ALTOONA, Iowa - Walks Lik'n Angel heads a field of seven Iowa-bred 3-year-old fillies, all searching for their first career stakes win, in the $50,000-added Bob Bryant at Prairie Meadows.
Walks Lik'n Angel was stakes placed three times as a 2-year-old in 2003, including a second-place finish against males in the Prairie Gold Juvenile, and completed the year with a 1-3-1 record from 6 starts.
Old Lee remains the horse to beat in the rescheduled $40,000 B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn Stakes at Evangeline Downs. The one-mile race for Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds was postponed last Saturday after a power failure resulted in the cancellation of the final seven races on the program.
Post positions and riding assignments remain the same, as well as the morning line, which lists Old Lee as the 8-5 favorite.
LINCOLN, Neb. - Tonight Rainbow should be a heavy favorite in a field of nine in the $10,000 Speed Handicap at the Lincoln State Fair.
Tonight Rainbow comes into the 4 1/2-furlong race off a strong third in the $100,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes at Fonner Park on April 24. He earned sprinter and older horse of the year honors at Fonner off his win in the half-mile Grasmick Handicap and returns to attempt to win the Speed for the second straight year.
R.D. Williams has been named to ride Tonight Rainbow under top weight of 123 pounds from post 7.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Pat Reynolds, who saddled Alysweep to a second-place finish in last year's Grade 2 Peter Pan, will run Zakocity in this year's Peter Pan on Saturday at Belmont Park.
The stakes-placed Zakocity is a recent edition to the Reynolds barn. The 3-year-old colt, who was privately purchased by owner Paul Pompa Jr. earlier this year, was previously trained by Marty Wolfson at Calder.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who was suspended for four months by the California Horse Racing Board on Tuesday for missing a mandatory drug test in January but given credit for three months served earlier this year, said Wednesday that he has not decided whether to appeal.
Valenzuela was informed of the decision by telephone on Tuesday but said he was waiting to receive an official copy. He can appeal the decision through the court system or accept the penalty.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Halfbridled, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2003, has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in a cannon bone and is being given 60 days' rest in Kentucky, trainer Richard Mandella said.
Mandella said it was "very unlikely" that Halfbridled would return in time for a start in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at Lone Star Park on Oct. 30. The injury was detected through a nuclear scan.
Mandella said Halfbridled is likely to rejoin his barn during the Del Mar meeting in the summer. "We'll get her started in the fall and have her for next year," he said.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Bullistic teased trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Ann Moss at times last year.
Sometimes, he ran as if he was on the verge of a breakthrough performance that would lead to a stakes victory. More often, he failed, finishing third in the Affirmed Handicap, fifth in the Swaps Stakes, and losing three allowance races.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - El Dorado Shooter, one of the fastest and gamest sprinters in northern California, has some questions to answer in Saturday's $55,000-added Saratoga Handicap at Bay Meadows.
The 7-year-old gelding has won 12 of 25 career starts and earned $531,740, but is winless in two disappointing starts this year, stopping badly in both races.
His last victory was an overpowering 4 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint last June.
MIAMI - There was nothing funny about Humorously's behavior in the paddock before Saturday's Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico. Although in the end, trainer Bill White was able to come away smiling because his promising 3-year-old finished third behind Royal Assault despite some anxious moments before and during the race.
"He was really prepared to run well coming into the race," said White, Calder's perennial leading trainer. "We had gotten Gary Stevens to ride him, and everything was going along just perfect until I was ready to tighten the girth in the paddock.
Sammies White Chick will be trying to regain her 2003 form - which led to two stakes wins - in the $15,000 Pacific Beach Handicap on Friday night at Los Alamitos.
Last year, Sammies White Chick became one of the most respected distaffers at Los Alamitos when she won the Miss Princess and Ivan Ashment handicaps. In her only start this year, she finished fifth while trying to defend her Miss Princess victory. The lesser level of competition in the Pacific Beach Handicap should help Sammies White Chick's prospects in the 350-yard stakes.