Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

Nice Boots Baby rested for Azalea

MIAMI - Xtra Heat won't be the only fast filly shipping down from Maryland to compete on Saturday's Summit of Speed program at Calder. The other is a 3-year-old named Nice Boots Baby who heads a field of nine fillies in the six-furlong, $250,000 Azalea Stakes.

The Azalea is one of four races on the undercard of Saturday's $1.4 million Summit of Speed program. The others are the $250,000 Carry Back at six furlongs for 3-year-old colts and geldings, the $50,000 Rocket Man to be decided over a quarter-mile and the $50,000 Comet at five furlongs.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

'Action' eyes second stakes win

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Action Tonight, winner of a division of the Texas Stallion Stakes, takes on some up-and-coming colts Saturday in the $89,100 Middleground Breeders' Cup at Lone Star Park.

The six-furlong race for 2-year-olds drew a field of eight, including Worker Man, a $5,000 supplement, and impressive maiden winners Slam Bam and Flag Dancer.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

Logic says it's Crafty C.T.

MIAMI - The results of the July 4 Tom Fool Handicap at Belmont and last Saturday's Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park point out Crafty C.T. as the horse to beat in Saturday's $400,000 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder. The six-furlong Smile Sprint is the co-feature, along with the Princess Rooney Handicap, on Saturday's $1.4 million Summit of Speed program.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

At 44, a career meeting

OCEANPORT, N.J. - In the midst of what he said may be the best meet of his 23-year career, jockey Eddie King turned 44 on Tuesday. It would be hard to tell that from the way he has been riding this summer.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

Stephentown needs to step forward now

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The expectations have been high for Stephentown his whole career, dating back to his purchase as a yearling and heading through the Triple Crown intentions his connections had for him when he started in the Grade 1 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park last winter.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

Channing Way can avenge loss in Vacaville

VALLEJO, Calif. - As a 3-year-old last year, Channing Way lost only twice in seven starts. One defeat came at the Solano County Fair when she ran third as the favorite in the Fairfield Stakes.

On Saturday, she's in a good spot to make amends as the highweight and probable favorite in the $50,000 Vacaville Handicap at six furlongs for fillies and mares.

Channing Way's loss in the Fairfield last July snapped a five-race winning streak. She was sidelined for 10 months after that race and has run twice this year.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

Louisiana Downs track report

Little Angel should benefit from a return to the main track in Saturday's $40,000 Suthern Accent Stakes at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La.

The six-furlong race for fillies and mares drew seven, including Princess Jen, a strong closer looking for her first stakes win; Outofnowhere, upset winner of the $25,000 Majorette Handicap last year at Louisiana Downs; Idadidit, who has won three of her last four starts for trainer Ron Moquett; and Raymond's Dream, second as the favorite last out in the $30,000 Tellike Handicap at Evangeline Downs.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

Bold America steps up off impressive win

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - The $50,000 Canterbury Juvenile Stakes doesn't feature any standout entrants, but several runners in the field of 12 appear ready to step up into stakes company.

Chief among these is the likely favorite, Bold America, who ships in from Arlington Park.

Bold America is an Illinois-bred son of American Chance who dominated a field of open-company maidens at Arlington when he made his second start in June.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

El Malicia primary challenge to Gus

While 24 of trainer Steve Asmussen's best horses are scheduled to head from Churchill Downs to Saratoga early next week, some of the horses who had been stabled this spring at Churchill won't be making the trip.

Instead, some will join Asmussen's string at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill. Among the horses who are helping to swell Asmussen's numbers to about 45 at Arlington is Golden Gus, who was good enough to win an entry-level allowance race at Churchill in his last start.

Thu, 07/11/2002 - 00:00

Deep barn, Deep Meadows

There's some truth to the rumor trainer H. Graham Motion's barn is a bottomless pit of talented horses.

Motion, who expects to have five horses entered in next weekend's Delaware Handicap Festival of Racing, has developed yet another budding star at Delaware Park.

Deep Meadows won his last two races at Delaware by a combined 14 lengths, earning back-to-back Beyer Speed Figures of 95 and 91. Not bad for a horse whose 3-year-old debut this spring produced a 58 Beyer in a maiden sprint.