Jockey Russell Baze scored his 400th victory of 2003, winning aboard Hooked on Niners on Wednesday at Golden Gate Fields.
Baze, the fourth all-time winningest jockey in history with 8,474 victories, has reached 400 victories in 11 of the past 12 years. He is currently second in the nation behind Ramon Dominguez in victories for the year but leads all riders with 200 or more victories with a win rate of 31.
An investment firm hired to evaluate the worth of Monmouth Park and The Meadowlands has recommended that New Jersey put the two tracks up for sale or lease them to a private company, according to officials of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the owner of the tracks.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Bowman Mill has run over seven turf courses in 10 starts, overcoming an injury in 2000 and becoming a stakes winner this year at age 5.
This week, the Maryland-based Bowman Mill starts on his eighth turf course, and his first in California, in the $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup over 1 1/2 miles.
Trainer Michael Dickinson chose the Turf Cup in an effort to avoid a soft turf course.
"He should like the firmer turf here," Dickinson said.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Breeders' Cup crowd at Santa Anita oohed and aahed as Bien Nicole kept getting farther ahead in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, but all Donnie Von Hemel could do was cringe.
"All I was thinking was, 'Slow down!' " said Von Hemel, who trains Bien Nicole for John and Kristine Richter.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Despite the heavy rain that hit the area Wednesday and was scheduled to last into Thursday, Aqueduct track superintendent Jerry Porcelli was "somewhat hopeful" that Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Red Smith Handicap would be run on the turf as scheduled.
Trainer Jimmy Jerkens has horses to run regardless of the surface on which the Red Smith will be run, but he stands a better chance to win the race if it is moved to the main track. Jerkens would run Snake Mountain in the Red Smith if it is on dirt and Haggs Castle if it remains on turf.
OKLAHOMA CITY - Comic Truth, the 10-length winner of the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby, is being considered for a handful of races for his next start, but his main objective will be the Grade 2, $500,000 New Orleans Handicap at Fair Grounds on Feb. 29, said his trainer, Pat Daly.
Comic Truth will be based at Fair Grounds starting next month, and between now and the New Orleans Handicap, could start in either the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita Jan. 24 or the $60,000 Louisiana Handicap on Jan. 2.
Streakin Sin Tacha, the 2002 co-world champion, will make his first start since July 12 on Friday night at Los Alamitos. In an attempt to qualify for the Grade 1, $500,000 Champion of Champions, he will be starting in the Grade 3 Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It's not often that one of trainer Malcolm Pierce's charges escapes the attention of the wagering public.
But that was the case here Nov. 1 when My Lordship, a Kentucky-bred 2-year-old filly who was making the first start of her career in a seven-furlong maiden special, scored by 2 3/4 lengths and returned $32.30.
"We liked her a lot," said Pierce, who trains My Lordship for Live Oak Plantation. "The surprise to me was that she was 15-1."
Delta Downs, which has been able to increase purses because of slot machines, now hardly ever has an open slot in the starting gate. The track is averaging 9.6 starters a race this meet, with 10 the maximum that can run.
"We were a shade over nine last year," said racing secretary Trent McIntosh.
McIntosh said foal papers for 3,500 horses are on file with the racing office, meaning they have been registered to race this meet at Delta, up from 2,700 at the same time a year ago. The stable area, which holds 1,260 horses, is full.