Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Two aces on all-juvenile card

MIAMI. - Sir Oscar and French Village will put their unblemished records and leadership in the local 2-year-old divisions on the line in Saturday's $125,000 Affirmed and Susan's Girl divisions of Calder's Florida Stallion Stakes. The Affirmed, for males, and Susan's Girl, for females, both at seven furlongs, are the richest of six stakes races on a unique 13-race program made up of races exclusively for 2-year-olds.

The Affirmed is also the first leg in a national pick three that also includes the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes from Saratoga and the Bassinet Stakes from River Downs.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Don't look for Whirlwind Charlott early

OCEANPORT, N.J. - An extra sixteenth of a mile and a valuable schooling lesson could move Whirlwind Charlott to the head of the class Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park.

The Sorority, for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs, closes out the graded stakes schedule at Monmouth.

Trainer John Dowd used the Colleen Stakes as an instructional tool to familiarize Whirlwind Charlott with the art of dropping back and making one late move. She proved a willing pupil.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

May Gator, finally getting some breaks, choice in Dade Turf

Steve Flint was right after all.

Flint insisted several months ago that May Gator wasn't so much a hanger as a filly who simply went through a patch of tough luck. And, indeed, after posting a seemingly endless streak of second- and third-place finishes, May Gator broke through with two wins from her last four starts. She might very well make it 3 for 5 as the probable favorite Saturday in the $75,000 Dade Turf Classic at Ellis Park.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Lovethatlegend sports Sorority favoritism, six-figure price tag

ALTOONA, Iowa - For most horses entered in Saturday's Iowa Classic Night stakes, a victory would be the high point of their careers. For the 2-year-old filly Lovethatlegend, it may be just a starting point.

Lovethatlegend, a daughter of Gold Legend, heads a field of eight in the $65,000-added Iowa Sorority, one of six Thoroughbred stakes for statebreds that will offer more than $420,000 in purses at Prairie Meadows Saturday. Four Quarter Horse stakes are also carded.

Kelly Von Hemel trains Lovethatlegend for her owner-breeders, Richard and Vickie Cosaert.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Agosti places Giliforte's grip on training title in jeopardy

FORT ERIE, Ontario - Tom Agosti, with three wins in the past racing week, including the late double on Tuesday, has unseated Layne Giliforte at the top of the trainer standings at Fort Erie.

Giliforte, a Buffalo, N.Y., native who has won the title in each of the last five years, was one up on Agosti as the week began but was shut out in nine attempts.

Agosti, born in nearby Kenmore N.Y., now has 36 victories and is winning at a 27 percent clip.

Remarkably, Agosti's numbers have been earned without the help of Right Stop, his stable star.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Pilon trainees Allourwishes, Stage Whisper to battle it out

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Trainer Hubert Pilon will send out a strong three-horse contingent led by Allourwishes and Stage Whisper for the meet's richest race, Saturday's $22,500 Prairie Lily Sales Stakes.

The Prairie Lily is at about seven furlongs and for graduates of the 2002 Saskatchewan yearling sale. In addition to the base purse, fillies run for a $4,500 premium.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Auction punctuated by sale and stakes

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (B.C. Division) will hold its annual yearling and mixed sale Tuesday at the Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, B.C. The sale begins at 2 p.m. There is a yearling parade scheduled for Monday, also at 2 p.m. There's a total of 181 horses up for sale and 165 are yearlings.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Statebreds line up for shot in 5 stakes

Five stakes for Pennsylvania-breds are part of Saturday's 10-race card at Philadelphia Park.

The stakes action begins in the fifth race with the $50,000 Captain My Captain, a five-furlong turf race for 3-year-olds and up.

Namequest, who won the Pennsylvania Governors Cup Handicap in his last start on Aug. 2, is the horse to beat in the field of eight.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Better Talk Now, Revved Up in for Niagara

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Saturday's Niagara Handicap attracted a surprising total of six invaders, and the number of arrivals had reached four on Thursday when Better Talk Now and Revved Up checked in during the pre-dawn hours. Cetewayo and Bowman Mill, both trained by Michael Dickinson, shipped in earlier this week. Dr. Kashnikow and Jack's Own Time were still en route.

Better Talk Now, who had been training at Fair Hill, Md., was accompanied by exercise rider Fenella O'Flynn.

Thu, 08/28/2003 - 00:00

Next Bandit goes for big bucks

This weekend, such juvenile phenoms as Chapel Royal and Birdstone will do battle in the $200,000 Hopeful at Saratoga, and highly regarded West Coast-based fillies Halfbridled and Victory U. S. A. clash in the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante. Meanwhile, a group of far less renowned 2-year-olds will be chasing equally big money in a pair of $200,000 stakes on Saturday's program at Delaware Park.