ELMONT, N.Y. - The conventional prep for the Grade 1 Ballerina Handicap is the Honorable Miss Stakes. Allen Jerkens didn't get elected into the Hall of Fame doing things the conventional way.
Jerkens won last year's Ballerina with Shine Again, who was coming off a two-month layoff and was shortening up after a third-place finish in the two-turn Molly Pitcher Handicap at Monmouth Park.
CHICAGO - Go ahead, make fun of the goofy hood. With it, Harlan Ash has gone from a skittish maiden to a stakes-placed mare.
She is also one of the favorites Wednesday in Arlington's feature, a third-level allowance with a $50,000 claiming option that drew a field of eight fillies and mares.
The hood isn't hard to spot. There it sits, covering the top of Harlan Ash's head, ears and all. It's padded and prominent, but if it has affronted her dignity Harlan Ash isn't telling, and the hood clearly has aided her development as a racehorse.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Lady Angela Stakes winner Spanish Decree should be well backed Wednesday at Woodbine in the featured Passing Mood Stakes, a seven-furlong turf sprint for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies.
Spanish Decree won the April 21 Lady Angela at seven furlongs going away, a race that came on the heels of her easy maiden victory in her first start of the year.
She then finished sixth with a wide trip in the Grade 1 Selene Stakes, and was second in the Apelia Stakes.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - When Geo Quercus finished fifth in his United States debut in May, trainer Marty Jones was far from discouraged.
Instead, he focused on the future.
Geo Quercus returns on Wednesday in a $58,000 optional claimer over a mile on turf at Hollywood Park, a race that could serve as a prep for a minor stakes at Del Mar.
Wednesday's program is the start of the final week of the Hollywood Park spring-summer meeting. Del Mar opens on July 24.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Lone Star Park concluded its sixth Thoroughbred season Sunday with small gains in average attendance and handle over the same meet in 2001, and Steve Asmussen won seven of the 14 closing-day races to wrap up his fourth consecutive training title.
Attendance during the 70-day season averaged 9,025 a card, up 1.5 percent from a year ago. Handle on the track's races from all sources averaged $2,680,886 daily, up 2.7 percent from last year.
Lone Star handled an average $632,387 a day on its races ontrack, and $2,048,498 offtrack.
Libby's Halo, the favorite, won the $59,700 Polly's Jet Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Delaware Park on Monday.
Ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Libby's Halo raced closed to the pace before overtaking pacesetter Tasty Lace early in the stretch of the five-furlong grass race. Libby's Halo was a length winner over No Halos Here. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Miss Atticus in third.
Tasty Lace, Dizzy, Barely Perfect, and Afnan completed the order of finish.
CHICAGO - He's back, and braver than ever. That, at least, is the fervent hope of owner John Oxley and trainer John Ward, who have waited patiently for Hero's Tribute to develop into the top-class racehorse he has the potential to become.
Hero's Tribute, who ran recent Suburban Handicap winner E Dubai off his feet winning the Grade 2 Peter Pan last summer, is slated to make the first stakes start of his 4-year-old season Saturday at Arlington. He will van late Thursday night from Ward's Kentucky base to run in the $100,000 Hanshin Cup, a Grade 3 handicap at one mile.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Two knee surgeries, two bouts of colic, a last-place finish in the Santa Anita Handicap in March, and Momentum could not stop Sky Jack from winning the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on Sunday.
The remarkable comeback was not lost on trainer Doug O'Neill, who on Sunday recalled visiting Sky Jack last year after he had undergone surgery for colic.
"I went out to see him shortly after the surgery and he did look awful, skin hanging on bones," O'Neill said.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Niall O'Callaghan will seek his second Coaching Club American Oaks trophy in four years Saturday when he ships Chamrousse to New York for the $350,000 race run at the demanding distance of 12 furlongs.
O'Callaghan won the Grade 1 CCA Oaks in 1999 with On a Soapbox, who O'Callaghan and his advisors were quite confident could get the 1 1/2 miles. While O'Callaghan says Chamrousse is a different type of filly than On a Soapbox, he believes she can get the distance as well.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - The $36,813 filly division of the Stallion Auction Stakes, won by Lakeville, featured 10 3-year-old runners in a wide-open heat. After favored Demiparfait broke a step slowly from the gate, Micro Tyme and Wa Sarah dueled for command into the turn, tracked by Lakeville, who had advanced from eighth, rallying four wide through the turn to join those foes in upper stretch. Lakeville steadily wore down the pacesetter, edging Wa Sarah by a neck. Lakeville completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.04 under rider Paul Nolan.