ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Going by the result of Saturday's Grade 3 Eclipse Handicap, Exclusive Run should be dangerous in Wednesday's eighth at Woodbine, an $80,900 allowance for non-winners of $45,180 other than maiden or claiming in 2002.
An accomplished group of six older runners was drawn for the seven-furlong dash, which was originally carded for the portion of last Friday's card cancelled because of high winds.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Marina Del Sol will try to become the first three time winner at the young Hastings Park meet in a 6 1/2-furlong spring for older fillies and mares running for a top claiming price of $20,000 this Wednesday evening. She figures to be a solid favorite over eight others, all of them winless this year.
CALGARY, Alberta - Dark Fuse prevailed in a three-horse photo to capture Saturday's $40,000 President's Handicap.
The outcome actually was determined much earlier in the six-furlong race by decisions made by the winning rider, Rickey Walcott, and Stephan Heiler, aboard even-money favorite Dance Me Free.
Dark Fuse broke on top in the field of nine 3-year-olds and was immediately engaged by Dance Me Free on his outside in the run to the first turn.
A full field of 10 horses is expected to go to post in each of the two maiden Thoroughbred races that will start the harness cards at the Meadowlands on Wednesday and Thursday.
All four races will go on the turf, and all are for maidens. The first race each day is scheduled to go to post at 5:35 p.m. Eastern, and the second is scheduled for 6:20. A full card of harness races beginning at 8:00 will follow.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The hairline fracture jockey James Lopez suffered in his left hand last weekend at Churchill Downs was an awful break for him.
Lopez was enjoying the most productive stretch in his six-year career when the injury occurred, and it will prevent him from riding for about six weeks. Lopez, 24, was thrown to the ground in the fifth race on Saturday, when his mount, All Purpose, clipped heels and fell. Lopez was taken to a nearby hospital where the fracture was diagnosed.
"It's a shame because business was so good," said Lopez's agent, Steve Elzey.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Congaree, winner of the Wood Memorial and Swaps Stakes last year and the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, could make his 4-year-old debut in the $750,000, Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap on May 27, trainer Bob Baffert said Monday.
Baffert said the $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap the same day is also a possibility for Congaree, but sounded as if the Met Mile was the first choice.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Corey Nakatani is expected to miss another week of racing while recovering from the effects of a concussion suffered in a spill on May 2, according to his agent, Bob Meldahl.
Nakatani has not ridden since the third race on May 2 when his mount, Whirlwind Trip, clipped heels with a rival. Nakatani was thrown and struck his head on the ground.
On advice of doctors, Nakatani did not travel to the Kentucky Derby on May 4.
Last week, he underwent tests and was advised by doctors to take more time off.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Mellow Fellow, winner of Saturday's Grade 3 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint, has been pulled from the Bart Heller Estate Dispersal Sale at the Barretts Sale in Pomona on Tuesday.
Mellow Fellow ran the fastest time of the meet for six furlongs, 1:08.35, as he defeated Explicit and Swept Overboard in the Sprint. He earned a 108 Beyer Figure for the victory. It was the sixth straight win for the 7-year-old Mellow Fellow, who was named horse of the meeting at the Golden Gate Fields in March.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Wiseman's Ferry, winner of the Grade 3, $500,000 Lone Star Derby last Saturday, is the latest in a long line of successful European imports for trainer Niall O'Callaghan.
O'Callaghan recommended the private purchase of from Ireland last year, and in his third North American start, Wiseman's Ferry won the Lone Star Derby. The win came less than a month after the O'Callaghan-trained Hail the Chief, another European purchase, won the Grade 3 National Jockey Club Handicap by 11 1/4 lengths at Sportsman's Park.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The plan had called for El Prado Essence to prep for last Sunday's George C. Hendrie Handicap in an allowance race at Woodbine on April 28.
But when that card was canceled in midstream because of deteriorating track conditions, and the Hendrie prep later was rescheduled for May 3, trainer Audre Cappuccitti was forced to reevaluate her position.