There is very little change from longstanding tradition in the stakes schedule, released Monday, for the Keeneland Race Course 2003 spring meet, which runs April 4-25.
In all, 19 stakes worth a total of nearly $3.7 million will be run during the 15-day spring meet, with the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes on April 12 serving as the traditional meet cornerstone. As usual, the $750,000 Blue Grass will be run three weeks before the Kentucky Derby.
Gulfstream Park has instituted a 35-second odds board cycle, the shortest of any track in the country, according to the track's director of mutuels, Ed Mackie, and Amtote officials.
Amtote officials said on Tuesday that they believed the shorter cycle will allow for a more accurate representation of the direction that odds move. Last year, Gulfstream updated the mutuel odds every 60 seconds.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Even with dirt racing being so heavily emphasized in America, some horses have "grass" woven so strongly into their pedigrees that their trainers don't even bother with as much as one race on dirt.
Such has been the case with Party Queen, a 4-year-old filly by Cozzene out of a Theatrical mare. Purchased for $190,000 as yearling at the 2000 Keeneland September sales, Party Queen was given plenty of time to develop before trainer Vicki Oliver finally unveiled her in a maiden special weight turf route at Calder in Dec. 2001.
ALBANY, Calif. - Phil Lebherz and Richard Meister became the first owners with two victories in the Golden Gate Derby since the race was renewed in 1997 when Standard Setter scored a wire-to-wire win on Saturday. The Golden Gate Derby was not run from 1960 to 1996.
Epic Honor, owned by Lebherz and Meister, won the Golden Gate Derby in 1999, and if not for Epic Honor, they would not have been in the winner's circle again in 2003.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Omega Code on Sunday gave jockey Martin Pedroza the boost he desperately needed.
After missing 10 days last month because of suspension, suffering through a 1-for-40 slump at the start of the Santa Anita meeting and escaping injury in a spill last Wednesday, Pedroza guided Omega Guide to a one-length victory in the $107,800 San Miguel Stakes.
"I needed that," Pedroza said. "The slump really hurt my business. It really slowed me down."
NEW ORLEANS - Cojet won the first stakes of his career, jockey Shane Sellers won his second Fair Grounds stakes this weekend, and the odds-on favorite Bonapaw finished last in his bid to win the Colonel Power Handicap for the second year in a row.
Cojet got a perfect stalking trip under Sellers, who already has won five stakes at this meet and rode Prince Alphie to victory Saturday in the Black Gold Handicap. As a young horse, Cojet was speed crazy and often ran out of gas in the stretch run, but Sunday he settled down behind a swift pace and ran the stretch strongly.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Harmony Lodge proved she was not just a one dimensional speed horse when rallying from off the pace to a 1 3/4-length victory over Fly Me Crazy in Sunday's $100,000 First Lady Handicap at Gulfstream Park. Forest Heiress, the 4-5 favorite, finished a tiring fifth in a field of seven fillies and mares.
Bet Me Best went over the $500,000 mark in earnings Saturday night when he held off Itsacryingshame by a neck to win the $50,000 Cypress for statebreds at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. It was another two and a half lengths back in third to Prince Slew.
Zarb's Luck, winner of the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Sprint in his last start, was scratched.
Reason To Talk became a stakes winner Saturday night when she darted clear by a length and three quarters over runner-up Asheville in the $50,000 Distaff at Sam Houston Race Park. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Blue Guru.
ALBANY, Calif. - Standard Setter ($38.60) held off the challenge of favored Ozzie Cat and scored a wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 3 $100,000 Golden Gate Derby at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
Standard Setter, who underwent knee surgery to remove a "minute chip" from his left knee after finishing second in the Everett Nevin-Alameda County Futurity on July 5 at Pleasanton, was making his first start around two turns as he won the 1 1/16-mile by a neck in 1:43.76 over a muddy track.
