INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The big plans for Eric Da Bomb went awry this fall when he finished eighth in the $250,000 California Cup Classic Nov. 2.
He had been pointed for that race following a 13-length win in an allowance race at Del Mar on Aug. 5.
On Wednesday at Hollywood Park, Eric Da Bomb will try to regroup when he starts as a probable favorite in a $49,000 allowance race at 1 1/16 miles.
Trained by Nick Hines, Eric Da Bomb can win on Wednesday with a repeat of his performance at Del Mar.
ALBANY, Calif. - Wednesday's co-feature at Golden Gate Fields is a $20,000 claimer at one mile for 3-year-olds that will include Red Packet, who has won three straight since he was gelded.
Sired by Bonus Money out of the Alydar mare Oriental Avenue, Red Packet has run seven times. He made his debut May 18 in a $20,000 maiden claimer at Bay Meadows, finishing seventh. He came back one month later to finish fourth at the $12,500 level. He ran twice at the fairs, finishing second at the bottom $8,000 level at Pleasanton and second again in a $12,500 race at Santa Rosa.
The Claiming Crown will return to Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn., in 2003 for its fifth running on July 19.
Canterbury hosted the first three runnings of the Claiming Crown, a series of six races for claimers, worth a total of $550,000. The event was held at Philadelphia Park this year on Labor Day weekend. Canterbury has the option to host the Crown again in 2005 and 2007, with other tracks hosting it in alternate years through 2008.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Julie Krone may have been the most surprised person at Hollywood Park when Debonair Joe won Saturday's Vernon Underwood Stakes - and paid $107.60.
Throughout the six-furlong race, Krone's emotions went from just hoping that the ex-claimer would pick up a check to the euphoria of producing an upset.
MIAMI - When owner Joe Graffeo and trainer Steve DiMauro decided to run Stars Go Blue, a maiden, against the likes of Ivanavinalot in the My Dear Girl Division of the Florida Stallion Series, it was not with the hope of winning the race. The thought was Stars Go Blue might pick up a check and at the same time get some valuable two-turn and stakes experience.
But when Graffeo and DiMauro run Stars Go Blue on New Years Day in the $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks, they will have every intention of starting off their filly's 3-year-old campaign on a winning note.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Coyote Lakes is the Fourstardave of the inner track.
Sunday, Coyote Lakes won a starter allowance race over Aqueduct's inner track; it was the fifth consecutive December in which he has won over the inner oval. Coyote Lakes, who began his career in Arizona and did not see the inner track until 1998, is now 8 for 13 lifetime over the inner. Fourstardave, who recently died, won at least one race at Saratoga for eight consecutive years.
Completing a perfect four-for-four day, jockey Garrett Gomez guided Andre Hawkins, Glen Robertson and John Terry's Ciento to a popular win in the first running of the $125,000 Johnie L. Jamison Handicap. With a rare rainstorm falling on southern New Mexico during the race, Gomez allowed his mount to settle off the pace, then launched a six wide rally on the turn.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A perfect trip in Sunday's $73,210 Corona Handicap at Hollywood Park gave Madame Pietra her third stakes win of 2002.
Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, Madame Pietra stalked pacesetter Wild Tickle on the backstretch, reached contention in early stretch and pulled clear under a handride. The 5-year-old Madame Pietra ($4.80) ran six furlongs in 1:09.17.
NEW ORLEANS - Rock Slide and Discreet Hero turned the corner into Fair Grounds long home stretch together in Sunday's Tenacious Handicap, and they stayed just that way all the way to the finish. Rock Slide's nose got there first, and the first stakes victory of his career was duly earned.