LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Few people were happier to hear the news that Sightseek will not race in the Falls City Handicap than trainer Ken McPeek, whose stable star, Take Charge Lady, has become a strong favorite for the Thanksgiving Day fixture.
"Of course we're glad she's not coming," said McPeek. "It's one less bear we'll have to wrestle."
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Smokey Glacken outsprinted several rivals to make the early lead, then carried her speed all the way to win Sunday's Grade 3, $112,200 by 3 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct.
Longshot Baldomera rallied from well off the pace to get second, a half-length in front of Stoic. Forest Music, the even-money favorite, tired to fifth after chasing the hot early pace.
The victory was the third in four career starts for Smokey Glacken, a half-sister to 1997 champion sprinter, Smoke Glacken.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Fencelineneighbor captured her second stakes race in the five starts since being purchased privately by John and Jerry Amerman when she won the $73,400 for 3-year-old fillies on the turf at Hollywood Park.
Fencelineneighbor ($7.60) was given a perfect ride by jockey Patrick Valenzuela. After tracking the early pacesetter, Shezsospiritual, Fencelineneighbor roared to the lead turning into the stretch, opened a 2 1/2-length advantage a furlong out, and held off 2-1 favorite Katdogawn to win by a half-length.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Six Sexy Sisters had a tough act to follow, with older brother Wando having been the toast of the town here this season.
But Six Sexy Sisters certainly has held up her side of the sibling rivalry and is perfect in two outings after winning the $160,950 Ontario Lassie here on Sunday.
"I thought she ran lovely," said trainer Mike Keogh, who won his 11th stakes of the year but his first with a horse not named Wando or Mobil.
ALBANY, Calif. - Three stakes winners and an undefeated runner square off in Wednesday's feature at Golden Gate Fields, a $50,000 optional claimer at six furlongs.
Sempai, Con Quixote, and Texas Chili are the three stakes winners in a field of six. Sempai recently defeated Con Quixote by a half-length in a $40,000 claimer, and Texas Chili was third in the Albany Handicap in his last start.
Constant Thunder, who made his debut Oct. 2 as a 4-year-old, is 2 for 2 in his career.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel abruptly canceled plans to run two of his stable stars, Sightseek and Medaglia d'Oro, in rich handicaps at Churchill Downs this week, saying he believed both horses were assigned excessive weight.
ALBANY, Calif. - The Herc took the lead out of the gate, extended it on the turn and cruised to victory in the $65,600 Golden Bear Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday.
A $50,000 claim at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita, The Herc won the Sunny Slope Stakes in his first start for trainer Gary Stute. He faded badly in the Pinjara at one mile on the turf but returned to a sprint Sunday and was never challenged.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Six Sexy Sisters, a full-sister to Canadian Triple Crown winner Wando, easily won her stakes debut Sunday at Woodbine in the $160,950 , for Canadian-bred 2-year-old fillies.
Six Sexy Sisters broke slowly in the mile and a sixteenth event, and then dragged jockey Patrick Husbands past front-running Duet early on the backstretch. She set moderate middle fractions, and opened up clear lead exiting the far turn. Duet narrowed the gap in the stretch, but Six Sexy Sisters got home on top by two lengths, in a final time of 1:47.26.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Strength in numbers gave trainer Bobby Frankel a record 860th win at Hollywood Park in Saturday's $250,000 .
Frankel finished first and second with Epicentre and Continuously, but Epicentre was disqualified and placed third for interfering with pacesetter Bowman Mill in the stretch.
The steward's decision gave Continuously his first stakes win in the Grade 1 Turf Cup, and moved Frankel past the late Charles Whittingham on Hollywood Park's all-time trainer's list.
Frankel was equally enthused to have scored a record 24th Grade 1 win in 2003.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Balto Star is capable of running brilliant races and is also known for throwing in some complete duds. On Saturday at Aqueduct in the Grade 2, $150,000 , Balto Star had on his game face and wired the field for a 3 1/4-length victory.
The late-closing Macaw, the 2-1 favorite, finished second in the 11-horse field of turf runners. Cetewayo was third, a neck behind Macaw. Final Prophecy, Haggs Castle, Deputy Strike, Revved Up, He Flies, Dawn of the Condor, Quiet Ruler, and Tripat completed the order of finish in the final turf stakes of the year in New York.
