SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Just seven Minnesota-bred colts and geldings contest the $40,000 Victor S. Myers Jr. Stakes Saturday, but the talent assembled in the prep race for the Minnesota Derby suggests this will be a renewal to remember.
Also on Saturday, nine 3-year-old statebred fillies are entered in the $40,000 Frances Genter Stakes, a prep for the Minnesota Oaks.
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Asked last weekend to explain why classy out-of-town shippers often see 30-plus points lopped off their Beyer Speed Figure, when they race on Fairmount Park's dirt surface, top jockey Ramsey Zimmerman replied simply, "It's deep."
Indeed, this depth of dirt is what will make favorite Sarah Jade's task particularly difficult in Saturday's $30,000 Safely Kept Handicap, a six-furlong race for fillies and mares.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Fancy Bru looks for his first win of the year in Saturday's $40,000 Manitoba Maturity, a 1 1/16-mile race restricted to 4-year-old Manitoba-breds.
Trained by Gary Danelson, Fancy Bru has raced three times this year, finishing fifth in the Free Press Stakes in his most recent start June 20.
Fancy Bru, a son of Buie, won the Manitoba and J.W. Sifton stakes last year. Both were restricted to Manitoba-breds.
He breaks from post 7 here with Travis Hightower on board.
Trainer Jack Robertson will send out Pete's Surprise and Tarrango.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - It has been over a year since a local filly or mare has finished in front of Dancewithavixen at Hastings. Yes, she did finish second to Alberta-based Raylene in the Grade 3 British Columbia Oaks last year, but immediately avenged that defeat with a win over Raylene and the best females in the province in the Grade 3 Ballerina.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Louie Downtown figures to be a solid favorite over six other 3-year-olds in the feature race at Hastings on Saturday, a $50,000 optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs. Louie Downtown hasn't been able to beat the top horses in the local 3-year-old division, but the last time he ran at this level, June 19, he won by two lengths in a very fast time.
Louie Downtown, who is trained by Tom Longstaff and will be ridden by Pedro Alvardo, faces quite a diverse group of horses in this $23,000 sprint.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Fancy As, Alberta's 2001 horse of the year, makes his first appearance at Northlands in three years as he takes another step along the comeback trail in Saturday's $40,000 Spangled Jimmy.
Owned by Red Smith and his wife, Linda, Fancy As heads a full field of 10 older horses at one mile, with two more stranded on the also-eligible list.
Fancy As, with Richard Hamel aboard, will carry high weight of 119 pounds along with Rindanica, who has earned second money in four consecutive stakes, including a promotion on a disqualification in the Stampede Sprint.
Julie Krone, the top winning female jockey and the only woman in racing's Hall of Fame, said Wednesday that she will not ride this summer at Del Mar and is unlikely to ride again.
While stopping short of declaring an outright retirement, Krone tiptoed right up to that line.
Asked if she would ever ride again, Krone said, "I'm leaning towards no," then added, "but right now, I've first got to focus on feeling good."
PLEASANTON, Calif. - Bettors at the Alameda County Fair on Thursday will find a $104,135 Pick Six carryover awaiting them. The carryover is the highest in the history of the Northern California fair circuit.
Officials at the track predict Thursday's Pick Six pool will hit $300,000.
