ELMONT, N.Y. - With the prospect of a Triple Crown looming and with the Belmont Stakes having become more popular in general the last few years, New York Racing Association officials are gearing up for a potential record-setting crowd on June 8, when War Emblem goes for the Triple Crown in the 134th Belmont Stakes.
"The phones were ringing off the wall Saturday night into Sunday," said Terry Meyocks, president and COO of NYRA.
Crypto's Twinjet drew off in the stretch to win the $50,000 Tomboy Stakes at River Downs Saturday by 2 1/2 lengths over Saratoga Set. The Tomboy was the second stakes win for the Ohio homebred, who races for Paul Gutheil and Ronald DeWolfe.
ALTOONA, Iowa - Ken McPeek's main objective Saturday was to win the Preakness, but he fell three lengths short with Harlan's Holiday, who finished fourth. Still, McPeek got some consolation Saturday night, when another of the horses he trains, the rapidly improving Minister's Baby, won the $50,000 Diamond Trail Stakes at Prairie Meadows by 7 1/4 lengths.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Not many horses are still racing at 9, and it's very rare to see a 9-year-old running in a stakes race, let alone winning one. So it wasn't that surprising that Kid Katabatic paid a mere $10.50 when he won the Spring Sprint Handicap at Hastings Park on Saturday.
The Kid, however, has been training like a 5-year-old this spring and his trainer and part-owner Shauna Ferguson had a lot of confidence that he would run well.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Anglian Prince was running for a $25,000 claiming tag when he won his maiden in his fourth career start at Woodbine last Oct. 25.
But now Anglian Prince, a gelding, has thrust himself squarely into the Queen's Plate picture for his owner, Leonard Prussky, and trainer, Mort Hardy, after torpedoing his four opponents in Saturday's Marine Stakes.
"He's been slow maturing," said Hardy, in his office here Monday morning. "He's just getting better and better."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Jet Drive, the classiest runner on Wednesday's eight-race program, should be among the favorites in the fourth race on the card, a $20,000 claimer for nonwinners-of-three.
Jet Drive, a 4-year-old gelding by Salem Drive, won the $105,200 Colin Stakes at 2 for trainer Wray Lawrence. After recovering from an injury, Jet Drive spent the winter of 2000-2001 with trainer Kelly Broussard at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, but didn't have any luck there, and was returned here to Lawrence in the spring of 2001.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - California trainers are sending five main-track milers to New York for Monday's Met Mile at Belmont Park. Eastern trainers are sending two turf fillies to California for Monday's Grade 1 Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.
It appears to be a good trade for both teams.
The traveling group of milers are Aldebaran, Crafty C.T., Grey Memo, Redattore, and Swept Overboard, a strong team. In return, Snow Dance (trained by John Ward) and Voodoo Dancer (Christophe Clement) are scheduled to arrive her later this week.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A disqualification from first to second earlier this year at Santa Anita may have been a blessing in disguise for Calzada Kid. After she was taken down for causing interference in the stretch of a $40,000 maiden claimer on March 1, Calzada Kid's attitude toward racing changed, according to trainer Aimee Dollase.
The change was so profound that Dollase decided to try Calzada Kid in a maiden special weight for her return. She won that race and followed with a third in the $200,000 Melair Stakes for California-breds on April 28.