SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - After Ghostzapper ran such a powerful race in last Saturday's Iselin Handicap, trainer Bobby Frankel's first inclination was to skip the Woodward Stakes on Sept. 11 and point him to the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Oct. 2.
But on Wednesday morning, Frankel was having a change of heart. Now, he is planning on running Ghostzapper back in the Woodward and using that as a prep for the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 30 at Lone Star Park.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Invaders have been dominating the Northlands Park stakes scene this summer, so what chance is there of the home forces reversing that trend in Saturday's $250,000 Canadian Derby?
Overact, in the Sonoma, and Illusive Force, in the Westerner, were successful shippers here this summer.
The invaders for the 11-strong Canadian Derby field include Overact, a Vancouver-based filly, and Organ Grinder, a Woodbine stakes winner.
"It will be tough," said Red Smith, the meeting's leading trainer, who will send out Kat Kool for the Canadian Derby.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - What began as a whim has now become an obsession for the controversial owner Michael Gill.
Gill, who has won owner titles at several mid-Atlantic tracks as well as Gulfstream Park, has set his sights this summer on Thoroughbred racing's most prestigious meet, Saratoga.
So far, he has passed the audition.
West Virginia didn't get his rematch with Chowder's First, but he did get his first win at Saratoga in Wednesday's $170,250 for New York-breds.
West Virginia, the even-money favorite, won the race by 1 3/4 lengths over Everydayissaturday. It was another four lengths back to Work With Me in the 1 1/8-mile dirt race for 3-year-olds.
One race and one head removed from knocking out her third allowance condition, Hail Hillary returns Friday as a primary contender in the feature race at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill.
Owned by Butterfly Stable and trained by Dave Kassen, Hail Hillary was beaten just a head by Chilling Effect in an Aug. 5 race that carries virtually the same conditions as the eighth of 10 Friday races: a three-other-than allowance, with an optional-claiming provision.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Saratoga offers many things. Misty mornings to keep photographers in business. The spring water, which is supposed to be good for you. The best racing in the country. And there are those meetings. On a good day, you can see and talk to at least 12 Hall of Famers, not to mention sure-fire first-balloters Azeri, Todd Pletcher, and John Velazquez.
Go by Barn 23 in the woods behind the main track and meet Tommy "T.J." Kelly. Be ready - he tells stories with ease.
Once, in 1999, Kelly went to see his Black Tie Affair yearling.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Inspiring, the top 2-year-old filly in California, has sore shins and may not start in Saturday's $250,000 Del Mar Debutante, trainer Bob Baffert said Wednesday.
Baffert said that Inspiring was bothered by sore shins in her first two starts - a win in a maiden race at Hollywood Park on July 5 and a 2 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs Aug. 7.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Already a stakes winner at the meeting, Wild Babe starts in a $68,000 optional claimer at Del Mar on Friday. Friday's race might be more difficult than the first leg of the Oceanside Stakes, which Wild Babe won on July 21.
led throughout the Oceanside, holding off a late run from Semi Lost, who returned to finish second in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 15.
In Friday's seventh race over a mile on turf, Wild Babe breaks from the rail against a field of five older horses. Wild Babe is the lone 3-year-old in the field.
MIAMI - Devils Disciple gave the undefeated juvenile sensation Afleet Alex the first real test of his career before dropping a tough neck decision in Saturday's Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes. He also paid the price for his effort.
Trainer Joe Waunsch said Devils Disciple did not come out of the race well and will require surgery to remove chips from his left knee. Waunsch had been hoping to use the Hopeful as a springboard to the Lane's End Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in early October.
