OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Can Mother Nature be good to Pat Kelly twice in one week?
Saturday, Kelly sent out Evening Attire to an easy eight-length victory in the off-the-turf Red Smith Handicap. The race was moved to the main track because New York Racing Association officials deemed Aqueduct's turf unsafe.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After his football team wreaked havoc on the New York Giants on Sunday, Robert McNair's horse will try to do the same to some of New York's top Thoroughbreds this Saturday in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct.
While the 16-14 victory by the Houston Texans - owned by McNair - was considered a major upset, a victory by Congaree in the $350,000 Cigar Mile would not be as surprising. Congaree, who won the Grade 2 Wood Memorial over this track as a 3-year-old, will be the starting highweight at 119 pounds.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Patrick Valenzuela, who hasn't ridden since Nov. 3, returns on Wednesday with three mounts at Hollywood Park, after serving 15 days' worth of suspensions for riding infractions.
The suspensions have been the only disruption to an otherwise outstanding year for Valenzuela. The 40-year-old jockey won riding titles earlier this year at Del Mar and the Hollywood Park spring-summer meet. He also finished second, one win behind Laffit Pincay Jr., at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meet.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A sly grin crept across Laffit Pincay Jr.'s face when he heard a review of his accomplishments at Hollywood Park last week.
On three separate days, Pincay won three races. On Saturday, he won the top race of the week - the Grade 1 Hollywood turf Cup aboard Sligo Bay. Pincay took a commanding lead in the jockey standings as he seeks his third title in the last four years at the Hollywood Park fall meeting.
"I'm hot," he said with an even larger grin. "Sometimes you get on a roll."
Invitations to the top 14 horses preferred for each of the six Great State Challenge races at Sam Houston Race Park on Dec. 7 were issued Monday, with the final draw for the card set for Dec. 4.
The most prominent invitee was Congaree, winner of the Del Mar Breeders' Cup, who was selected for the 1 1/8-mile Classic. The Judge Sez Who, winner of the Oklahoma Derby, Slippery When Bet, and Horrible Evening have also been invited to join the initial group of 10 horses who were selected for the Classic by breed organizations last Thursday.
Ontrack betting on New Jersey races at The Meadowlands plunged 30.6 percent to $424,830 daily during the track's 63-day meet, the most dramatic of the across-the-board drops in business to affect the track this year.
The total average daily handle on The Meadowlands races, which includes out-of-state bets, dropped 19.6 percent to $1,824,599 million. Average attendance plummeted 16.8 percent to 4,068.
ALBANY, Calif. - It's just a typical race to fill a program - a $12,500 claiming sprint.
But the fourth race Wednesday provides the drama, excitement, and anticipation of a stakes race as Fog City Willy and De Witt meet.
The field of nine is much deeper than those two 6-year-olds, but the two consistent horses epitomize racing in their will to win.
Fog City Willy, a 6-year-old gelding, has won 10 of 32 starts while earning $261,220. He has been claimed four times in his eight starts this year and won a race for each of the five barns he's run for this year.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Susan Gracey, who was overmatched in the Jammed Lovely Stakes, should get back on track in Wednesday's Woodbine feature. She's entered in a six-furlong allowance for nonwinners-of-two races other than maiden, claiming, or restricted.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - This has been a breakthrough year for trainer Ken McPeek. Not only did he send out horses to win major races, including the Belmont Stakes, Louisiana Derby, Florida Derby, Blue Grass, and Spinster Stakes, but his stable's earnings have more than doubled his previous high - from $2.9 million to $6 million-plus and counting - and he has picked up a number of new high-profile clients along the way.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - "As advertised."
That's what trainer Tony Dutrow's reaction was to watching his 2-year-old filly Randaroo whistle home a 5 1/4-length winner as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 3, $111,300 Valley Stream Stakes.
With only one start - a 10 1/4-length maiden win at Delaware Park - under her belt, Randaroo conceded significant experience to her seven rivals. It did not matter.
Randaroo shrugged off an early challenge from Parting, then turned back a mid-race move by Fast Cookie to win the Valley Stream.
