LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The regulars at Churchill Downs don't need any more salt rubbed into their wounds by all those glowing reminders of how the Kentucky Derby pumps tens of millions of dollars into the regional economy.
No, the local horseplayer is keenly aware that by the Wednesday after Derby, the vast majority of those tourism dollars are in someone else's cash register or pocket - while he is basically starting over from scratch.
Ah, but not this year.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Saarland, who finished 10th as the co-second choice in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, came out of the race with a chip in his left front ankle and will be sidelined until fall, trainer Shug McGaughey said Sunday.
The chip was discovered Sunday morning, after radiographs were taken. Saarland was scheduled to van to Rood and Riddle, an equine clinic in Lexington, Ky., where he would have surgery "whenever they get a slot over there," McGaughey said.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Grooms Derby figures to be one of the favorites for Saturday's $35,000 Strawberry Morn Stakes, but her trainer, Michael Turner, is happy merely that she is in one piece after an incident following a six-furlong work April 28.
Grooms Derby finished her work strongly for an excellent clocking of 1:14.40 seconds, but when she was being pulled up she dumped jockey Pedro Alvarado. After eluding track outrider Jodie Rawson and running freely around the track a couple of times, Grooms Derby finally came to a halt inside the winner's enclosure.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Two Queen's Plate hopefuls from the John Ross stable are heading in different directions following last Saturday's running of the Queenston Stakes.
Shaws Creek, whom Ross trains for the Jam Jar Racing Stable of Bud and Jackie Reynolds, took a significant step forward on the road to the June 23 Plate with his come-from-behind victory in the seven-furlong Queenston.
But Wild Whiskey, whom Ross trains for Gary Wellwood and Larry Titchner, is going to the farm after injuring a shin while finishing eighth in the field of 10.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Jockey Patrick Husbands held a hot hand at Woodbine last Saturday, winning four times on the card, including a sweep of the first three races.
Husbands, Woodbine's leading rider in 1999 and 2001, has a comfortable lead at the current meeting, with 30 wins from 131 mounts. A 28-year-old native of Barbados, Husbands rides probable favorite Jarret's Odyssey in Wednesday's fourth race, a $32,000 starter allowance for 3-year-olds and up at seven furlongs.
Teague continued to pay dividends on the $50,000 he was claimed for with a strong 5 1/4 length win in the $30,000 Nebraska Derby at Fonner Park. Late-running Teague ($3.40), trained by Rick Engel, was nearer than usual to the pace of the one-mile Derby. He moved to the leaders through the far turn and galloped home as the 3-5 favorite in the field of nine.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trainer Bill Morey Jr. will bookend a good week of racing at Bay Meadows with his top sprinters.
Morey will run Mellow Fellow in Saturday's $200,000 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint, a Grade 3.
He sends out a potent duo of Texas Chili and Wild Celebration in Wednesday's Bay Meadows feature race, a six-furlong $40,000 optional claiming race. Also entered is Fog City Willy, who has won five straight while moving up from the $8,000 claiming level.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Hot Market was only a blip on the Santa Anita Derby undercard before he sped to a front-running upset April 6. By the end of the day, he had emerged as one of the most exciting older horses in California.
Hyperbole? Could be. After all, Hot Market has never raced in a stakes, and his reputation is based mainly on one performance. But what a dazzling performance it was. From 69 races this winter at Santa Anita at 1 1/16 miles, only one winner (bias-aided Western Pride) survived a six-furlong fraction more vicious than the 1:10.10 thrown down by Hot Market.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - My First Lady ($10.40) sat off the sizzling pace of Stormy Society and Lindsay Jean and pulled away through the lane to win the $61,175 Santa Clara Handicap at Bay Meadows on Sunday.
Stormy Society, the 13-to-10 favorite, led the one-mile stakes for fillies and mares with a 21.94 opening quarter with Lindsay Jean beside her. Lindsay Jean led by one length after a 44.73 half mile as Stormy Society began to jump shadows heading into the second turn.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Hand jockey Victor Espinoza an easy lead, and he will exploit the advantage. The lesson was repeated Sunday at Hollywood Park, where Espinoza rode Night Patrol to a front-running upset in the Grade 3 Inglewood Handicap for older horses at a mile and a sixteenth on turf.