MIAMI, Fla. - For Awesome of Course, Monday's $40,000 Heckofaralph Stakes serves as a steppingstone to the $300,000 Carry Back Stakes on July 12.
For Lawbook, the Heckofaralph is a chance to redeem himself for a disappointing effort as the odds-on favorite under allowance conditions on June 1. It is also a chance for Lawbook to earn a shot at the Grade 3 Carry Back, one of four graded stakes on the $1.7 million Summit of Speed program.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Anyone who has been paying the slightest bit of attention to Thoroughbred racing knows that Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel has been enjoying an amazing year. A microcosm of Frankel's year has been what his stable has accomplished at the Churchill Downs spring meet, where on Saturday he saddled You for a 3 3/4-length win in the $327,900 .
Counting the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis, Frankel had started 12 horses here, resulting in seven wins, four seconds, and one third. Incredibly, only two of those races came outside of stakes company.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The connections of Happy Trails wouldn't mind if it rained for the rest of the summer.
For the second time in three weeks, Happy Trails took advantage of a turf stakes being transferred to the dirt, this time rallying from last place to win Saturday's $113,100 Hill Prince Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park. Last month, Happy Trails won the $100,000 Jersey Derby, another race originally carded for turf.
CHICAGO - Put Miesque's Approval in a turf race anywhere between a mile and 1 1/8 miles, on pretty much any type of grass course, and he's going to run his race. No matter where he might be at the time.
Throughout a successful three-season career, Miesque's Approval has been based at East Coast tracks with trainer Bill Mott, but he has raced all over the place. So far his 16 starts have come at 10 different venues, and the list grows Sunday when Miesque's Approval runs at Arlington in the $150,000 Sea o'Erin Breeders' Cup Mile.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Ten 3-year-old fillies were entered to run on the grass in Sunday's $100,000-added Sands Point, a Grade 3 carded for 1 1/8 miles on Belmont Park's inner turf. Because of the bog-like conditions of the turf course and more rain in the forecast, six other fillies were entered main-track only.
On the turf, the horse to beat is Ocean Drive, a winner of four of five starts and the favorite in each of those races. In her last start April 18, Ocean Drive, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland over a yielding course.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Last year, Continental Red would have been an odds-on favorite for a race such as Sunday's $100,000 Quicken Tree Stakes at Hollywood Park.
This weekend, in his 50th career start, he is only trying to restore his reputation.
"This time last year he would have scared them off," trainer Ian Jory said. "If you look at his form, he hasn't scared anyone off."
ELMONT, N.Y. - Mandy's Gold will be in search of her second Grade 1 win at Belmont Park when she comes to town for next Saturday's $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap.
Mandy's Gold, who is stabled at Delaware Park with trainer Michael Gorham, won the Grade 1 Ruffian Handicap by 2 1/4 lengths over You last September at Belmont. Mandy's Gold followed with a second-place finish behind Imperial Gesture in the Grade 1 Beldame three weeks later.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Trainer Wally Dollase is not anxious to take on Horse of the Year Azeri in the $250,000 Vanity Handicap next Saturday at Hollywood Park with Bare Necessities, the winner of three consecutive stakes races.
But he realizes the Grade 1 Vanity is a good opportunity for Bare Necessities to run in a major stakes race and possibly pick up an important placing.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Canterbury Park will revive what is arguably its most storied stakes race Sunday when 12 fillies and mares go postward in the $100,000 Lady Canterbury Breeders' Cup Stakes at one mile on turf.
Not run since 1998, the Lady Canterbury has provided some of the most outstanding performances in track history, including the 1988 renewal, which featured Bayakoa in a skirmish with the victorious Balbonella, and the 1990 running that showcased millionaire Fieldy.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Richard Migliore will replace John Velazquez in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association All-Star Jockey Championship on Friday night because Velazquez has a race commitment. The competition will be held at Lone Star Park.
Angel Cordero, who is Velazquez's agent, informed Lone Star officials that Velazquez will be unable to attend because he is booked to ride a 2-year-old maiden for trainer Todd Pletcher.
