Distinct Vision and Country Be Gold, two of the best horses on the grounds at Delaware Park last season, may be peaking just in time for Saturday's $50,000 Gate Dancer Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile race for older horses.
A year ago, Distinct Vision won 6 of 12 starts and set a Delaware track record by running a mile and 70 yards in 1:39.20. Country Be Gold won 3 of 7 starts in 2003, including last fall's Kelso Handicap at Delaware with a 104 Beyer.
Fair Grounds has released its stakes schedule for 2004-05 with just a few minor changes from the status quo.
The most notable change comes with the Louisiana Derby, which will be run March 6, 2005, its earliest running since 1991. The Louisiana Derby now will be nearly nine weeks before the May 7 Kentucky Derby, whereas the span in recent years typically had been eight weeks.
After considerable debate, the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday did not take action on a proposed rule to raise the minimum weights that horses carry, and indicated that the issue would be discussed in coming months.
The proposed rule is designed to allow jockeys to ride at higher weights, and addresses longstanding health concerns related to riders competing below their natural weights.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Given the choice, trainer Carl Nafzger would rather drive than fly. Nafzger has logged thousands of miles criss-crossing the eastern half of the U.S. when moving from racetrack to racetrack in an automobile, and that again will be his mode of transportation when he makes the 340-mile trek from Louisville, Ky., to Arlington Park this weekend.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Tuff Justice, who is on the grounds for Sunday's Ontario Debutante Stakes, has taken an unusual route to Woodbine.
Bred in Kentucky by her owners, who race as Justice Farm, Tuff Justice debuted at Prairie Meadows this spring, raced in the Canterbury Lassie at Canterbury Park, and then shipped to Assiniboia Downs for the Winnipeg Futurity.
Tuff Justice, trained by John Betts, arrived here Wednesday for the Ontario Debutante, a six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The speedy Blonde Executive goes for her third stakes triumph of the Woodbine meeting Saturday in the $160,650 Duchess, a seven-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies.
Norfolk Knight heads a seven-horse field in Saturday's supporting feature, the $104,000 Izvestia Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile test for older Canadian-breds.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - A whole new world could open for Ghostzapper in the Grade 3, $200,000 Philip H. Iselin Breeders' Cup Handicap Saturday at Monmouth Park.
A brilliant sprinter, Ghostzapper expands his horizons in the 1 1/8-mile Iselin as he ventures beyond seven furlongs and tackles two turns for the first time.
Could Ghostzapper be the next major force in the handicap division?
"Let's see how he runs first," said trainer Bobby Frankel.
, the Iselin highweight at 120 pounds, has already demonstrated that he can run very fast at shorter distances.
A horse like That Tat can make an owner's participation in racing sweet. Claimed for $20,000, the gelding That Tat has won five stakes for Ken Murphy, and on Saturday will attempt to win his third straight $50,000 Folklore Handicap at Louisiana Downs.
That Tat is the 122-pound highweight in the 6 1/2-furlong race, and he is one of three starters in the six-horse field trained by Cole Norman. Norman also trains Dash for Daylight, who is coupled with That Tat, and Pike Place Gold, who has won his last two starts by a combined 13 lengths for owner Donald Adam.
Sometimes you can teach an old horse new tricks. Fly Slama Jama turned one in his last start, when he rallied from off the pace to win the $50,000 Retama Park Breeders' Cup Turf.
The win was the most powerful of Fly Slama Jama's career, and he might not need to duplicate it to pick up his third straight win Saturday night in the $50,000 Chick Lang Jr. Memorial on turf at Retama Park near San Antonio.