GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - The handicap division has a new player in Congaree, who won his comeback from a 10-month layoff wire-to-wire in the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap.
The race was Congaree's first since the Grade 1 Jim Dandy last August, and was one of seven stakes worth a total of $1 million at Lone Star Park on a Million Day card that drew a crowd of 18,081, the second-largest of the meet behind the 18,242 on hand on Kentucky Derby Day.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - One lucky California-bred will be a stakes winner at the end of Thursday's program at Hollywood Park.
The $100,000 California Sires Stakes has drawn a modest field of five colts and geldings whose sires were nominated to the program. Highly Suspect and Gobi Dan, who were third and fourth, respectively, in the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes on April 28, lead the field.
AUBURN, Wash. - Lower level claiming horses, the backbone of any race meet, will be recognized at Emerald Downs on Thursday when the track runs the first of four races in the Stanislaw Ashbaugh Series.
Thursday's leg of the series is a six-furlong sprint for $3,200 starter allowance company with a purse of $7,000, including a $2,000 supplement put up by the series sponsor. The race drew a field of seven older horses with a combined record of 39 wins in 215 starts.
SAN MATEO, Calif - Trainer Bob Hess nearly pulled off an amazing feat with Lady Essex in her last start.
He hopes to complete the deal this time in Thursday's feature at Bay Meadows.
Lady Essex, a 3-year-old filly, took five starts and a drop to the bottom $8,000 level to win her maiden.
Hess entered her on March 29 at Golden Gate Fields in a $40,000 optional claimer for her first start against winners and on the turf as well.
Lady Essex was 52-1 against a decent field in that one-mile race.
AUBURN, Wash. - There was a happy reunion at trainer Sharon Ross's barn at Emerald Downs around the first of February when Military Force, a 9-year-old who had been with Ross since the beginning of his career, returned after an absence of five months. On Saturday, Military Force made his first start for Ross since returning to her barn.
Military Force had been claimed away by trainer Clint Harris for $12,500 on Sept. 8.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - In the past several decades, Monmouth Park has had its share of champions who won for the first time here. Such stars as Lord Avie, Open Mind, Dehere, Holy Bull, Skip Away, and Smoke Glacken all won maiden races here as 2-year-olds.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The stretch run that Astra unleashed to win Monday's $500,000 at Hollywood Park left her connections amazed.
In arguably the finest performances of a career that includes seven stakes wins, Astra denied Starine a seemingly certain win in the Grade 1 Gamely.
She was ridden by Kent Desormeaux, who was convinced in early stretch that his patient ride had given Starine too much of an advantage.
"She opened up on me turning for home," Desormeaux said of Starine. "I thought, 'We're second. I messed up. I should have engaged.' "
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Lindsay Jean, rated off the pace after being involved in a pace duel in her previous start, made a big move into the stretch to win the Palo Alto Handicap at Bay Meadows on Monday.
Lindsay Jean ($22) was never challenged down the lane as she defeated Kabylia by four lengths in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. The winning time was 1:42.80.
"Once I got her covered up, she relaxed nicely," winning jockey Chad Schvaneveldt said. "When we made the lead, I hadn't even asked her. The turf really makes a big difference with her."
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Queen of Wilshire gave jockey David Flores his third stakes win on the card Monday at Lone Star Park when she drove to a length win over Pleasant State in the $200,000 WinStar Distaff. It was three-quarters of a length back in third to Blushing Bride.