COLUMBUS, Neb. - Sheso and Jitterbug Joy renew their rivalry Sunday in a field of seven entered for the $12,500-added Columbus Breeders' Special for Nebraska-bred 3-year-old fillies going 6 1/2 furlongs.
The companion stakes for statebred colts and geldings was called off after only two horses were entered.
CHICAGO - Trainer Donnie Von Hemel has his late-summer stable split between Oklahoma and Louisiana, but the stakes horses Bedanken and Cryptograph remain in training at Arlington, awaiting their marching orders.
Von Hemel has drawn up the plans. Crytograph is headed for the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs; Bedanken is probably going to Keeneland for the WinStar Galaxy Stakes in October.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As quite possibly the most promising young jockey in North America today, Rafael Bejarano is often rumored to be leaving the Kentucky circuit.
Bejarano, who leads all jockeys in wins this year, probably will leave Kentucky at some point. It's just not going to happen until next summer, according to the jockey's agent, Steve Elzey.
"We just got everything squared away recently," said Elzey. "Rafael said he is very comfortable here. He wants to ride through the winter at Turfway Park one more time before we make any kind of move."
FORT ERIE, Ontario - Crack sprinter Krz Ruckus, who reached millionaire status capturing Woodbine's $133,000 Shepperton Stakes on Aug. 14, headlines Sunday's $40,000 Garden City, an in-house stakes for horses who have started three times at the current Fort Erie meet.
Sporting a 4 for 4 record at Fort Erie, the Woodbine-based Krz Ruckus will face four rivals in the six-furlong Garden City.
Krz Ruckus made his first run at the Fort in 2002, capturing the Blazing Seven Stakes. His second local start was a victory May 10 in an optional claimer.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Shang-hied faces his easiest task since winning his maiden here on May 29 in Sunday's $40,000 Harry Jeffrey Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.
Shanghied was last seen finishing third as the 2-5 favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Manitoba Derby, behind Royalty Boy and Skipper.
Royalty Boy was scheduled to run the Canadian Derby on Saturday at Northlands Park, while Skipper has been sold to interests in the Far East.
AUBURN, Wash. - Last Sunday jockey Kevin Radke had to stand by and watch as two of his former mounts, Adreamisborn and Demon Warlock, finished one-two in the Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs.
It was the latest incident in a run of frustration for Radke dating back to April 14, when he broke the radius and dislocated the ulna in his left wrist in a spill on the Bay Meadows turf course. At the time, the 32-year-old Radke thought the injury was a relatively minor setback in a career that was heading for the stratosphere.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Following an easy win in the fillies division of the Stallion Stakes at Hastings Racecourse on Aug. 2, 3-year-old filly sensation Regal Red was forced to the sidelines with a bruised hoof. There's a good chance she will return in the 6 1/2-furlong Cover Girl Stakes for fillies and mares next Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - For the ninth consecutive year, the Travers field lacks the Kentucky Derby winner, as the retired Smarty Jones has already settled into his new Kentucky home in Lexington. Unlike many of the last nine runnings, however, Saturday's 135th Travers Stakes does not want for intrigue.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Last Saturday at Saratoga, trainer Allen Jerkens pulled off a nifty move by winning the 1 1/4-mile Alabama with Society Selection, who three weeks earlier had won the seven-furlong Test.
On Saturday at Saratoga, Jerkens tries the reverse move with Medallist in the seven-furlong King's Bishop for 3-year-old males. Medallist is coming off a well-beaten fifth-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy - his two-turn debut - on Aug. 8.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - L'Oiseau d'Argent ran a solid field of allowance horses off their feet earlier this month, when he set a Saratoga inner turf course record for one mile.
On Saturday, he will have to be equally as sharp if he is to win his first North American stakes, when he meets nine rivals in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fourstardave Handicap at 1 1/16-miles over the Mellon Turf Course.
The Fourstardave is an inscrutable handicapping affair. Seven of the 10 entrants are coming in off a win and seven runners are undefeated at the Fourstardave distance.
