A total of 118 horses were entered Tuesday for Friday's 11-race opening day program at Louisiana Downs.
Louisiana Downs will race 102 dates for Thoroughbreds this year, through Oct. 31. The track, which installed slot machines last year, is opening several weeks earlier than usual this season. For the past few years, opening weekend has been in late June.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Con Quixote goes for his third straight win in Thursday's feature race at Bay Meadows, a $50,000 optional claimer at six furlongs.
Con Quixote was claimed out of his last start for $50,000 by trainer Chuck Peery.
"He's a neat old horse, an old warrior," said Peery, who won him in a three-way shake.
Con Quixote has won two straight, both at this level, since finishing fourth in the Ken Maddy Sprint Handicap for California-breds in February. He has won 8 of 21 lifetime starts and earned $214,688.
AUBURN, Wash. - Trainer Bob McMeans, who was hobbled recently by a broken ankle, was unable to make it to the paddock before Sunday's Hastings Park Handicap to give Gary Baze instructions on riding the favored Lasting Code.
As it turned out, it was just as well that he did not.
McMeans had planned to tell Baze to bring Lasting Code from at least a length or two off what figured to be a hot pace. Even had Baze gotten those instructions, he wouldn't have been able to comply.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Two days after taking a frightening spill at Churchill Downs, jockey Calvin Borel was busy working horses Tuesday morning, hustling from barn to barn.
Borel, 37, hit the ground Sunday when his mount in the sixth race, Ten Sharp, fell after becoming entangled with the hind legs of Tito's Beau, the eventual second-place finisher. Borel crashed head first to the track, ahead of Ten Sharp and to the outside of the other horses in the race.
Borel was able to smile Tuesday when he said the only thing he broke were his goggles.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Last October, One Nice Cat was an undistinguished maiden. Winless in six starts, he came into the fall Churchill Downs meet following five consecutive off-the-board finishes.
A little more than six months later, appears likely to start as the favorite in Thursday's featured ninth race at Churchill Downs, a $52,900 two-other-than allowance at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
A 4-year-old son of Storm Cat out of Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Jewel Princess, One Nice Cat always had the pedigree to be a top horse. He just didn't show it.
Mercenary, who won an optional claimer at Fair Grounds the last time he raced over two turns on turf, will return to those conditions Thursday night in the featured eighth race at Lone Star. An optional claimer, the 1 1/16-mile turf race drew a field of 10, including statebred stakes winners April's Lucky Boy, Classoffiftyseven, Fly Slama Jama, and Notable Okie.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - At this time last year, Too Late Now was on a roll that would carry her to victory in the Labatt Woodbine Oaks and to an eventual title as Canada's champion 3-year-old filly.
Now, after just seven career outings and before making it to the races in 2004, Too Late Now has been hustled off to the breeding shed for a date with Bold Executive.
"She was training great and acting great," said Jim Day, who bred Too Late Now and trained the filly for the Come by Chance Stable of his mother, Edna Arrow. "She was looking more awesome than ever."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The 10-year-old Parose, one of the top older runners at Woodbine in recent years, will vault over the $1 million mark in earnings with a victory in Thursday's sixth race. A field of seven was drawn for the $62,500 claimer, which will be contested at 1 1/16 miles for purse of $59,100.
Parose won two Grade 3 stakes during the past two seasons, the 2003 Durham Cup Handicap and the 2002 Woodbine Slots Cup, a race in which he was third last year.
AUBURN, Wash. - Benny G is the one to beat in a field of six in Thursday's feature, a starter allowance for 3-year-olds who won their maiden at the $32,000 level or below.
Thursday racing will continue throughout the remainder of the 89-day Emerald Downs meeting.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - A pair of $25,000 claimers, a six-furlong sprint for older horses, and a one-mile turf test for 3-year-olds top the Wednesday card at Bay Meadows.
Stocks are Rising looks tough in the sprint, as he drops a notch for his third start following a two-month freshener. Stocks are Rising is equally adept on the lead or as a stalker and is drawn well outside his primary pace rival, Relentless Seller, who breaks from the rail.