OCEANPORT, N.J. - Last year's Monmouth meeting, one of the best in recent years in terms of handle and attendance, raised the bar for years to come. So far the 2002 numbers have not reached those lofty heights.
Average daily onsite handle is down 8 percent from last year to $1,615,284. Average daily offsite betting on Monmouth is down 7 percent to $2,335,006, and average total handle is down 7 percent. Daily attendance is at 10,486, down 4 percent.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Trainers Cole Norman and Steve Asmussen continue to be in a race of their own atop the standings at Lone Star Park.
The pair won three races each last Sunday to account for six of the 10 races on the card, and overall this meet have combined to win 106 of the 487 races run, as well as $2.2 million in purses. The 70-day meet continues through July 14.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron knew it was time to retire when he watched Seinne finish third in the Inglewood Handicap under Eddie Delahoussaye the day after the Kentucky Derby. McCarron had been scheduled to ride the horse, but decided to take off his three Hollywood rides to stay in Kentucky with his wife, Judy.
CHICAGO - The early deadline for Breeders' Cup ticket requests passed Sunday, with 6,066 requests received by Arlington, this year's host track.
To determine approximately how many tickets would be issued to early applicants, the track conducted a random sampling of 10 percent of the requests. The sample revealed an average request of four tickets, which projects to 24,264. Arlington and the Breeders' Cup believe the early requests numbers suggest they are well on their way to a sellout.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Congaree, the beaten favorite in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster here Saturday, will remain at Churchill Downs to make his turf debut July 4 in the $250,000 Firecracker Handicap.
Trainer Bob Baffert originally had planned to send on a Sunday flight that transported War Emblem and several other horses to California. But Baffert said the Firecracker made the most sense as a possible next start for Congaree, considering he is by Arazi and has a grass pedigree.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - He's coming, he's coming already.
Steve Asmussen started his first horse of this meet Saturday, and those vacant stalls in Asmussen's Arlington barn should be filled this week. Nearly empty 10 days ago, his stable was up to 26 over the weekend, and at its peak, his Chicago string will number 46.
Asmussen just hopes they're more successful than the horses he had here last year.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Riskaverse overcame a bit of traffic trouble and a yielding turf course Sunday to win the $116,100, Grade 3 Sands Point Stakes by a head over Cyclorama. It was three-quarters of a length back to She's Vested in third. Ntombi, the 5-2 favorite, finished eighth in the 11-horse field.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Al's Dearly Bred captured the $40,000 Brooks Fields Stakes at Canterbury Park with a dominating performance that suggests he will be a significant factor in other turf stakes in the midwest this season.
Al's Dearly Bred ($6) stalked just off moderate early fractions set by Extra Heavenly, then convincingly swept to command win by 7 1/2 lengths, completing the 7 1/2 furlongs over firm going in 1:29.20. Race favorite Promise of War finished second, three-quarters of a length clear of Trinity River.
ALTOONA, Iowa - Missme came from last in the six-horse of field of 3-year-olds entering the stretch of the $60,000 Prairie Mile and rallied to collar the leaders in the final strides to score a half-length victory over Vito Corleone at Prairie Meadows. A neck behind in third was Cowboy Stuff.
For Missme ($5.40), the victory was the third in 14 career starts and his first stakes score for trainer Lynn Whiting.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Classic Mike may not win any beauty contests, but that will be of little import to trainer Reade Baker and owner Dom Romeo. They only hope Classic Mike is looking like a million bucks after taking home the winner's share of that purse in Sunday's Queen's Plate here at Woodbine.
"He's certainly not a pretty horse, but he's a healthy horse," said Baker. "He's not very well balanced, and he's on the short side. But I've trained a number of big, beautiful slow ones."