OZONE PARK, N.Y. - If trainer Jimmy Jerkens was worried that Snake Mountain's win in the Stymie took something out of him, the gelding's work on Friday at Belmont Park suggested otherwise.
Snake Mountain, the top older male in New York during the winter, worked five furlongs in 59.83 seconds, covering a half-mile in 47 seconds. Snake Mountain's work, conducted after the harrowing break on a track listed as fast, was the swiftest of 15 at the distance.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wando, one of Canada's top 2-year-olds in 2002 and the Queen's Plate winter-book favorite, launches his 3-year-old campaign on Sunday when he takes on five Canadian-bred 3-year-olds in the $161,100 Achievement Handicap at Woodbine.
Wando, a muscular son of Metropolitan Handicap winner Langfuhr and Monmouth Oaks winner Kathie's Colleen, had a brilliant 2-year-old campaign under the guidance of trainer Mike Keogh.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Can An Naabi knock off the favorites in Sunday's six-furlong Governor's Speed Stakes at Portland Meadows?
Yesss and Lethal Grande, both of whom are using the Governor's Speed as a prep for next month's Portland Meadows Mile, figure to attract most of the betting action in Sunday's stakes race.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Inaugural Handicap winner Proud Louie, who was nominated for Sunday's $10,000 Governor's Speed Stakes, will opt instead for a more certain payday in Saturday's featured six-furlong sprint for $6,250 claimers at Portland Meadows.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Throughout the world, trainer Doug O'Neill has horses in four stakes this weekend.
Avanzado starts in the $2 million in Dubai on Saturday morning, Pacific time. That afternoon, FJ's Pace will run in the $200,000 Potrero Grande Breeders' Cup Handicap at Santa Anita.
Sunday, Excessivepleasure starts in the $500,000 WinStar Derby at Sunland Park in New Mexico, and Meguial runs in the $75,000 Santa Lucia Handicap at Santa Anita.
O'Neill knows how lucrative a victory in the Golden Shaheen Sprint could be for his young family.
ALBANY, Calif. - Halo Cat will face the toughest test of his career in Saturday's $100,000, Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap.
Not only is he running in a graded race for the first time, but he also has six strong rivals, including millionaire Western Pride, who would be making his first start since May 11 when he was 11th in the Grade 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup in Singapore.
Trainer James K. Chapman, unhappy with Western Pride's 120-pound weight assignment, said after entering that he still hadn't decided whether Western Pride would run.
TORONTO, Ontario - The Woodbine Entertainment Group has reduced the Win 4 takeout on its live racing to 14.75 percent, down from 26.30 percent, effective Saturday.
The new takeout will apply to live racing at Woodbine and Mohawk Raceway, the group's Standardbred track in nearby Campbellville, Ont.
The takeout on pick fours at most U.S. tracks ranges from 20 percent at Gulfstream, Santa Anita, and Fair Grounds to 25 percent at Aqueduct
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Hal Wiggins said before the draw for Saturday's $50,000 Carousel at Oaklawn Park that one of two posts would best suit his leading contender Brown Eyed Beauty.
"If I had my choice, I'd pick 4 or 5," said Wiggins. "She likes to be outside of horses."
Wish granted. Brown Eyed Beauty will break from post 5 in the six-furlong Carousel, which is the final sprint stakes of the meet for fillies and mares. The series has gotten progressively more competitive since the first leg, the $50,000 American Beauty on Feb. 8.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Private Emblem, whose biggest career win came last year in the Grade 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, will make a comeback from a six-month layoff in the eighth race Saturday.
The one-mile optional claimer will be the colt's first start since he ran sixth in the Grade 2 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.
Trainer Steve Asmussen has said a major objective for Private Emblem is the Grade 3, $300,000 Texas Mile at Lone Star Park on April 26. Tim Doocy has the mount Saturday for James Cassels and Bob Zollars.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - An early season matchup between two of the best sprinting fillies in New York is on tap Saturday at Aqueduct when Carson Hollow meets Raging Fever in the Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff Breeders' Cup Handicap.
With a race under her belt and competing at the track over which she regularly trains, Carson Hollow would appear to hold the advantage in this battle of Grade 1 winners. Four other fillies and mares were entered in the seven-furlong race.