LOS ALAMITOS, Calif - A Regal Choice was promoted from second to first in Friday's $1,367,650 Los Alamitos Million Futurity for Quarter Horses after he was ruled to have been fouled by race winner Corona for Me in the final strides of the 400-yard race.
Corona for Me, the fastest qualifier, finished a nose in front of A Regal Choice, but was ruled by track stewards to have drifted in from post 3 and bothered A Regal Choice, who started in post 2 and was ridden by Alejandro Luna.
GROVE CITY, Ohio - Beulah Park canceled the final five races of its card on Saturday afternoon after clots on the racing surface led to unsafe conditions for both horses and riders.
The track was listed as fast but there were noticeable dirt clots on the surface and several riders returned with broken sets of goggles following the afternoon's first two races.
The $35,000 Glacial Princess Stakes for 2-year-old Ohio-breds was canceled for the second straight Saturday and has been rescheduled for Friday.
Sam Houston Race Park in Houston was forced to cancel the final six races of its 10-race program on Friday night after heavy rains moved into the area. Officials made the decision to call off the remainder of the program at 9 p.m. Central, about 45 minutes after the running of the fourth race.
"We evaluated the conditions and had no choice but to cancel live racing," said Bob Bork, president of Sam Houston. "The safety of our riders and horses is of the upmost importance to our racetrack."
Sam Houston was scheduled to race on Saturday night.
MIAMI - The Kentucky Derby is still almost five months away, but it's never too early for a trainer to start thinking about the race and what it will take to get a 3-year-old there next spring - especially when that trainer is Nick Zito, already a two-time Derby winner, whose barn is overflowing with potential Derby candidates.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockeys Julie Krone and David Nuesch were hospitalized Friday after being involved in a two-horse spill in the third race at Hollywood Park.
Krone was unseated when her mount, Clover Situation, was unable to avoid Skidoo, who broke down at the five-furlong pole of a 7 1/2-furlong race for $25,000 claimers.
Skidoo, ridden by David Nuesch, fell in front of Clover Situation.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Near misses in stakes have been commonplace for Summer Wind Dancer this year.
A two-time stakes winner in the fall of 2002, Summer Wind Dancer is winless in five starts this year but has been second in three stakes for California-breds.
A breakthrough could come in Sunday's $95,000 Cat's Cradle Handicap at Hollywood Park when Summer Wind Dancer faces eight California-bred fillies and mares.
"My filly shows up every time," trainer Jenine Sahadi said of Summer Wind Dancer. "I can count on her."
NEW ORLEANS - Freefourinternet was supposed to be prepping for a stakes race in the Fair Grounds Friday feature, but he has pretty much found himself in one right now.
Freefourinternet has 11 rivals in Friday's ninth race, a money allowance with an $80,000 claiming option carded for about 1 1/16 miles on turf. The inner turf rail has been moved in, and after seeing nine-horse grass races during the meet's first 10 days, bettors finally have a truly full field to scrutinize.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Two weeks after finishing a well-beaten third in the Grade 2 Remsen, West Virginia finds a better spot to earn the second stakes win of his career in Sunday's $75,000-added Damon Runyon at Aqueduct.
West Virginia will be favored among 10 New York-bred 2-year-olds entered in the 1 1/16-mile Damon Runyon.
West Virginia and Rb's Glitter are the only stakes winners in the field.
ALBANY, Calif. - Seven 2-year-old maidens will try to join the ranks of winners in Sunday's best race at Golden Gate Fields.
Four of the runners in the six-furlong race are first-time starters, and they are facing tough challenges.
Itsaprospector, who drew the outside post, is the one to beat. A $37,000 Barretts purchase, Itsaprospector has run second in both his starts, showing improvement when he ran in the mud in his second race.
In his debut, he was second to stakes winner Market Report. Jet West, who ran third in that race, came back to win his next start.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After putting the saddle on Queen's Triomphe for the Montauk Handicap on Nov. 30 at Aqueduct, trainer Tom Bush glanced at the toteboard and was amazed to see how high Queen's Triomphe's odds were.
Minutes later, Bush was in the winner's circle with Queen's Triomphe, who won the restricted Montauk by 2 1/4 lengths and returned $130. Bush was kicking himself for not betting on Queen's Triomphe but not at all surprised she won the race, her first stakes.