LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland Race Course opened its 17-day fall meet Friday with strong and swirling action, not to mention some pretty decent horse racing.
Two Grade 2 races were run on the nine-race opener, with Owsley winning as the 4-1 third choice in the WinStar Galaxy Stakes, and Westerly Breeze posting a 15-1 upset in the Walmac International Alcibiades Stakes.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Forget about tomorrow, says Bobby Frankel. What if, for example, something terrible occurs - like drawing the 14-hole in the Breeders' Cup Mile?
"Something like that happens, you don't have much chance," said Frankel.
So Frankel is living for today with his grass star, Beat Hollow, who on Sunday will attempt to use the $600,000 Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile as a springboard to the Oct. 26 BC Mile.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Composure has a long way to go before equaling the achievements of other Bob Baffert-trained 2-year-old fillies, but comparisons already have begun.
Composure, said Baffert, "has always been one of my favorites. She reminds me of Silverbulletday. She still has to prove herself, and the Oak Leaf will be a proving ground."
ARCADIA, Calif. - Not all horses starting in major stakes this weekend have the Breeders' Cup at Arlington Park on Oct. 26 as an autumn goal.
In Sunday's $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, Sarafan, who is not nominated to the Breeders' Cup, is using the race as a prep to the Japan Cup in late November.
For The Tin Man, however, the Hirsch could be a springboard to the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf. The Tin Man is the likely second betting choice.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A proposed insurance program that would significantly reduce the costs that many trainers pay for workers' compensation insurance was presented to horsemen at Santa Anita on Friday.
According to a document circulated at Friday's meeting, a proposal from the American International Group has base rates of $31.28 per $100 of payroll and $73.28 per jockey mount. The rates are subject to discounts or increases depending on an individual trainer's experience.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The $250,000 Forest Hills Handicap lost its star when Squirtle Squirt wasn't entered in the Grade 2 stakes on Sunday.
On Friday, a deal was signed to sell Squirtle Squirt to Japanese interests. Pending the results of blood tests, Squirtle Squirt, last year's Breeders' Cup Sprint winner and champion sprinter, will be sent to Japan on Oct. 26.
Avanzado is the likely favorite among eight males entered in the six-furlong Forest Hills. Avanzado and Say Florida Sandy carry 116 pounds as the co-highweights.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Tyler Baze, the winner of the 2000 Eclipse Award for top apprentice, will ride in New York for the first time on Sunday in the $250,000 Forest Hills Handicap.
Baze, who is based in Southern California, rides Avanzado, the likely favorite in the Grade 2 Forest Hills.
FORT ERIE, Ontario - Michael Barkowski has enjoyed playing the horses most of his life. But it wasn't until two years ago that he decided to become an owner.
Beginning with this week's racing, Barkowski is in a tie for second place among Fort Erie owners with 21 wins.
"I thought it would be cheaper to just own one," said Barkowski, 53, who is retired from the insurance business.
"With slots coming in and purses increasing you could make money. I was going to do it as a hobby - two or three horses, and golf."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Grand, who arrived from England on Thursday evening, adds a touch of intrigue to Sunday's Grey Stakes.
An Irish-bred colt by Grand Lodge, Grand has won his last two races by a total of 30 lengths, beginning with a seven-length romp over a mile on yielding turf at Newcastle on Aug. 23.
And after his last start, a 23-length blowout at 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather course at Wolverhampton, Grand was purchased by Barry Irwin's Team Valor and immediately was declared a candidate for the Grey, with an eye toward the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Macho Uno gave the Grey Breeders' Cup Stakes continent-wide recognition when he won it in 2000 before capturing the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in his next start.
This year's running of the Grade 2 Grey, worth $273,500, is also a legitimate BC Juvenile prep, with the connections of Wando, Gigawatt, and Grand all eyeing that race, to be run Oct. 26 at Arlington.