WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Kalfaari looks to continue his dominance of the local older horse division in Sunday's Free Press Stakes. Six older horses have entered the six-furlong race, which carries a purse of $30,000.
Undefeated in two starts here this year, Kalfaari's last loss came in the Premier's at Hastings Park in Vancouver last October. His last loss at Assiniboia Downs came in last year's Gold Cup, when he was defeated by Beau Ring, whom he again will face Sunday.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Shaws Creek, riding the wave of a two-race win streak, will be looking to win Canada's most prestigious race as the probable favorite in Sunday's $1 million Queen's Plate.
The 1 1/4-mile Plate heads a blockbuster 11-race card at Woodbine, which also includes the Grade 2 Nearctic Handicap, and the Charlie Barley and Sweet Briar Too stakes.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - California shipper Nuclear Debate will meet 2001 Atto Mile winner Numerous Times and 12 others in Sunday's star-studded supporting feature on Queen's Plate Day at Woodbine, the $292,250 Nearctic Handicap. The six-furlong turf dash has also lured the 2001 Nearctic winner, Mr. Epperson, dirt specialist Wake at Noon, and the speedy Texas Glitter, a beaten favorite in this Grade 2 event last year.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Niall O'Callaghan wasn't considering Saturday's $250,000 Mother Goose at Belmont Park for Chamrousse when he thought Take Charge Lady was running, but he might change his mind now.
Last week, Take Charge Lady's trainer, Ken McPeek, said she would receive some time off and would not run in the Mother Goose. As a result, Chamrousse, who has been beaten twice by Take Charge Lady this year, is now "50-50" for the 1 1/8-mile Mother Goose, O'Callaghan said.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Sunday's Mount Vernon Handicap was so popular with horsemen that the racing office had to split the New York-bred filly and mare turf race into two divisions, each worth $75,000-added.
Ten runners, plus two also eligibles, are in the first division, which will be run as the sixth race. The second division, race 8, also has a field
of 10, plus one also-eligible and one main-track-only horse. The Mount Vernon will be run at 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - In the Grade 3, $100,000 Jersey Derby, Emergency Status was overlooked at 55-1 but wired the field for his first graded-stakes win. In Sunday's $50,000 Choice Stakes at Monmouth Park, however, there will be a bull's-eye on the back of Emergency Status's jockey, Jose Ferrer.
Each of the other eight 3-year-olds entered in the nine-furlong turf race will be gunning for Emergency Status, but the question remains: Who, if anyone can, will try and keep up with Emergency Status on the front end?
OCEANPORT, N.J. - With seven wins in her last eight starts, including three graded stakes victories, Summer Colony has positioned herself at the top of the older filly division on the East Coast. But trainer Mark Hennig says people have forgotten that Summer Colony owns the sole win over Azeri, the leading older filly out West and the pro tem leader of the division in the U.S.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - There is a touch of resignation among the trainers with fillies facing Azeri in Saturday's $250,000 at Hollywood Park.
Azeri has won three consecutive Grade 1 races and will be heavily favored to gain a fourth in the Vanity, run over 1 1/8 miles.
The 125-pound highweight, Azeri faces four others - Affluent, Collect Call, Starrer, and Terna, all of whom are graded or group stakes winners. Affluent and Collect Call were second and third in the Grade 1 Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap on May 25, which Azeri won by 3 1/2 lengths.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Raging Fever and Shiny Band resume their rivalry in Saturday's $300,000 at Belmont Park.
The Grade 1 Phipps, until this year the Hempstead, drew a field of nine fillies and mares, including the defending champion, Critical Eye.
Raging Fever suffered her first defeat at Belmont when she was upset by Shiny Band in the Grade 2 Shuvee on May 18.
This year, before the Shuvee, Raging Fever won three stakes, twice defeating Shiny Band.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - In some quarters they known as ill-bred on the assumption that Illinois Thoroughbreds are often not all that good.
But a glance at the Saturday program here reveals a picture quite different: The Prairie State Festival, statebred day at Arlington, features six interesting, well-populated fields, and it culminates in an excellent race, the $75,000 Cardinal Handicap.
