Anderson, Ind. - K K Avey figures as the one to beat when he heads a field of 11, including an entry, in Saturday's $30,000 South Bend Stakes.
The South Bend, for 2-year-old Indiana-bred colts and geldings at one mile, is the co-feature on an 11-race card. Also on Saturday is the $40,000 Indiana Stallion Stakes, colts and geldings division, for progeny of Indiana sires.
The 901 Racing Stable and trainer Dale Angelle got more than they hoped for when they claimed No Its Not for $7,500 in February. The colt has gone on to win five races for his new connections and he's likely to be favored on Saturday night in the $50,000 Marshland at Delta Downs in Vinton, La.
The seven-furlong race, to be held around two turns, has also drawn regional stakes winners Screen Idol, Two Punch Sonny, and Lights on Broadway.
Saturday's $40,000 Regal Rumor Stakes at Hawthorne, a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, is so wide open a top three placing by any of the 11 entered would be no surprise.
Sharky's Review, who has earned over $200,000 this year, mostly from wins in Iowa-bred stakes, may prove a lukewarm favorite based on her consistency and strong Beyer Speed Figures.
EAST BOSTON, Mass. - In the past decade the Kentucky Derby has been dominated by trainers such as Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas. In the world of the Massachusetts Derby, Lori Lockhart is the dominant force.
She doesn't have the high profile of the national titans, but what she does have are three wins and a second in the past 10 runnings of the $30,000 Massachusetts Derby for statebreds. She also will shoot for an unprecedented third sweep of the Massachusetts Oaks and Derby with the filly Little Time on Saturday.
ALBANY, Calif. - Jockey Russell Baze reached the 400-win total for the 10th time in 11 years when he won Thursday's first race at Golden Gate Fields aboard Rough R.N. in a six-furlong $25,000 maiden claiming race for fillies and mares.
Rough R.N., who was making her debut, won the race by 7.5 lengths over favored Ten Ten Twenty.
Baze reached the 400 mark for the first time in 1992. He has reached it every year since except for 1999 when he recorded 373 victories after missing more than a month due to back injuries.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Chilean horse who lives in California but has done his best work in New York will make his first appearance in Kentucky. Lido Palace, the handicap star trained by Bobby Frankel, carries highweight of 121 pounds as the likely favorite Friday in the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Simply because it is the traditional closing day highlight at every Churchill Downs fall meet, the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes leaves a durable final impression. Perhaps more importantly, it also tends to be an excellent race that gets many racing fans to begin looking toward the Kentucky Derby the following May.
Once again, the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club should carry implications toward the Derby when it is run for the 76th time Saturday, closing day of the
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The new "zero minute" policy recently implemented at Churchill Downs had bettors upset Tuesday when the late scratch of a horse who would have been the post-time favorite in the sixth race left bettors unable to obtain refunds or change their bets.
The incident started when Megann's Fame began thrashing badly inside the gate. Megann's Fame injured herself and the filly to her outside, Joy of It All, who was the slight 5-2 favorite at the time.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Two years after El Cielo edged Texas Glitter by a neck in the $200,000 Hollywood Turf Express the pair meet again in the same race on Friday at Hollywood Park.
In 2000, both were in peak form and having their most lucrative seasons. Despite their advanced ages, both are still capable of winning the Turf Express, which will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Mandy's Gold and Nasty Storm are older and more accomplished than Sightseek and Alchemilla, but Friday's $150,000 Top Flight Handicap could very well come down to the two exciting 3-year-old filly prospects.
Three-year-olds Sightseek and Alchemilla have combined to win seven of eight starts, but will be facing their toughest competition to date in the Grade 2 Top Flight, run at one mile over Aqueduct's main track.
