Tue, 07/30/2002 - 00:00

Knee pain sidelines Stevens

DEL MAR, Calif. - Gary Stevens, the Hall of Fame jockey who has been bothered by knee injuries in recent years, said on Tuesday he likely will miss the rest of the Del Mar meeting because of recurring soreness in his right knee, which he aggravated in a starting gate mishap over the weekend.

Stevens, 39, said he is scheduled to be evaluated on Thursday in Los Angeles by orthopedic specialist Dr. James Tibone, and the jockey said he likely would undergo a brief arthroscopic procedure at that time.

Tue, 07/30/2002 - 00:00

Whitney a crucial race for Unshaded

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Unshaded became the toast of the racing world here two years ago after outfinishing Albert the Great to win the Travers. He will attempt to move back into the national spotlight when he takes on Street Cry, Lido Palace, Macho Uno, and Left Bank in Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney Handicap.

Unshaded turned in his final prep for the 1 1/8-mile Whitney here Tuesday morning, working an easy five furlongs in 1:02.85 under exercise rider Tracy Wilkes. Regular jockey Jon Court will be aboard Saturday.

Tue, 07/30/2002 - 00:00

Ross's plans for Mile right on target

AUBURN, Wash. - Two down and three to go.

Sharon Ross, who hopes to have five starters in the Aug. 25 running of the Grade 3, $250,000 Longacres Mile, saw two of them earn berths on Sunday when Moonlight Meeting won the $100,000 Mt. Rainier Breeders' Cup Handicap, setting a track record, and Crowning Meeting ran fourth.

Those who bet Crowning Meeting down to 7-5 were no doubt disappointed with the 8-year-old's performance, but Ross felt he got what he needed out of the 1 1/8-mile Mt. Rainier.

Tue, 07/30/2002 - 00:00

Nymphenburg heads to breeding shed

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Nymphenburg probably would have been odds-on to defend her title in the Victoriana Stakes on the holiday Monday program. But Nymphenburg, a 6-year-old owned by Knob Hill Stable and trained by Alec Fehr, instead is headed for a new career as a broodmare.

"We've decided to retire her," said Fehr. "I sent her home [Monday]. She's had a little problem with a tendon, and we scanned it and she had a little hole in there."

Tue, 07/30/2002 - 00:00

Congaree will be on the loose

DEL MAR, Calif. - Two starts into Congaree's comeback, trainer Bob Baffert is trying to get a line on the colt. Congaree was a runaway winner of the Lone Star Park Handicap in his comeback race on May 27, but faltered to finish sixth in the Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs in his last start.

Tue, 07/30/2002 - 00:00

Young's starters win almost as often as not

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Trainer Troy Young ought to pitch a tent in the winner's circle at Louisiana Downs, because that's where he's been living the past month. On average this meet, Young has won with almost every other horse he has started, building an 8-for-18 record that places him third in the standings behind Bret Thomas and Cole Norman.

Young rolled into town the week of July 4, and won with his first five starters. Over all, he is saddling winners at a 44 percent clip at Louisiana Downs.

Tue, 07/30/2002 - 00:00

No more racing at Sportsman's

CHICAGO - Hawthorne Race Course and the National Jockey Club of Sportsman's Park reached an agreement late Tuesday to merge business operations and race exclusively at Hawthorne beginning next year, according to an official involved in the deal.

The merger ends horse racing at Sportsman's Park, which is owned by the Bidwill family and has been in operation since 1932. The property at Sportsman's - a dual-purpose auto- and horse-racing facility - will be put up for sale, according to the official, who provided some details of the deal.

Mon, 07/29/2002 - 00:00

Nobody does it better

Horsephotos
Jerry Bailey is off to a tremendous start at Saratoga, winning 15 races the first week of the meet, including four stakes.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - You's electrifying nose victory over Carson Hollow in Saturday's Test Stakes - and specifically Jerry Bailey's ride - was still the buzz of the Saratoga backstretch Sunday morning.

"It was the greatest ride I ever saw in my life,' said trainer Tom Voss as he approached You's trainer, Bobby Frankel, on horseback Sunday morning.

Mon, 07/29/2002 - 00:00

Lukas fears Heart Of a Champion

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer D. Wayne Lukas took a quick look at the past performances for Wednesday's $47,000 allowance feature at Saratoga and didn't hesitate pinpointing the horse he felt his Beautiful Treasure had to beat.

"That's a pretty good filly [trainer] Bobby Hess has in there," Lukas said, referring to Heart Ofa Champion, who like Beautiful Treasure, returns to the allowance ranks after being no match for Mike's Wildcat in Belmont Park's Astoria Stakes on June 30.

Mon, 07/29/2002 - 00:00

War Emblem works quickly for a rejuvenated Haskell

OCEANPORT, N.J. - On Friday, the field for Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth was falling apart with three major defections and only three definite starters. But by Monday, the race had regained its luster as War Emblem put in his last workout and rejoined a prospective field that had swelled to six, with Mr. Mellon the latest addition.

War Emblem completed serious preparation for Sunday's Haskell by working five furlongs in 59.20 seconds with exercise rider Dana Barnes at Del Mar. The time tied the second fastest of 54 works at the distance Monday.