Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

Plenty of speed in Speed

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Speedsters Celt and Commodore Craig figure to hook up early and set it up late for either likely favorite Bold 'n Keen or Kalfaari in the $40,000 Hastings Speed on Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong handicap drew seven horses and goes as the eighth race.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

Forster takes two shots

AUBURN, Wash. - Red-hot trainer Grant Forster saddles two promising 3-year-olds in a $50,000 optional claimer at a mile Saturday.

Forster, whose 23 wins from 100 starts at the meeting include six stakes victories, will send out Tamper, who is owned by Herman Sarkowsky, and Cody to Reggie, who races for Ron Crockett. Because of their separate ownership, Tamper and Cody to Reggie will race uncoupled. They are the only two entrants in the field of eight who will not race for the claiming tag.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

She's Gottogetaway nails 'Diana'

DEL MAR, Calif. - She's Gottogetaway, the second-longest shot in a field of eight California-bred 2-year-old fillies, caught a weary Dirty Diana in the final stride to score a massive upset in Wednesday's $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar.

She's Gottogetaway ($59.80) trailed by more than six lengths with a quarter-mile remaining but rallied on the inside to win by a neck. Ridden by Isaias Enriquez, She's Gottogetaway finished six furlongs in 1:11.62.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

Donn in Grand Hombre's grand plan

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Dennis Manning continues to map a cautious schedule for Grand Hombre, a rising star in the 3-year-old ranks.

Grand Hombre, an unbeaten gelding, captured the Grade 3, $750,000 Pennsylvania Derby Monday in his stakes debut. It was his fourth win.

Manning has designated the Grade 3, $400,000 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park Oct. 3 as Grand Hombre's next start.

Assuming all goes well in Indiana, Grand Hombre will close out his campaign in the Grade 3, $150,000 Oklahoma Derby at Remington Park on Nov. 16.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

Endine sees Mandy's Gold sprinting again

It may be true that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. How about teaching a veteran mare to switch distances drastically in something of a flashback to her youth?

Mandy's Gold has run a mile or longer in nine of her last 10 starts, including 1 1/4 miles in her most recent start, the Delaware Handicap. Now, after five races in row of at least 1 1/16 miles, trainer Mike Gorham wants Mandy's Gold to sprint.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

Fires family has Got the Goods

CHICAGO - Since he has made four starts in his brief career, the 2-year-old Got the Goods qualifies as a wizened veteran in Saturday's Spectacular Bid Stakes at Arlington. The seasoning edge extends to the humans in his corner.

The trainer William "Jinks" Fires will saddle Got the Goods Saturday, give a leg up to his younger brother Earlie "Brother" Fires, and send the pair one turn around Arlington's walking ring and then to the racetrack.

This sort of thing has been happening for about 44 years.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

Okie Style is stakes-proven

ALTOONA, Iowa - Two-year-olds are in the spotlight here Saturday night in a pair of $40,000 stakes, the Prairie Meadows Freshman for colts and geldings, and the Prairie Meadows Debutante for fillies.

Okie Style is the only stakes winner among the six horses in the six-furlong Freshman. In his second career start, on Aug. 16, Okie Style dueled throughout and gamely held on for a half-length victory against restricted company in the Iowa Stallion Futurity.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

Silver Bird likely to improve

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Silver Bird, Saree, and Pink Champagne, who have each won her only start, will square off in Saturday's $177,000 Natalma Stakes, a one-mile turf race for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

The Name's Bond on turf again

MIAMI - Trainer Frank Gomez believes The Name's Bond might be a better horse on dirt than grass. The Name's Bond, however, may still be good enough on turf to defeat nine other 3-year-olds in Saturday's $75,000 Needles Stakes at Calder.

The Needles serves as a major prep for the $200,000 Calder Derby Oct. 11.

Thu, 09/04/2003 - 00:00

'Business' plan may pay off

It's a formula that is already proven for the Kagele Brothers ownership group: Claim a horse for $100,000 in Southern California, fly the horse to trainer Cole Norman, and point for stakes in this region. Their first success story was Pie N Burger, a $100,000 claim who in May won the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap.

Their second could be I'm the Business, who will take on 120-pound highweight Golden Rhythm on Saturday in the $75,000 River Cities Handicap for fillies and mares at Louisiana Downs.