ARCADIA, Calif. - A pick six carryover of $153,455 is the highlight of Wednesday's eight-race program at Santa Anita.
For bettors to conquer the tricky bet, they must pick the winners of five sprints and a first-condition allowance race over a mile.
The weather could affect the card. Rain was possible Monday and Tuesday, which could lead to an off track and force the seventh race from turf to dirt.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Mandy's Gold snuck quietly into Monday's $46,000 allowance feature, then ran away and hid from four rivals en route to an easy 2 1/2-length victory in her 5-year-old debut.
Mandy's Gold, a graded-stakes-caliber sprinter at 3, showed another dimension during the second half of her 4-year-old campaign last year by winning the 1 1/16-mile Ruffian Handicap and finishing second in the nine-furlong Beldame, both Grade 1 races.
Trainer Mike Gorham is gearing her up to stretch out around two turns earlier this year.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Colorful Tour showed himself to be a leading local contender for the Grade 2, $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap on April 5 with his determined win in the Grade 3, $100,000 Essex Handicap Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
The win was the colt's fourth straight, and he came out of the race bouncing, said trainer Noel Hickey, who bred and also owns Colorful Tour.
"He's a neat little horse, and the truth of the matter is, no one knows how good he is," said Hickey.
ALBANY, Calif. - When Brian Pitnick was a hotshot math student in high school, his math teacher in his hometown of Carlisle, Pa., taught him to read a Daily Racing Form, thereby beginning a love affair with the sport that has led him from being a fan at Penn National to an owner to a trainer.
Pitnick, who is still a practicing attorney, saddled his first winner Saturday at Golden Gate Fields when Always a Player won an $8,000 maiden claimer in wire-to-wire style going six furlongs.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - It has been nearly two years since In High Gear debuted with a neck victory over Warners in a hot maiden race at Belmont Park. Unfortunately, that win - and the 104 Beyer Speed Figure that went with it - remains the highlight of his career.
Beset by injuries, In High Gear will try to start anew Wednesday in a $36,000 entry-level allowance that serves as the feature on a 10-race Gulfstream Park card.
Kathleen O'Connell on Sunday became the first trainer in the 77-year history of Tampa Bay Downs to win four races on a single card. The feat was a personal best for O'Connell, who also sent out Ivanavinalot for a second-place finish in Sunday's Grade 2 Davona Dale Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
"I thought all four had a great shot today. They were all in good spots," said O'Connell, who through Sunday was tied for third in the Tampa Bay trainer standings with 16 victories. She also has three wins at the Gulfstream meet.
ALBANY, Calif. - Seven 3-year-olds will meet in Wednesday's Golden Gate Fields feature, a $50,000 optional claimer at six furlongs.
The field includes an uncoupled entry for leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who will send out Silver Tsunami, a half-brother of Metatron, and Eye of the Tiger, a Triple Crown nominee who might be Hollendorfer's best 3-year-old.
Stakes-placed Hawaiian Lyon, Natural Balance, and West Saratoga are also in the lineup, as are Midafternoon and Attack Force, who have received fresheners since winning their last race.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After winning his first graded stakes - Saturday's Grade 2 General George at Laurel Park - a journey to Dubai may be next for My Cousin Matt.
On Monday, My Cousin Matt's trainer, Scott Lake, expressed keen interest in running in the $2 million Golden Shaheen, a race on the $13.5 million Dubai World Cup card at Nad Al Sheba on March 29.
An invitation would have to be extended for My Cousin Matt, who was back at Lake's Belmont Park barn on Monday, to run in the Golden Shaheen.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - It can be tough to predict what a horse will do the second start back from a layoff. Will the horse benefit from its comeback race or did the effort tire him out?
Handicappers will have to make that decision twice in Wednesday's $50,000 optional claiming feature at six furlongs when leading contenders Cowboy Stuff and Ruling Star both make their second starts since the fall.
Tempest Fugit broke first and took the early lead in the $100,000 John B. Campbell Handicap at Laurel Park, then set the pace with Quiet Gratitude just behind him. Quiet Gratitude made his strongest bid at the three-eighths pole, but never seriously challenged, and Tempest Fugit won by a length.
Lyracist was 3 3/4 lengths behind in third, while P Day, the 5-2 favorite, was never in contention and finished seventh in the field of eight.
Tempest Fugit ($9.60), trained by Jason Servis, ran 1 1/8 miles on a good track in 1:49.90.