HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Man From Wicklow looks like a good bet to become only the second horse to sweep Gulfstream Park's two premier turf races for older horses when he runs as the 122-pound highweight in Saturday's $200,000, Grade 2 Pan American Handicap.
Only Celtic Arms in 1996 has won the Pan Am and the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap in the same year. Flag Down won both races, but in separate years, winning the Pan Am in 1997 and the Gulfstream Park Handicap in 1998.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Great Notion's rivals may change their strategy in Saturday's $125,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park, but he will not.
Great Notion defeated most of the horses he will face Saturday in his last start, a nine-length win in the $75,000 Southwest Stakes. Great Notion was left alone on an easy lead in that race and was never challenged thereafter.
"I think the other horses are going to change tactics a little bit," said Darrin Miller, who trains Great Notion for Silverton Hills Farm. "They're going to be coming at him differently."
ARCADIA, Calif. - A soft turf course, a top-class stablemate, and a pesky arch rival have kept Megahertz out of the winner's circle since July.
None of those factors will be present Saturday, when Megahertz starts as the favorite in the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap at Santa Anita.
Megahertz has won 5 of 8 starts since arriving from France. She has two major stakes wins: the Honeymoon Handicap last June and the American Oaks last July, after Dublino was disqualified from first to second for interference in the stretch.
NEW ORLEANS - First, the question was whether Witt Ante could go two turns. The answer was an emphatic yes. Now the issue is whether Witt Ante can race as effectively on turf as he has on dirt. The answer will be forthcoming Saturday at Fair Grounds when he faces eight horses in the $100,000 Gentilly Handicap.
Since Witt Ante has yet to fail, do not expect him to falter now.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Seven Thoroughbreds and three Quarter Horses will line up in the 1,000-yard Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap at Sunland Park. The $75,000-added race is restricted to New Mexico-breds, and has attracted three horses who enter the race at a career peak.
Secret Frills, a 4-year-old Quarter Horse, has come into his own at this meet, reeling off three consecutive victories. The streak began Jan. 21 and came following a two-month break. Each of Secret Frills's wins have been at 870 yards and he has been timed in under 45 seconds each time.
PHOENIX - Southern California shipper Hostility finished second March 1 in the Cactus Cup Handicap at Turf Paradise, but she finds herself in a completely different situation in Saturday's $35,000 Scottsdale Handicap.
After a sluggish start from the rail in the Cactus Cup, a dirt sprint, the 3-year-old filly Hostility closed strongly to be second behind favored Top Penny. Since then Hostility has changed trainers from Paul Treasure to Kurt Calton. She also goes from dirt to turf and from a sprint to the one-mile Scottsdale.
The chalkplayers are apparently in love with Undercover.
A 4-year-old filly trained by Anthony Dutrow, Undercover has been the favorite at 8-5 or less in eight of her last nine starts. She figures to be a short price again versus just four opponents in Saturday's $75,000 Gala Lil Stakes at Laurel Park.
More often than not, Undercover has justified her backers' heavy support. She has won five times as the public choice, including her last two starts in New York and at Laurel and last fall's Maryland Million Oaks at Pimlico.
EAST BOSTON, Mass. - New England's top 3-year-olds will sort themselves out Saturday in the $35,000 Rudy Baez Stakes.
The full 10-horse field brings together one of last year's local juvenile stars in Formal Escape, a recent Florida shipper in Legal Ploy, and New York-based Seattle Surprise, a supplemental nomination.
PORTLAND, Ore. - As its name implies, Saturday's 1 1/16-mile Preview Stakes will serve as a dress rehearsal for the $25,000 Oregon Derby at nine furlongs on April 13. All of the locally based major players will be in the field in the Preview.
Glad to Be Here has been the divisional leader since posting an authoritative win the the one-mile Oregon Futurity in December, and he will likely be favored Saturday despite being upset by a loose-on-the-lead Cee Cruiser in the March 2 McFadden Memorial at 1 1/16 miles.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wake at Noon, Canada's reigning horse of the year, returns in the $108,000 Briartic Handicap on Saturday, the opening day of the Woodbine meeting.
The 167-day meet, which will have an average overnight purse distribution of $425,840, is scheduled to conclude Nov. 30. The first highlight of the meeting will be the $1 million Queen's Plate on June 22.
Racing will be conducted on a Friday through Sunday schedule during late March and April. Wednesdays will be added in May, and Thursdays will be added in June.
