SALEM, N.H. - Rockingham Park, which has previously announced plans to develop its property following the conclusion of the 2004 racing season, is close to deciding whether it will request a Thoroughbred or a harness meet for next summer. Rockingham president Ed Callahan said "some sort of an announcement" would likely be made early in the week.
New England Thoroughbred horsemen are still hoping that an agreement can be reached and plan to submit a new offer to Rockingham management.
ALBANY, Calif. - Jimmy Z ($18.60), winless in 16 starts since a victory at Del Mar on Sept. 3, 2000, caught Ninebanks at the wire to win the $100,000 Forty Niner Handicap by a head at Golden Gate Fields.
Jimmy Z was last early as Metatron and Poker Brad set the pace in the 1 1/16-mile race.
"They told me 'Don't send him,' so I tried to save a little ground," winning jockey Frank Alvarado said. "He relaxed nicely, but I didn't think he'd fall that far back. Down the backstretch, I felt he had to do more so I asked a little bit and he started to pick it up."
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - While many people headed to the malls to do Christmas shopping, 6,427 fans showed up at Aqueduct to witness a promising 3-year-old filly win her first stakes against older fillies and mares.
Sightseek, who won the Grade 3 Raven Run in her last start at Keeneland, captured the $150,000 Top Flight Handicap by 1 3/4 lengths over the 32-1 Zonk.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Atlantic Ocean, who was purchased for $1.9 million earlier this year but proved a disappointment in major stakes for 2-year-old fillies, rebounded with an upset victory in the $200,000 Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park.
Making her turf debut, Atlantic Ocean ($10.60) stalked pacesetter Heart ofa Champion to the final turn, and held off a late run from the Irish invader Tangle to win her first graded stakes.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Bobby Frankel-trained Lido Palace got a perfect trip Friday in the Clark Handicap and beat longshot Crafty Shaw by a head in the annual highlight of the Churchill Downs fall meet.
With Jorge Chavez riding, Lido Palace, the 2-1 favorite in a field of 11, raced several lengths off the early pace set by Tenpins. Into the stretch, Crafty Shaw took a short lead, but Lido Palace, who had swung widest of all for the drive, was up in time.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Graded winner Balto Star, the runner-up in last year's Queens County, is among the nominees for next Saturday's Queens County at Aqueduct, but he might not run.
Balto Star's trainer, Todd Pletcher, said that instead of the $100,000-added Queens County, he might wait for the $150,000 Appleton Handicap on Jan. 4 at Gulfstream Park. The Grade 2 Appleton is a turf race and Balto Star is a winner on both dirt and turf.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - El Gran Maestro, a respectable fourth in his last start in the Coronation Futurity, appears to be capable of calling the tune here in Sunday's $142,250 Kingarvie Stakes.
The Kingarvie, a 1 1/16-mile race for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds, represents a subtle step down in class for El Gran Maestro, who was beaten by 6 1/2 lengths when facing Canadian-breds in the Coronation.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - It has been seven months since Woodbine Entertainment Group bought Hastings Park, and while Woodbine management is pleased with the progress that has been made, it is also aware there is a lot more to be done in order to move the industry forward.
Some win streaks will come to an end Sunday in the $75,000 MEC Mile for 2-year-olds at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. Eight last-race winners are in the 12-horse field, and four of them have won their last two starts, including Skamper.
Skamper invades from Kentucky, where he dead-heated for the win in a one-mile entry-level allowance at Churchill Downs on Nov. 9. Before that race, he won his maiden at a mile at Arlington on Sept. 28.