ELMONT, N.Y. - It's not easy to win three consecutive Grade 1 races, let alone the same three races in consecutive years.
That's what With Anticipation will try to accomplish - sort of - Saturday at Belmont Park in the $500,000 Man o' War. Last year, With Anticipation was disqualified from first in the United Nations, then won the Sword Dancer and Man o' War in succession.
A five-horse field that contains an obvious standout doesn't sound very thrilling. But when the clear-cut favorite is perhaps one step away from racing in the World Thoroughbred Championships, it's reason enough to stir up some excitement at Delaware Park.
Xtra Heat will be making what could be her last start before next month's Breeders' Cup Sprint at Arlington Park in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Endine Stakes.
DEL MAR, Calif. - In his first four starts, Rock Opera has already proven that he relishes a fight. He will have no trouble finding one in Saturday's $300,000 Del Mar Derby.
In June, Rock Opera beat Chiselling by a head in an allowance race at Hollywood Park, a performance flattered when Chiselling won the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park last month.
When Rock Opera made his stakes debut in a division of the one-mile Oceanside Stakes July 24, he led by two lengths in early stretch, but was all out to hold off Johar and Mountain Rage.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Without Oneofthebirdboys, conqueror of the Winnipeg Futurity at Assiniboia Downs, Saturday's Spectacular Bid Stakes for 2-year-olds at Arlington could go as a first-level allowance race. It's not that these eight horses lack talent - they simply lack accomplishment.
"We're going right into a stakes off only one maiden race, but that happens with 2-year-olds," said Neil Howard, trainer of Midway Road.
Bien Nicole has learned a new trick just in time for the biggest test of her career, which comes Saturday in the $150,000 River Cities Breeders' Cup at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.
Once stuck on speed, Bien Nicole closed from well back to win the $50,000 Margarita Breeders' Cup on Aug. 3 at Retama Park.
This new dimension should give her an edge when she takes on seven other fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf in the River Cities. Among her chief rivals are Due to Win Again, the developing Golden Rhythm, Wild Squaw, and a refreshed Euryanthe.
AUBURN, Wash. - Bay Wide Total figures as the one to beat in Saturday's Emerald Downs feature, a 5 1/2-furlong race for $12,500, claiming 2-year-olds that has drawn a field of six.
The feature is one of four races for 2-year-olds on Saturday's eight-race program, as the juvenile set strives to make up for a slow start in the closing weeks of the meeting. Though only 25 2-year-old races had been run through the meeting's midway point on July 4, Saturday's feature will bring the number of races for juveniles up to 84.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Grade 1 winner Lady Shari heads a stellar field of 10 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 3, $175,000 British Columbia Breeders' Cup Oaks on Saturday at Hastings Park.
Elana d'Amour and Grace for You head the local contingent in the 1 1/8-mile stakes. Sweet Monarch, second to Lady Shari in the Canadian Derby, and Blue Moon Special, third in the Washington Breeders' Cup Oaks, help make this one of the strongest Oaks fields in recent history. All horses will carry 121 pounds. Post time for the first race of the 13-race card has been moved to 1:23 p.m.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Saturday's 57th running of the $100,000 Speed to Spare will go without its defending champion, Rancour, who had been looking to this race to salvage this season.
"Something came up this morning," said Rancour's trainer, Ernie Keller, on Thursday, adding that it was not a career-ending injury. "Yesterday, he was just fine."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Mark Casse entered five, including unbeaten Meghanmehappy, in Saturday's Grade 3 Natalma Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.
The one-mile turf stakes attracted 21 entries, and was split into two divisions, each containing at least one sharp United States invader.
Meghanmehappy should be well backed in the first and stronger split, worth $169,200. She won her maiden on the main track with authority, and came from just off the pace on the turf to capture the seven-furlong allowance prep for the Natalma under Patrick Husbands.