Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Ema Bovary to go on road

ALBANY, Calif. - Ema Bovary, the top horse stabled in northern California, will race in New York next month and then at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

Trainer Larry Ross, still basking in the 5-year-old Chilean mare's record-setting victory in last Sunday's Grade 3 Las Flores at Santa Anita, says his star will run next in the Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff Breeders' Cup Handicap at Aqueduct on March 27 before running in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff Handicap at Churchill Downs on May 1. Both races are seven furlongs.

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Funny Cide has come full circle

NEW ORLEANS - The outsiders still cheer loudly for Funny Cide. The doubters still knock him around. At this point, Barclay Tagg really isn't worried about either faction.

"I'm not concerned about any of that. I just want him to have a nice career. I want him to win some races," Tagg said.

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Ten Most Wanted primed for a big season

NEW ORLEANS - Just before 9:30 on Friday morning at Fair Grounds, Ten Most Wanted walked out of a Fair Grounds barn and onto the racetrack, where he jogged one easy circuit. As he bounced the wrong way down the backstretch, the heads of exercise riders waiting along the outside fence on other horses swiveled to follow him.

There were good reasons why many thought Ten Most Wanted could win the Kentucky Derby last May and the Breeders' Cup Classic last October, one of them being the stunning appearance he makes in the morning.

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Trainers double up to go after La Habra

ARCADIA, Calif. - A year ago, trainers Jenine Sahadi and Jim Cassidy finished one-two in the La Habra Stakes with Luvah Girl and Katdogawn.

Sunday at Santa Anita, the two stables are back in the $100,000 La Habra, a race for 3-year-olds over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. This year, both trainers have brought reinforcements.

Sahadi starts the entry of .

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Dubai program snatches stars from Big Cap

ARCADIA, Calif. - The lucrative Dubai World Cup program at Nad Al Sheba on March 27 is taking its toll on some of the major stakes at Santa Anita next weekend, including Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap and Sunday's $150,000 San Carlos Handicap.

Domestic Dispute and During, the first two finishers in the Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds on Feb. 7, are likely to pass the Big Cap in favor of starts in Dubai. Domestic Dispute will run in the $6 million Dubai World Cup, and During is being prepared for the $1 million Godolphin Mile.

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

$83.40 leads Turf-Vivor

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - William Connery Jr. held a narrow lead Friday after the first day of Gulfstream Park's Turf-Vivor III handicapping contest.

Connery built his bankroll to $83.40, just ahead of John DeVincenzo's $80. Robert Gianquitti was next with $79.60.

As the leader after the first day, Connery won $2,000. DeVincenzo earned $1,500 while Gianquitti banked $1,000. There are 125 handicappers vying for a first-place prize of $100,000.

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Derby up to $400k

Del Mar has increased the value of three major races for its 43-day 2004 meeting, which runs from July 21 to Sept. 8. The meet will offer record stakes purses of $6,325,000.

The largest increase is for the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, to be run Sept. 6 at 1 1/8 miles on turf with a purse of $400,000 - a rise of $100,000 from recent years.

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Rocky Gulch draws well

SUNLAND PARK, N. M. - A mixed bag of eleven horses is entered for Sunday's $100,000-added , the final local prep for the $500,000 WinStar Derby on March 28, and with a short run into the first turn, luck of the draw may be the deciding factor.

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Danieltown back racing at his favored distance

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Danieltown, a 16-length winner the last time he raced over six furlongs, returns to that distance Sunday in the seventh race at Oaklawn Park.

Restricted to 3-year-olds, the $60,000 optional claimer also drew the promising South Africa, who was entered in the $100,000 Southwest here Saturday.

Danieltown earned a 105 Beyer Speed Figure for his double-digit romp in a one-other-than allowance Jan. 24. He stretched out to a mile for his last start, in the $50,000 WEBN at Turfway Park, and dueled early before finishing seventh.

Fri, 02/27/2004 - 00:00

Gulfstream pick six carryover at $170,985

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - For the fifth straight day, the pick six was not hit Friday at Gulfstream Park. There will be a pick-six carryover of $170,985 heading into Saturday's 12-race card.

The sequence, which will include races 7-12, will include both Grade 3, $100,000 turf stakes races on the card: the Herecomesthebride for 3-year-old fillies and The Very One Handicap for older fillies and mares. Both races drew overflow fields as did the 10th, a second-level allowance race for 4-year-olds and up.