OZONE PARK, N.Y. - With wins in Aqueduct stakes the past two weekends, trainer Allen Jerkens will likely shoot for another on Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Withers Stakes with Medallist.
On Monday, Jerkens said he was "75 percent" to run Medallist in the one-mile Withers for 3-year-olds. Last year, Jerkens won the Withers with New York-bred Spite the Devil, who is owned by his wife, Elisabeth.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Kela, Supah Blitz, and Yessirgeneralsir, the first three finishers Saturday in the Grade 3, $300,000 Texas Mile, could all meet again in the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap on May 31.
That is the plan for Kela and Yessirgeneralsir, while Supah Blitz is also under consideration for the Grade 3, $100,000 Memorial Day Handicap at his home base of Calder Race Course.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - The Bay Meadows Land Company has sent trainers its proposal for split meetings with Golden Gate Fields for the 2005 racing calendar.
The revised proposal calls for Golden Gate Fields, whose season starts in November, to run from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31 this year (which are considered 2005 dates by the California Horse Racing Board); Feb. 16, 2005, to April 17, 2005; and Sept. 2, 2005, to Nov. 13, 2005. In 2005, Bay Meadows would run Jan. 1 to Feb. 13; April 20 to June 19; and Nov. 16 to Dec. 19.
STICKNEY, Ill. - The six horses in Hawthorne's first race on Tuesday last started at four different racetracks. And that is the simple part of the race.
For a short field, there are all kinds of ways to go here - most of which will be incorrect. But here are the facts: The race is at six furlongs for 3-year-old entry-level allowance fillies, with a $35,000 claiming option that allows Cats Copy into the field. Five others were entered under the allowance condition, including Smart Link, who, like Cats Copy, is trained by Dale Bennett.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After throwing a temper tantrum at the gate that delayed the start, Spring Star ran arguably the best race of her career with an easy victory in Sunday's $110,900 Wilshire Handicap at Hollywood Park.
Spring Star ($15.20) finished 2 1-2 lengths in front of 11-1 Quero Quero, who was a nose in front of defending champion Dublino. Dimitrova, the 9-5 favorite and the winner of two major stakes last year, finished fourth in her 2004 debut.
Spring Star, ridden by Alex Solis, finished a mile on turf in 1:33.41, a stakes record.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - West Virginia kept his bonus hopes alive with a nose decision over Pay Attention in the $150,000 Times Square at Aqueduct on Sunday. With his victories in November's Great White Way at Aqueduct and the Times Square, West Virginia is eligible to earn a $100,000 bonus for his owners and breeders, Don and Mary Zuckerman, if he wins the $250,000 Cab Calloway Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 4.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze scored five victories at Bay Meadows on Sunday.
Baze, who had seven mounts, won with Cee's Cheetah ($2.80) in the second, Starspell ($4.60) in the third, Ended ($3.20) in the fifth, Souvenir's Lad ($12.20) in the sixth and Point Dume ($3) in the eighth. He also finished second aboard Spring Act in the seventh.
Baze now has 30 victories through the first three weeks of racing at Bay Meadows, winning at a 32.7 percent clip.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wet-track specialist Ontheqt upset previously unbeaten Nashinda over a muddy track in Sunday's $182,375 Star Shoot Stakes, a six-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies at Woodbine.
Ontheqt had 4-5 favorite Nashinda pinned along the rail while setting splits of :22.52 and :45.73 under Jim McAleney. She fought tooth and nail with Nashinda throughout the stretch while maintaining a slim lead, and prevailed by a nose in a final time of 1:11.72.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - At the perfect time, trainer Kristin Mulhall's 3-year-old division is in perfect form.
Saturday, Cheiron won the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes at Hollywood Park, the top race on the California Gold Rush program for state-breds. This Saturday, Mulhall will have her first Kentucky Derby starter in Imperialism.
Mulhall watched Cheiron's win from a tack room on the backstretch at Churchill Downs.
She said she was nervous watching jockey Alex Solis weave his way between tiring rivals in early stretch before pulling away to win by 1 1-2 lengths.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Kela won the biggest race of his career Saturday when he drew off to a five and a quarter length win over Supah Blitz in the Grade 3, $300,000 at Lone Star Park. It was another length and a half back in third to Yessirgeneralsir.
Snorter, who was the favorite, finished fourth.
