Include, last year's Maryland Horse of the Year, begins his 2002 campaign in Saturday's $100,000 Jennings Handicap for Maryland-breds at Pimlico.
Include, who easily won last year's Jennings, will be heavily favored in the 1 1/8-mile Jennings, which drew nine before the scratch of Saratoga Games on Thursday morning.
Include's trainer, Buddy Delp, said he wouldn't be surprised if this season will be the best yet for Include, a 5-year-old Broad Brush horse.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Dancethruthedawn already has accomplished just about all she can in her Canadian homeland, having beaten colts last June in the prestigious Queen's Plate. So after Dancethruthedawn made a highly impressive return to the races Thursday by winning the $107,600 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland, trainer Mark Frostad said the primary goals this year would be major filly-mare events in the United States
"That's what we'll be going for," said Frostad.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - As much as any living, breathing Thoroughbred trainer, Nick Zito would love to run a horse in the 128th Kentucky Derby. He just won't force the issue.
"Let me see what happens," said Zito, who on Saturday will run two horses, American Style and Crimson Hero, in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland.
ARCADIA, Calif. - With his lone dirt start behind him, Cagney returns to turf in Sunday's $400,000 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap at Santa Anita.
For the last six months, Cagney has been an experimental horse of sorts for trainer Richard Mandella. A Brazilian-bred, Cagney was sent to Japan last November, but finished 12th in the $3.9 million Japan Cup. Following a close third in the San Marcos Stakes here in January, he tried the main track in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 2, finishing fifth of 14.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Sharp Performance, a multiple-stakes winner on turf as a 3-year-old, will make his 2002 debut in next Saturday's $100,000 Fort Marcy Handicap at Aqueduct, trainer David Donk said.
A son of Kris S, Sharp Performance proved to be one of the top marathon turf runners of his age group in 2001 winning the 10-furlong Lexington Stakes and the 12-furlong Lawrence Realization Handicap. He was beaten only one-half length in the Secretariat Stakes over a yielding Arlington Park turf course in August.
Nancy Alberts isn't caught up in Derby fever.
But Alberts, the trainer of Magic Weisner, the likely favorite in Saturday's $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico, is up for giving the Preakness a whirl.
Magic Weisner, a winner of his last five races at Laurel Park, including four stakes, could earn a berth to the May 18 Preakness, depending upon his performance in the 1 1/8-mile Tesio, which drew six runners.
CHICAGO - To a national audience with only a passing knowledge of Midwestern racing, it may seem like Larry Sterling popped out of nowhere. Actually, he has been around his whole life.
The 32-year-old Sterling, the son of a trainer, essentially grew up at Santa Anita. He has been a jockey for 16 years, but this spring is having the meet of his career at Sportsman's Park. Sterling leads the rider standings with 39 wins, 13 more than his closest pursuer. Two weeks ago, Sterling won the Grade 2, $500,000 Illinois Derby with War Emblem, giving him a taste of national exposure.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Three horses who raced in the Arkansas Derby last Saturday could start next in the Grade 3, $500,000 Lone Star Derby on May 11. They are Bay Monster, who finished in a dead heat for third with Windward Passage; Holdthehelm, who finished fifth; and Dusty Spike, who finished seventh.
Bay Monster, who had missed the Grade 3 Rebel at Oaklawn because of a cold, came back from a six-week layoff in the Arkansas Derby.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Gilded Wings, who finished a troubled second at 2-5 in the $50,000 Martha Washington Stakes at Oaklawn Park in February, makes her first start since that race Saturday in the $75,000 Wafare Farm Stakes at Lone Star Park.
A six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies the Wafare Farm has drawn six, and could produce starters for the $150,000 Stonerside Stakes over seven furlongs here May 25.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Saturday's $55,000 San Jose Stakes at Bay Meadows could be a stepping-stone to bigger and better things for the six 3-year-old fillies entered in the one-mile race on the main track.
"I think there are a lot in the field with talent, but there are question marks about them," said trainer Jeff Bonde, who entered Genteel World in the San Jose.
Genteel World enters Saturday's race off two wins, but both of those victories came on the turf.