OCEANPORT, N.J. - It was last April at the Ocala Breeders' 2-year-old in-training sale. Amy Tarrant was just getting into the Thoroughbred business and finding that buying horses was tougher than she had thought.
At the sale, Tarrant was outbid on many horses before finally coming to Hip No. 382, a daughter of Fortunate Prospect out of Worldly Bold. The filly was named Bold World and Tarrant was determined to walk out of the sales ring with her.
FORT ERIE, Ontario - No Queen's Plate winner has gone off at more than 2-1 in the modern era of the Prince of Wales Stakes, which began in 1988 when the race was moved from to turf and shortened to 1 3/16 miles.
But that will change at Fort Erie Sunday when T J's Lucky Moon, winner of Woodbine's 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate at 82-1, runs in Sunday's 67th running of the Prince of Wales, which will offer a record purse of $500,000.
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Friday night's $25,000-added Shecky Greene Handicap has brought together Fairmount's top sprinters in what shapes up as the best race of the meet so far. Although each horse has credentials, the six-furlong sprint features a grudge match between Too Many Bucks and Tic N Tin, who finished one-two, separated by just a nose, in Arlington's White Oak Handicap last month.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Jockey Scott Stevens returns to ride at Canterbury Park this weekend. Stevens will be making his first appearance at Canterbury Park since the mid-1990's. Stevens led the jockey standings in three consecutive seasons here, from 1990 through 1992, while also riding each winter at Turf Paradise. Among Stevens's mounts this weekend is Minor Wisdom, one of the top choices in Saturday's John Bullit Stakes.
OMAHA, Neb. - Summer in the Midwest means county fairs and street festivals, which is exactly the atmosphere Horsemen's Park will provide on Friday night when it begins its annual three-day festival of racing.
"That's the way we've always promoted it, as a fun race meet," said Dick Moore the track's general manager and vice president of racing.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The star-crossed 3-year-old Buddha suffered another setback that will keep him from making the major races at Saratoga this summer including the Grade 1 Travers.
According to trainer James Bond, Buddha tore a muscle high up in his rear end that will preclude Bond from working him for approximately the next three weeks. Without any serious work for that long, Bond said he could not make the Travers on Aug. 24.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The royally bred Double Cat returns to the races Thursday in a third-level allowance race at one mile that highlights Belmont Park's nine-race card.
A daughter of Storm Cat out of the champion mare Hollywood Wildcat, Double Cat has won three of four career starts for owners Irv and Marjorie Cowan and trainer Neil Drysdale. All three of her wins have come on turf after she lost her debut on dirt by one length. Nevertheless, Double Cat's best Beyer Speed Figure (95) was earned in that dirt race.
AUBURN, Wash. - Most every variety of handicapper will find something to like in Thursday's featured seventh race at Emerald Downs, a six-furlong sprint for $12,500 3-year-olds with an intriguing cast of eight.
Handicappers drawn to sharp current form might not go any further than Take My Heart, who will be stepping up after authoritative back-to-back wins over $6,250 and $8,000 company in his first start for trainer Mark Molina, who claimed him out of his last start for owners Jerry Carmody and James Murphy.