LAFAYETTE, La. - This meet's marathon series, eight starter handicap races beginning at 7 1/2 furlongs and concluding with a two-miler on closing day, Sept. 2, started with a bang Friday night at Evangeline.
Lucky Man (8-5) prevailed by a length over Down Too (3-2) after a race-long battle. Lucky Man also beat Down Too in their only other meeting between them this year, which came in a starter allowance at Delta Downs on April 6. The series will continue June 7 at a mile.
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Louis D. O'Brien has resigned, effective Wednesday, as president of the Illinois division of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
Jim Watkins is the new president, and his term runs through the fall of 2003. Watkins is a longtime horse owner here and an HBPA board member for the past 4 1/2 years. O'Brien will remain a member of the board of directors.
LINCOLN, Neb. - Handle on the live races on Monday's Memorial Day card at Lincoln increased nearly 12 percent from last year, with $140,111 bet on the 10-race card. The total includes $78,784 bet ontrack and $61,327 bet at the state's four other racetracks. Last year $125,541 was bet on Memorial Day, which was as the meet's biggest day of the year.
Yarny's Star scored his fifth victory of the year in Wednesday's second race at River Downs, for $8,000 claimers. What makes this feat noteworthy is that Yarny's Star is 11 years old.
While many of his peers have long since retired or are far past their prime, Yarny's Star is having a banner season. In addition to his five wins, the Ohio-bred has lost four races by one length or less, including an allowance at Beulah Park on April 27. Yarny's Star is owned and trained by Kerny Hancock.
NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Construction of five new wooden barns, which will accommodate 180 horses, began at Thisteldown Monday. The new barns will raise the total stall space here to 1,730. The barns are expected to be completed by early September.
* Jane Magrell has been riding here with varying degrees of success since 1986. She has sustained more than her share of injuries over the years, but keeps bouncing back, and now she leads the rider standings here with 15 wins. Last Saturday she won three races. She also has had several two-win days.
CALGARY, Alberta - Intore, a California-bred, was bet down to even money two weeks ago at Stampede Park and drew off to a five-length victory under confident handling from Stephan Heiler.
Intore's graduation from the maiden ranks was visually impressive and stamped the 3-year-old gelding as a horse to watch.
Trainer R.K. "Red" Smith has taken his time with Intore, who makes just his fourth career start in Friday's featured seventh race at Stampede.
AUBURN, Wash. - Super Script will attempt to make it two wins in a row on Friday when she takes on five other older fillies and mares in the one-mile feature, which is for $8,000 to $7,000 claimers.
Super Script, a 5-year-old daughter of Super Seven who races for trainer and part-owner Hugh Carney, won under Friday's conditions on May 16, leading throughout to score by 1 1/2 lengths over Jade Beauty, with Capable of Gold a head farther back in third.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Holly Hollywood will face her toughest assignment of the year when she tries for her third consecutive victory in Friday's feature at Assiniboia, an allowance/ optional claiming race for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs.
Trained by Wendy Anderson, Holly Hollywood has displayed her usual speed in winning her first two starts of 2002, both at five furlongs.
In her most recent outing, on May 18, Holly Hollywood held on to a clear early lead through the stretch. Its unlikely, however, that she will be able to secure a clear lead Friday.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Lucky Tec finished second to Leavethestudio in his last start, but could turn the tables in Friday's ninth race at Woodbine.
A field of six was drawn for the $62,500 optional claimer, which will be contested at seven furlongs for a purse of $67,600.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Aspen Ridge, a maiden after two starts, certainly won't command much attention heading into Saturday's Plate Trial at Woodbine.
But that's unlikely to faze Jim Cheadle, private trainer for the Arosa Farm of Jurgen Schemmer, who is hoping Aspen Ridge can earn a shot at the $1 million Queen's Plate here June 23.
Last June, Cheadle sent out Asia, who not only was a maiden but a filly to boot, to finish fourth in the Queen's Plate at 80-1. Two years earlier the trainer saddled the filly Gandria for a second-place Plate finish at 67-1.