INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Los Solano made a flashy start to his career in the United States in January with a 16-1 upset in an optional claiming race on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.
In three subsequent starts, he has been unplaced in two stakes races and third in an optional claiming race, all on turf.
Not surprisingly, trainer Jerry Fanning has chosen a $51,000 optional claiming race for Los Solano's next start, a turf sprint at 5 1/2 furlongs at Hollywood Park on Friday evening.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Chuck Simon wanted something that would tell him whether Strength and Honor is good enough to run next month in the Grade 3 Aristides Handicap at Churchill Downs.
Simon will get what he wanted. Strength and Honor, a runaway winner of all three of his races since Simon assumed his training, will face a tried-and-true group of stakes sprinters Friday in the Aristides prep, the featured ninth race on a Friday card that starts at 2:45 p.m. Eastern.
CALGARY, Alberta - Trainer R.K. "Red" Smith, whose 19 victories at the conclusion of Monday's holiday program left him leading the Stampede Park standings by five over Robertino Diodoro, sends out Heir to Spare for Friday's $12,800 feature.
Heir to Spare should be favored to defeat five rivals in the six-furlong sprint, which runs as the seventh of eight races on the card.
A beaten choice in his last start, Heir to Spare will break from post 2 under regular rider Stephan Heiler.
Sly Lady captures Pearson
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Azeri, the 2002 Horse of the Year who has won eight consecutive stakes, is expected to have only four opponents when she makes her 2003 California debut in Saturday's $200,000 Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.
Wednesday, trainer Neil Drysdale confirmed that Damaschino, a stakes winner in Australia last year who was fourth in the Wilshire Handicap last month, will make her first start on dirt in the Grade 1 Milady, run over 1 1/16 miles.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Congaree, a winner of three graded stakes this year at distances ranging from seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, was assigned high weight of 124 pounds for Monday's $750,000 Metropolitan Mile at Belmont Park.
Congaree picks up two pounds off his 3 1/2-length win on April 12 in the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct, his last start.
Concerning the weight assignment, Congaree's trainer, Bob Baffert, said, "When you have a great horse, I guess you expect to carry those weights. It looks pretty good that we are going to run."
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Pat Byrne had poor luck here Sunday when Desert Gold had to be scratched from the feature race. Byrne is hoping for a reversal of fortune Saturday when Desert Gold makes her grass debut in what is expected to be a large field of fillies and mares in the $150,000 Early Times Mint Julep Handicap.
"We're going to try to make lemonade out of a lemon," Byrne said.
MUSKEGON, Mich. - Secret Romeo, the 2002 horse of the year at Great Lakes Downs, made a triumphant return to the track Saturday evening when he won the featured eighth race allowance. A 5-year-old son of Service Stripe, Secret Romeo raced unhurried early in the 5 1/2-furlong event, circled the field five wide on the first turn, then began passing rivals quickly. Ridden by Freddie Mata, Secret Romeo was four lengths ahead of a former Great Lakes champion, That Gift, on the far turn, then won by nearly three lengths over Tenerumi in a time of 1:08.80.
Collinsville, Ill. - The circumstances of the condition book forced trainer Leroy Hellman to run his two best horses, Canyon de Oro and WW Robin de Hood, against each other in Tuesday's fourth race. In all likelihood they will meet again in the Red Doggit Handicap at one mile June 3.
"I felt like they both needed a mile race before the handicap, and this was the only option I had besides go to Chicago," Hellman said.