HOUSTON - The complexion of some of the fields for the inaugural Great State Challenge was changing Tuesday, one day before the six divisional races were to be drawn. The biggest surprise was the defection of Disturbingthepeace, who was the probable favorite for the $275,000 Sprint.
The Great State Challenge, which will match horses from 11 states in six races, will be run Saturday at Sam Houston Race Park.
Disturbingthepeace was withdrawn from consideration late Monday.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Speed, an affinity for the inner track, and strong connections make Pocus Hocus a logical play in Thursday's feature at Aqueduct, a second-level allowance race for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.
It was just about this time a year ago that Pocus Hocus magically turned her career around. After getting beaten by double-digit lengths in five of her first seven starts, Pocus Hocus rolled to a 16 1/2-length maiden win when she raced on the inner track for the first time.
NEW ORLEANS - The way Sherry Spinner ran in her first two American starts, it's surprising she remains eligible for a second-level allowance race. By the time Fair Grounds's ninth race ends Thursday, that matter should be righted.
Sherry Spinner turns back in distance from routes to a turf sprint, and since her last race around one turn produced a close second-place finish to the stakes-class filly My Girl Lisa, Sherry Spinner has every right to beat a full field of 11 opponents Thursday.
MIAMI - Two Item Limit, who has traveled the country amassing earnings of more than $1 million for owner Joseph Graffeo, will finally return to her Florida roots as a surprising starter in Saturday's $100,000 My Charmer Handicap on the turf. The My Charmer is one of four $100,000 races on Saturday's Grand Slam I program at Calder.
Two Item Limit has started 26 times in her career, but has never run on grass. She trained over the turf for the first time Monday morning, working a half-mile around the dogs in 50.20 seconds under jockey Manny Aguilar.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Stonecoldfox had a crash course in racing this fall.
After winning her debut at Santa Anita on Oct. 13, leading throughout a six-furlong sprint to post an upset at 22-1, she finished eighth as the favorite in the $125,000 California Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.
On Thursday, she makes her first start at Hollywood Park in an optional claimer over 6 1/2 furlongs for 2-year-old California-bred fillies. Run as the first race, it is the feature on an eight-race program that includes three races for maiden claimers.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A 20 percent increase in wagering from the United States helped boost the total handle on Woodbine's 166-day live Thoroughbred meeting this year to $363,780,210. That is a 5.5 percent gain over the amount for a 165-day meet in 2001, according to figures released Tuesday by the Woodbine Entertainment Group.
The U.S. input on the meeting jumped to $146.9 million, up from $122.4 million a year ago.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Jimmy Jerkens has a bevy of talented handicap horses to run on the East Coast this winter. Finding the proper spots in which to run them all could be a challenge.
With Wrangler, Voodoo, Multiple Choice, and Snake Mountain, Jerkens has horses to run in races ranging from six to 10 furlongs. Voodoo and Multiple Choice may be best going seven furlongs or a mile around one turn, races that are not run during Aqueduct's inner track meet.
ALBANY, Calif. - "I'd rather be lucky than good" is one of the oldest lines in sports.
Just ask trainer Donna Elordi, who hopes to saddle her fourth straight winner Thursday at Golden Gate when she sends out Shapiro's Hero in the fifth race. The $8,000 maiden claimer at six furlongs drew a full field of 12, plus four on the also-eligible list.
Elordi has 11 wins from 108 starts this year but is 2 for 11 at Golden Gate, with a pair of seconds and a pair of thirds.
NEW ORLEANS - The hype machine may have been turned down a notch when Empire Maker finished third Saturday in the Remsen Stakes, but Empire Maker remains on target for major 3-year-old stakes races and should end up in New Orleans sometime early next year.
Trainer Bobby Frankel said Monday that Empire Maker was headed back to California following his 5 1/2-length defeat in the Remsen, which was won by Toccet. Empire Maker may make a single start in Southern California, perhaps on turf, but probably will head to Fair Grounds to start in the Grade 3 Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 16.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - In one of the more curious twists of 2002, Sarava, whose upset in the Belmont Stakes denied War Emblem the Triple Crown, has been transferred to the barn of Bob Baffert, who trained War Emblem.
Baffert, completing the story seamlessly, said he put Sarava in the stall of his Santa Anita barn that had been occupied by War Emblem, who was retired after the Breeders' Cup Classic.
"His stall was still empty," Baffert said.