Mon, 07/08/2002 - 00:00

Street Cry gearing up for the Whitney

ELMONT, N.Y. - Twelve hours after his Godolphin Racing stablemate E Dubai made his mark in the handicap division with a front-running victory in Saturday's Grade 2 Suburban Handicap, the division-leading Street Cry began preparing for the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap on Aug. 3 by working five furlongs in 1:03.25 at Belmont Park.

It was Street Cry's first workout since his runaway victory in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. Street Cry is 3 for 3 this year including a victory in the Dubai World Cup.

Mon, 07/08/2002 - 00:00

Another go-round at the fair

VALLEJO, Calif. - The future of racing at the Solano County Fair may be cloudy, but one thing is clear as the track prepares for opening day Wednesday. The approach for the 2002 meet is positive.

"The most exciting thing is the work we've done to the backstretch, which was in need of improvement," fair general manager Kim Myrman said. "We've made a lot of improvements, and the trainers here have expressed a fairly high level of satisfaction.

"From what I hear from the trainers, the track is in great shape, too."

Mon, 07/08/2002 - 00:00

Dollar Bill to ship for Gold Cup

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Dollar Bill, a veteran of the 2001 Triple Crown who has not won a stakes in more than 16 months, will give the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup some national flavor when he makes his California debut next Sunday.

Dollar Bill was added to the field over the weekend after he worked a half-mile in 48.40 seconds on Sunday at Churchill Downs. A winner of 4 of 16 starts and $1,012,546 for owners Gary and Mary West and trainer Dallas Stewart, Dollar Bill will be the lone shipper for the Gold Cup, which is run over 1 1/4 miles, and is expected to draw six starters.

Mon, 07/08/2002 - 00:00

Roussel's fine stat: A winner for every loser

CHICAGO - The Louie Roussel stable is split between younger sales purchases and older reclamation projects. At Arlington, the stable is split down the middle in another way - through Sunday, Roussel was even up at this meet with seven wins and seven losses, a gaudy 50 percent strike rate.

Mon, 07/08/2002 - 00:00

Court authoring a champion jockey's bio

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A wise man once said something like, "They don't build statues of critics," with the point being that monuments are made only for people who play in the main arena, not for those who watch.

The saying is pertinent to Jon Court because, ever so briefly in the 1990's, when Court was injured so badly that he thought he might have to give up riding racehorses, he considered a career as a turf writer.

They don't build bobbleheads of turf writers.

Mon, 07/08/2002 - 00:00

First Lieutenant fresh and fit for Salvator

OCEANPORT, N.J. - First Lieutenant, second in the Grade 2 Iselin Handicap last year, is gearing up for another summer at the Shore.

First Lieutenant, a 5-year-old trained by Phil Oliver, has always excelled at Monmouth, with three wins in five starts here. He has been working strongly for his 2002 debut, which Oliver said will come in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile on July 27.

"He's training the best he's ever trained," Oliver said. "The Salvator is a tough spot to come back first time out, but he always runs well fresh. He's won three times off an extended layoff."

Mon, 07/08/2002 - 00:00

Hoovergetthekeys edges Takin It Deep in Alamedan

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Hoovergetthekeys ($45), who has battled problems with quarter cracks and bleeding, made a strong closing move and held off faster-finishing Takin It Deep by a nose to win the $50,110 Alamedan Handicap at the Alameda County Fair on Sunday.

Hoovergetthekeys, who won the Golden Gate Derby and El Camino Real Derby in 2001, had been winless since an $80,000 optional claimer on the turf last Sept. 10 at Bay Meadows. The victory, his fifth in 20 starts, was worth $27,610 to lift his career earnings to 352,120.

Sun, 07/07/2002 - 00:00

Go Go triumphs in Great Lady M.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Erasing doubts about her current form, Go Go won the sixth stakes of her career in Sunday's $91,925 Great Lady M. Handicap for fillies and mares at Hollywood Park.

The victory ended a three-race losing streak for Go Go, who has won 9 of 18 starts and $616,565 for owners Paula, Alan and Roger Thomas and trainer Warren Stute.

The 5-year-old Go Go was ridden by Matt Garcia, a replacement for Eddie Delahoussaye who missed his rides on Sunday for the fifth consecutive day due to an infection that caused facial swelling.

Sun, 07/07/2002 - 00:00

Highhopesemilyluck wins Fantasia

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Highhopesemilyluck continued her rapid rise to stardom Sunday afternoon, winning the $42,800 Fantasia Stakes by a length over Taylor's Queen. Deal With Her reported home third followed by favored You' llbeinmyheart, who was making her first start since suffering her first defeat in five starts in the Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

Sun, 07/07/2002 - 00:00

Lone Star Sky victorious in Bashford Manor

Horsephotos
Lone Star Sky returned $9.40 as second choice after pulling clear to a 3 1/2-length victory in the 101st running of the $136,250 Bashford Manor.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Lone Star Sky surged past heavily favored Posse to post a stakes-record victory in the Bashford Manor Stakes on the closing-day program Sunday at Churchill Downs, marking himself as a 2-year-old to watch while also allowing Tom Amoss to settle for a tie for top training honors at the 52-day spring meet.