LEXINGTON, Ky. - You can talk about it if you want. Mere words, however, might not do justice to what Keeneland has assembled Saturday for its 67th running of the Ashland Stakes.
"I don't know what anybody can say about it, really," said Carl Nafzger, who will run Last Song in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ashland. "It's just a fantastic race."
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The rematch is on.
Peace Rules and Saint Liam, who put on a thrilling stretch run last out in the New Orleans Handicap, will renew their budding rivalry Saturday in the Grade 2, $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap. Saint Liam will break from post 2 in the 1 1/8-mile race for older horses, while Peace Rules will be right next door in post 3.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Azeri began her rise to prominence two years ago when, in her sixth career start, she defeated Affluent and Miss Linda in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park. She went on to be named Horse of the Year that season.
In her second Apple Blossom appearance last year, Azeri showed grit while coming off a five-month layoff to catch Take Charge Lady on the wire.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Dynever makes his 2004 debut in Saturday's $100,000 San Bernardino Handicap at Santa Anita, the sight of his best performance in a 2003 campaign that made him a millionaire.
Last October, Dynever ran third to Pleasantly Perfect and Medgalia d'Oro here in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic.
The form of that race has been enhanced in recent months. Pleasantly Perfect and Medaglia d'Oro finished one-two in the $6 million Dubai World Cup last weekend.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Might E Man heads a field of eight in Saturday's $20,000 Oregon Derby at 1 1/8 miles.
Might E Man, a 3-year-old son of Baquero who races for breeder Margaret Root, won the major derby prep, the 1 1/16-mile Preview Stakes, by 1 1/4 lengths over Santiam Top Jazz. Might E Man had earlier placed in four stakes at the meeting, but he clearly raised his game when trainer Ben Root removed his blinkers for the Preview.
CALGARY, Alberta - Boldanzar heads a field of nine older runners in Saturday's featured eighth race.
Boldanzar sports strong credentials over this course and at the four-furlong distance, and trainer Yves Trudel has enlisted the services of Quincy Welch in this $28,000 claimer.
Welch, who captured the meet riding title here last spring despite missing the first month of action, will break the Alberta-bred Bold Laddie gelding from post 4.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The $150,000 Arcadia Handicap at Santa Anita on Saturday is the rare stakes in which none of the entrants is coming off a win.
Not many even came close.
was second by a length in the Grade 3 Golden Gate Breeders' Cup Handicap on March 14 and Seinne was fourth by a neck in the Explosive Bid Handicap at Fair Grounds in March 2003.
Run over 1 1/8 miles on turf, the Grade 2 Arcadia Handicap is as much a prep for the San Juan Capistrano Handicap over about 1 3/4 miles on turf on April 18 as it is a springtime goal.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Finding the winner of the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby will bring bettors closer to conquering two lucrative jackpot bets on Saturday.
The seven-runner Santa Anita Derby is the eighth race on an 11-race program at Santa Anita. The pick six covers the sixth through 11th races and is guaranteed to have a pool of $1 million.
The Santa Anita Derby is the final leg of the $2 Magna 5, which requires bettors to pick the winner of five races run throughout the country.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Despite compiling a record that includes three Grade 1 wins and a runner-up effort against males in the Santa Anita Handicap, Island Fashion has not been favored in any of her last 11 starts. A win in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park would go a long way toward earning her the respect that has eluded her throughout her career.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Trainer Mike Puhich ventured to Kentucky in 1997 with a fringe contender for the Kentucky Derby. Stolen Gold ran a decent third in the Blue Grass Stakes behind heavily favored Pulpit that year, and Puhich judiciously decided against moving on to Churchill Downs for the Derby.