DEL MAR, Calif. - Pleasantly Perfect will concede nothing Sunday when he tries to restore his reputation in the Grade 1 at Del Mar. The world's top-ranked dirt horse suffered an unexpected loss in his comeback three weeks ago, but trainer Richard Mandella suggests not to worry.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It is one year later than his legion of fans would have preferred, but will make his long-awaited Saratoga debut here Sunday in the Grade 2, $250,000 Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap.
And while Funny Cide, winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, figures to be grossly overbet, this 1 1/4-mile race looks like a perfect spot for him to return to the winner's circle.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - For being one of the most talked about horses at Saratoga last year, Funny Cide also was one of the least visible.
Finally on Sunday, Funny Cide's fans will have the opportunity to see last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in action for the first time at Saratoga in the $250,000 Saratoga Breeders' Cup.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Three members of the Del Mar turf course staff nearly caused a catastrophic accident in the seventh race Thursday, when they were forced to scramble under the rail to avoid a field of seven horses while replacing divots on the turf course.
The three men dove under the inside rail just as the field turned for home and had so little time to react that they left a plastic bucket on the course, which the runners nearly struck.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Lion Heart showed no ill effects from his front-running victory in the $1 million Haskell Invitational as he blitzed through a five-furlong workout in 58.67 seconds Friday over Saratoga's main track.
The work, the fastest of 22 at the distance, will be Lion Heart's only breeze before heading to the post as the probable favorite in next Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes.
"He worked really good this morning," trainer Patrick Biancone said. "We're very happy. Now we have our fingers crossed. He worked the same as before the Haskell."
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Sense of Style was so impressive in her debut that trainer Patrick Biancone flirted with the idea of running her in the Grade 1 Hopeful against the colts rather than Friday's Grade 2 against the girls.
"It was a thought," Biancone said after Sense of Style romped to a 6 3/4-length victory in the $250,000 Spinaway at Saratoga. "But we thought this race was more comfortable to run in because it would be easier than the Hopeful."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Hoper could give the brilliant South Bay Cove a run for her money in Sunday's $140,250 Ontario Debutante Stakes, a six-furlong dash for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.
Hoper faced males on a sloppy track in her only start July 31, and was victorious by three-quarters of a length over the Seattle Slew colt Slew's Saga. Her five-furlong time of 59.20 seconds translated into a 66 Beyer Figure.
Trainer Dave Dwyer said he was worried about Hoper's shins leading up to her debut.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Youth or experience? That question will confront Canterbury Park fans when they attempt to handicap several races on Sunday's Festival of Champions Day, which features seven Thoroughbred and two Quarter Horse stakes for Minnesota-bred runners.
Rain or shine, trainer Tim Hamm has his bases covered in Sunday's $45,000 Vivacious Handicap for Ohio-bred fillies and mares at River Downs. The Thistledown-based Hamm entered both his top 4-year-old, Oh So Easy, and his top 3-year-old, Barnsy, in the Vivacious.
