdoun fit

Horsephotos
Domestic Dispute (left) comes onto the track Friday morning. He will make his second start since traveling to Dubai last March in Sunday's Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Julio Canani speaks English. Sort of. But you still need a translator. When he goes on intertrack television and says, "I don't bet," that means he cashed. When he calls a horse a "cucaracha," that means the horse can run. And when he says after a work that a horse "galloped good," wait to see if he subsequently smiles, which means everything went perfectly.