SHAKOPEE, Minn. - In an effort to increase attendance for its races and at its card club this week, Canterbury Park has agreed to be the official off-site parking facility for the PGA Championship which will be held this week at nearby Hazeltine Golf Club.
As a result, Canterbury Park has altered its post time schedule to accommodate the expected 20,000 visitors who will be shuttling to the tournament each day. Post time will be 7 p.m. Central Thursday through Sunday this week.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Yes, there is a long way between a first-level allowance race and a stakes race. But the 3-year-old colt Flatter was in a different league than the horses he beat by more than 11 lengths in Arlington's first race on Saturday.
"He does things the way a good horse does them," said Robby Albarado, who rode Flatter for the first time.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - They've squared off twice, and the score is Sarafan 2, Beat Hollow 0. The incipient rivalry between two of the country's best turf horses is perceived as one-sided - the two-time loser clearly is best.
The third edition of Beat Hollow vs. Sarafan comes Saturday in the Arlington Million, and even Sarafan's trainer, Neil Drysdale, has no doubt about the public's darling.
"I'm sure Beat Hollow will be the favorite," Drysdale said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Bobby Frankel left town Monday afternoon. His horses did not.
Frankel returned to California on Monday to check on his Del Mar stable, and, perhaps more importantly, his two Australian shepherds at his Pacific Palisades home.
Before leaving, Frankel confirmed that Squirtle Squirt, last year's sprint champion, will make his return to the races in the Grade 1 Forego Handicap here on Sept. 1. Frankel said Jorge Chavez would ride.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Awesome Humor, a decisive winner of Monday's $150,000 at Saratoga, is already paying dividends for WinStar Farm, which purchased the 2-year-filly last month.
Awesome Humor, the 6-5 favorite, was a 1 1/4-length winner of the Grade 2 Adirondack. Stellar closed well to finish second and was followed by the second choice, Holiday Runner, who was 4 3/4 lengths back in third. Just Call Me Angel, Crimson and Roses, and Ella Bella completed the order of finish.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Portcullis overcame traffic problems at the head of the stretch to capture the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, at Woodbine.
El Soprano finished a neck back in second in the 1 1/2-mile turf race, and Mountain Beacon, coupled with Portcullis in the favored Sam-Son Farm entry, was third.
Winning rider Slade Callaghan said Portcullis showed tremendous grit in overcoming adversity in the race.
Wiseman's Ferry reached the wire just in time to hold off fast-closing The Judge Sez Who by a neck in the $600,000 at Mountaineer Park.
Ridden by Jorge Chavez, Wiseman's Ferry ($5.20) was unchallenged on the lead throughout most of the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 3 race for 3-year-olds until The Judge Sez Who and Jerry Bailey came flying in the stretch.
The Judge Sez Who encountered traffic trouble, said Bailey, who was forced to wait too long until his horse could steer clear of Captain Squire.
DEL MAR, Calif. - The day after Azeri's overpowering victory in the Clement Hirsch Handicap at Del Mar, trainer Laura de Seroux was mulling over the three options she has between now and the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff on Oct. 26.
Ideally, de Seroux would like to race Azeri one more time, but since the two races most appropriate for Azeri - the Lady's Secret at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting, or the Ruffian at Belmont Park - are handicaps, de Seroux could train Azeri up to the Distaff, though that is the least palatable option for her.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - The first thing Jim Ghidella, director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California for Northern California, did after his organization approved Bay Meadows's and Golden Gate Fields's stakes schedule and purse structure was buy a filly at the Del Mar yearling sale.
"I'm very optimistic about racing," Ghidella said. "I have a real feeling we've done a good thing for northern California. This is probably the best thing for Northern California since I've been associated with the TOC."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Portcullis met his main objective when he captured the Breeders' Stakes, the third leg of Canada's Triple Crown, at Woodbine last Saturday.
Now Portcullis, a gelding owned by Sam-Son Farm and trained by Mark Frostad, may get a well-deserved rest rather than carrying on through the fall turf stakes program here. Portcullis won his seasonal bow at Fair Grounds Jan. 19 and has run at least once in each succeeding month.