CALGARY, Alberta - Trainer Sid Gray, searching for a spot to run Viva Ruckus, finally gets his chance in Saturday's fifth race, an optional claimer for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
Gray had nominated Viva Ruckus to last Monday's Victoria Day Stakes at Assiniboia Downs but was unable to make shipping arrangements.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Despite working a solid seven furlongs Thursday morning at Belmont Park, E Dubai will skip Monday's $750,000 Metropolitan Handicap, his connections confirmed Thursday.
E Dubai, a 4-year-old son of Mr. Prospector who won the Dwyer here last summer, has not run since finishing second as the 1-2 favorite in last September's Grade 1 Super Derby, and he missed a couple of workouts earlier this spring. Moreover, the Metropolitan Handicap is coming up a brutally tough race.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Perhaps the most annoying aspect of this age of simulcasting is how the odds change after betting has closed. Horseplayers frequently complain about how they are shortchanged after their horse has left the gate at something like 2-1, only to cross the wire in front at 6-5.
The makeup of the ownership group that is in the process of purchasing Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., has changed, but there is still a good chance the group could take over the track before the meet starts June 28.
The project is still headed by Jim Davis, a Shreveport attorney, but Winston Capital Group of Dallas is no longer a partner, said Ray Tromba, general manager of the track. The entire ownership will now be made up of investors based in northern Louisiana.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Spring Meadow should find the competition a bit softer than what she has been facing in California and Kentucky when she takes on nine other 3-year-old fillies in Saturday's $150,000 Stonerside Stakes at Lone Star Park.
This seven-furlong race is new to the calendar this meet, and has drawn a tough-to-separate group that includes stakes winners Emeraldforajudge, Miss Ritz, and Truly Sunlit. Adding to the race's depth is the unbeaten Savorthetime, and the stakes-placed Storm Witch and Gilded Wings.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - With 24 horses entered and R McLennen listed 17th at 114 pounds, trainer Steve Specht was worried that R McLennen might not get into the $55,000-added Foster City Handicap on Saturday at Bay Meadows.
But R McLennen did get in, and now all Specht has to worry about is how to defeat millionaire Native Desert and eight other rivals in the 1 1/16-mile turf race.
Since moving to Specht's barn, R McLennen has finished second, beaten three-quarters of a length in a $16,000 claimer, then won three straight starts, the last two in allowance races.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Los Angeles County Fair officials on Thursday made a formal request to the California Horse Racing Board to approve a relocation of the fair's race meeting in September from Fairplex Park to Santa Anita, CHRB officials said.
Any change in venues on the racing calender must be approved by the CHRB, which has its next meeting at Bay Meadows on June 6.
The Los Angeles County Fair holds racing dates at Fairplex Park in Pomona for Sept. 13-29.
If at first you don't succeed, try something completely different.
That's what trainer H. Graham Motion plans to do with Equality after his failure facing top-caliber 3-year-olds for the first time in last weekend's Preakness.
never was in contention in the Preakness, finishing last of 13, beaten some 28 lengths. Searching for something positive to say about the experience, Motion said that at least Equality came out of the race still healthy.
At some point, trainer Michael Gorham would like to find out if Mandy's Gold can stretch out to handle two turns. For now, however, Gorham is content to keep her sprinting.
Gorham, who considered taking Mandy's Gold to Maryland for last week's Grade 3 Pimlico Breeders' Cup Distaff at 1 1/16 miles, has instead entered the 4-year-old multiple stakes winner in Saturday's $75,000 My Juliet Handicap, the first stakes of the season at Philadelphia Park, in Bensalem, Pa.
MIAMI - Four weeks ago, Guillotine, Wander Mom, Platinum Tiara, and Jennasietta were running for a $35,000 purse in split divisions of the Powder Break Handicap. On Saturday the same quartet will vie for a decidedly larger payday when they match strides in the $150,000 Calder Breeders' Cup Handicap going 1 1/16 miles over turf.
Guillotine and Jennasietta won their respective divisions of the Powder Break, although Jennasietta was awarded the victory in her split via the disqualification of Wander Mom.