ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wandomania was in the air Wednesday when a field of eight was announced at the ceremonial draw for Saturday's $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, the final leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.
Wando, dominant winner of both the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate here at Woodbine and the 1 3/16-mile Prince of Wales at Fort Erie, will be stretching out to 1 1/2 miles and switching over to turf as he seeks to become the seventh winner of the Canadian Triple Crown, which was inaugurated in 1959.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainers Graham Motion and Jonathan Sheppard are stabled on the opposite sides of Saratoga's mammoth, two-track backside. They are equally separated on their hopes for the weather leading up to Saturday's Grade 1 $500,000 Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga.
"I'm probably the only person in Saratoga who hopes it keeps raining," said Motion, trainer of the soft-course-loving Dr. Brendler.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It may be best to wait until the last possible moment before handicapping Friday's $100,000 West Point Handicap for New York-breds, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on the turf.
Sixteen were entered for the West Point, and the complexion of the race will change dramatically depending on which surface the race is run and in what condition that surface is in come post time. On turf, the field will be limited to 12 runners.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Firth of Lorne, the runner-up in the French 1000 Guineas in 2002, makes her American debut in a $63,000 optional claimer on turf at Del Mar on Friday.
But trainer Eoin Harty is reluctant to predict victory, worried that the Del Mar turf course could work against her running style.
Firth of Lorne is a closer, and the course has produced more front-running winners than Harty likes to see.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Trainer Steve Hobby's "A" team will take the field Saturday at Arlington. Friday, the backups get their chance.
Hobby has Sue's Good News ready to start here Saturday in the $100,000 Singapore Plate, where she will have a chance to rebound from a sixth-place finish last month in the $500,000 Delaware Oaks. Hobby theorizes that Sue's Good News tied up before the start of the race, since she was listless during the warm-up period and raced without picking up the bit from start to finish.
EDMONTON, Alberta - With Sly Lady on the sidelines with a throat infection, Friday's $40,000 Madamoiselle for older fillies and mares has become wide open.
Sly Lady is unquestionably the top older mare in Alberta and is riding a five-race winning streak, but trainer Ron Grieves elected to keep her out of the race as she recovers.
Northern Neechitoo, who has not won a stakes this year, will look to take advantage of Sly Lady's absence in this 1 1/16-mile race after having finished second to her last out.
DEL MAR, Calif. - The 109 pounds that Sister Girl Blues has been assigned for Sunday's $300,000 Clement Hirsch Handicap is both a blessing and a hindrance to owner Jeff Nielsen and trainer Terry Knight.
Sister Girl Blues will carry as much as 18 pounds less than topweight Azeri, who is seeking her 11th consecutive win and carrying 127 pounds, a burden equal to the highest assignment of her career.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Haskell Day was a banner afternoon for New Jersey racing, and it came at an opportune time.
Monmouth Park smashed every attendance and handle record on Sunday. The presence of Kentucky Derby and Preak-ness winner Funny Cide and a welcome break from the recent rainy weather combined to produce a memorable day at the races.
The crowd of 53,638 was a record for any New Jersey track. The original Garden State Park held the old record of 51,077, set May 30, 1967.
Five graded winners were among the 12 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for Saturday's $600,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Race Track.
Post positions for the 1 1/8-mile West Virginia Derby were to be drawn on Thursday morning at a breakfast at the track. Last year, the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby became the first race in the state to carry a grade.