LAFAYETTE, La. - Players last week had to deal with what has been a rarity at Evangeline Downs this season, an off track.
Much-needed rain fell for the first time since the meeting began in early April resulting in sloppy tracks on both Thursday and Friday nights. The strip returned to fast for last Saturday evening's card but the added moisture seems to have tempered the advantage early speed had been enjoying lately.
MUSKEGON, Mich. - Jockey Jim Schwartz rode five consecutive winners Monday evening at Great Lakes Downs to move into fourth place in the standings. He added another win Tuesday to give him 23 at the meet.
Schwartz started Monday evening with a win aboard Ruby Fields ($4.40). Two Track ($10.80) got up late, surviving a claim of foul, completing a $33.60 daily double.
Schwartz won the third aboard Rolen to Jasper ($16.20), then teamed up with trainer Kris Turner for a double aboard Ali Oop Geni ($14.20) in the fourth and Be Quick Drummer ($10) in the fifth.
LINCOLN, Neb. - Because of last Saturday's cancellation after the fifth race, State Fair Park will add one race to its regular Friday night program. The extra race will be the State Fair Breeders' Special Stakes for Nebraska-bred 3-year-olds at one mile, which was canceled last week.
Track officials originally were going to run the race on Saturday's card but shifted it to Friday's program to give horsemen an extra day between this race and the State Fair Derby here on June 22.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Neil Howard climbed out of his car Tuesday morning, having just returned from watching Mineshaft go through his final workout for the Stephen Foster Handicap with Annie Finney aboard.
Howard gave Finney a stern look and said, "I've never seen him work like that. That's the best I've ever seen him work."
Over a fast track, Mineshaft covered five furlongs in 59.60 seconds, with his final quarter-mile coming in 22.80 seconds. Mineshaft, a 4-year-old colt, figures as the favorite Saturday in the Grade 1, $750,000 Foster.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The hot rumor circulating throughout the Belmont Park backstretch Tuesday morning was that Evening Attire was going to run in an allowance race on Thursday. An even hotter workout turned in by Evening Attire put those rumors to rest.
ELMONT, N.Y. - After knocking heads against graded stakes runners most of the year, Puzzlement takes a much-needed drop in class to allowance company in Thursday's $58,000 feature at Belmont Park.
But a lack of pace in a compact field could inhibit Puzzlement, a one-run closer whose claim to fame thus far is a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Peter Pan last year.
AUBURN, Wash. - Only the distance will change when Knight in Silver, Expressionator, and Marbury, the top three finishers at 6 1/2 furlongs on May 31, are rematched in Thursday's one-mile feature. The race is for 3-year-olds eligible to be claimed for $32,000 or $25,000.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Night Patrol has won 10 of 50 starts, captured three stakes, and earned $704,273 - and his trainer, Nick Canani, still has the pleasant problem of wondering whether he is best on turf or dirt.
The 7-year-old Night Patrol is nominated for the $400,000 Californian Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on the main track and the $350,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap over 1 1/4 miles on turf. Both are Saturday at Hollywood Park.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Trainer Mike Mitchell's proposal may have seemed odd at first. Last winter, he asked owners Michael House and Leonard and Yolanda Fishelberg to breed their racing fillies to Skimming and put them back into training.
Both owners agreed. Since then, Stonebridge Lady and Runaway Pro have continued their careers, collecting purses from each start.
Both 4-year-old fillies start on Thursday in separate optional claimers at Hollywood Park and have realistic chances to win.