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.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The carnival-like atmosphere of Saratoga may be lacking, but top-quality racing figures to be in high supply when Belmont Park's fall meet opens Friday.
Thirty-three days were not enough to pack in all the major races, so this year's meet has been expanded to 38 days, lasting through Oct. 26. First post is 1 p.m. daily, with the exception of closing weekend. General admission and general parking are free on Friday.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is leaving his position as private trainer for the Maktoum family to open a public stable. McLaughlin has worked for the Maktoum family since the fall of 1993.
McLaughlin has trained primarily for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum's Shadwell Stable. While spending five months of each year in Dubai, however, he has broken and trained horses for the other brothers in the family, including Sheikh Maktoum al Maktoum's Gainsborough Farm and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Darley Stud.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Candy Ride, the unbeaten winner of the Pacific Classic, returned to the racetrack for the first time on Wednesday for a gallop that was hardly routine.
"We couldn't keep him on the ground," trainer Ron McAnally said. "He's something else. There is a lot of energy stored up."
DEL MAR, Calif. - Crowned Dancer has not won in more than a year and finished last of nine in a division of the Oceanside Stakes on July 23, the opening day of the Del Mar meet.
With that form, he would seem misplaced in Friday's $75,000 El Cajon Stakes, a restricted race run at one mile for 3-year-olds.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Alan Goldberg has made few mistakes at Monmouth Park this year.
Goldberg has sent out 11 winners from only 40 runners at the meet, with 11 more of his horses hitting the board.
Based on that record, handicappers should take note if Goldberg opts to run France Soir in the $50,000 Lighthouse Stakes for fillies and mares Saturday at Monmouth.
He was undecided when asked about the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The Winnipeg Futurity winner is in town.
And what that means is about as clear as Arlington's Friday feature, the $45,000-added Top Flight Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Downgraded to an overnight stakes race this season, the Top Flight served as Arlington's stakes prep for the Arlington-Washington Lassie in previous years. There are nine fillies entered this time, but whether any of them are Lassie material remains to be seen.
New York Racing Association officials plan to visit Aqueduct racetrack next week to assess the feasibility of opening the grandstand to the public during the upcoming fall meet.
Most of the grandstand is currently unsuitable for crowds, the officials said, because of a construction project NYRA started to convert a portion of the grandstand to a slot machine parlor. The project, which began in the spring after Aqueduct closed, was halted in August because NYRA's partner in the project, MGM Grand, pulled out.
Jockey Jeff Faul has been suspended pending his appearance before the Great Lakes Downs board of stewards after they determined that there is "credible evidence" that he was in possession of an illegal electrical device when he won the sixth race on Aug. 24 at Great Lakes.
Faul maintains his innocence in the matter.
Steward Jeff Dye said the hearing, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed until next week. He declined further comment on the case and said that the incident was under investigation by Michigan's Office of the Racing Commissioner.
EDMONTON, Alberta - A Shaky Start, winner of the $75,000 Sonoma in her last start here Aug. 9, will be a prohibitive favorite in Friday's $50,000 Sales Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Northlands Park.
This will be the first running of the Sales Stakes, a one-mile race for products of the local yearling sale.
A Shaky Start defeated Raylene in the 1 1/16-mile Sonoma, and that filly came back to defeat males in the Canadian Derby.
Alta Aire surprises
