HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Two Down Automatic - who had placed in stakes won by Smarty Jones, Fire Slam, and Wildcat Shoes - won the first stakes of his career Saturday when he powered to a 5 3/4-length win over Proper Prado in the $75,000 Northern Spur Breeders' Cup at Oaklawn Park.
Level Playingfield was another length back in third, while Tiger Hunt finished fourth in his first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - House of Fortune is headed to the Kentucky Oaks after powering to a 1 3/4-length win over Island Sand in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Friday. It was another four lengths back in third to Stellar Jayne.
OLDSMAR, Fla. - Eight years ago, a young apprentice named Oliver Castillo began his riding career at Tampa Bay Downs. Richard Depass, Castillo's agent at the time, heavily touted the young rider as the next "Willie" - as in Willie Martinez.
Depass, a former rider, had been Martinez's agent when Martinez was leading rider here in 1991-92, with a record 123 wins.
Minister Eric and Saratoga County, both of whom could run in next Saturday's $325,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes, recorded easy workouts Saturday morning at Keeneland.
Minister Eric breezed a half-mile in 49 seconds under exercise rider Paul Nilluang. Minister Eric, the runner-up to Action This Day in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, was second most recently in an allowance race at Santa Anita. He still is eligible to the first-level allowance condition, which gives trainer Richard Mandella an option instead of the Lexington.
Oaklawn Park was awarded 55 days of racing for 2005 during an Arkansas Racing Commission meeting on Saturday. The meet will run from Jan. 21 through April 16. The number of dates is the same as this year, but the meet will end a week later so the Arkansas Derby will once again fall three weeks before the Kentucky Derby, which next year will be held on May 7.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Their rider, Larry Sterling, called the sisters "the two little queens." Around trainer Tony Mitchell's barn, the older one answers to the name "Princess."
Yes, in the realm of the Illinois-bred, half-sisters Summer Mis and Julie's Prize qualify as royalty. The two have become dominant forces in their respective statebred stakes division, and - no surprise - both won again Saturday, Illinois Day at the National Jockey Club at Hawthorne meet.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Rare is the shipper from Hollywood to Hawthorne, but getting from Southern California to southwest Chicago is how Ten Most Wanted will spend his Wednesday.
This is not the first time Ten Most Wanted has made the trip. As an unproven 3-year-old, Ten Most Wanted came here last spring and won the Illinois Derby by four lengths. He ran so well in that race that he went into the Kentucky Derby as the 6-1 third favorite - and ran ninth.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - House of Fortune is headed to the Kentucky Oaks after she powered to a length and three quarter win over Island Sand in the Grade 2, $200,000 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Friday. It was another four lengths back in third to Stellar Jayne.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Anything less than a win by in Sunday's $100,000 Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita will be a disappointment for trainer Patrick Biancone.
Run over a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies, the Providencia has been Mambo Slew's goal since she won the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park last fall in her stakes debut.
The Providencia is Mambo Slew's third start of the meeting. She won the Blue Norther Stakes by three lengths in January and was second to Ticker Tape in the China Doll Stakes on March 18.
