CALGARY, Alberta - Dance Me Free, champion of his division in Alberta last year and an impressive winner in his seasonal bow here at Stampede Park on April 27, heads a field of nine colts and geldings in Saturday's 34th running of the President's Handicap.
Dance Me Free, winner of three stakes in 2001 on his way to unanimous selection as top juvenile male, prevailed by a length over Sweet Drummer in the major prep for this $40,000 feature despite being in tight quarters at the quarter pole.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It usually doesn't take Bob Holthus very long to figure things out, especially when it comes to his own horses.
In March at Oaklawn Park, Holthus, who next year will celebrate 50 years as a Thoroughbred trainer, tried to get a 3-year-old named Cojet to win at one mile. Cojet failed, but Holthus tried him at a mile again the following month.
"He went a half-mile in [44.60]" said Holthus, not needing to explain that Cojet faded badly soon thereafter. "I don't think we're going to try that anymore."
When racing returns to the Jersey Shore on Saturday, Monmouth Park hopes to ride the wave that brought the track across-the-board records in purses, handle, and attendance last year.
After a long battle between horsemen and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which owns Monmouth Park and The Meadowlands, 141 live racing days, up from 120 in 2001, will be held in the state this year.
The extra days allow Monmouth Park, in Oceanport, to open its doors earlier than usual for its 57th meet and offer 78 days of racing, up six from last year.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Purse increases that will total $3.1 million over the balance of the Woodbine racing season will take effect Sunday, the Woodbine Entertainment Group announced Thursday.
"Our wagering, on both our live and our simulcast product, is continuing to show growth," said Hugh Mitchell, senior vice president of racing for Woodbine. "That, coupled with strong revenues from the slot machine program, puts us in a position to increase purses."
CHICAGO - Include and Evening Attire, two heavy-hitting handicappers from the East Coast, are bypassing next weekend's Hawthorne Gold Cup in favor of the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs. The trainers of both horses, Bud Delp for Include and Pat Kelly for Evening Attire, had expressed interest in the Gold Cup to Hawthorne racing officials during the last week.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - When Global Finance won a maiden race over 4 1/2 furlongs on April 24, the victory was overshadowed by a six-figure win bet that made her odds plummet from 9-2 to 2-5.
Lost in the excitement of the apparent gambling coup was a promising debut around one turn for Global Finance, who drew off to win by 3 1/2 lengths.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For two months, trainer Doug O'Neill has been beating himself up over the last-place finish by Sky Jack in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap at Santa Anita.
"I think it was more trainer error in running a horse off a big effort off a long layoff," O'Neill said. "It was a boo-boo on my part."
Sky Jack was out of contention on the final turn of the Big Cap, his second start of 2002 following a 15-month absence caused by injury and illness.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Xtra Heat, the defending 3-year-old filly champion, may face her toughest rival to date when she comes to New York for Sunday's $150,000 Genuine Risk Handicap at Belmont Park: Allen Jerkens.
Jerkens, the Hall of Fame trainer renowned for upsetting some of the great horses in the sport, will send out Shine Again against Xtra Heat in the six-furlong Genuine Risk.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Mark Hennig always thought highly of Wopping as a 2-year-old, but it wasn't until the filly's 3-year-old debut last month at Gulfstream Park that the rest of us saw why.
On April 11, Wopping romped to a 12 1/2-length victory in a conditioned allowance race at Gulfstream, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Maybe Pat Day should take a shot on the nose more often. Day rode four winners here Wednesday, his first day of action since Derby day, when he suffered what could be a broken nose.
Day's mount in the Churchill Downs Handicap, Dream Run, stumbled badly two steps out of the gate. When Dream Run recovered from his near-fall, his head came up and thwacked an off-balance Day squarely on the nose.
Day, badly dazed, attempted to pull up Dream Run soon thereafter, but the colt would not comply. Dream Run ended up finishing far behind because of the incident.