Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Griffinite tops tough allowance

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Though short fields abound, Wednesday's nine-race card at Aqueduct includes four allowance races topped by a third-level condition featuring a meeting between stakes-winning Griffinite and multiple stakes-placed Voodoo.

The $47,000 allowance feature at seven furlongs could serve as a prep for the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 13. That race recently lost top candidates Squirtle Squirt and Wrangler to various ailments.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Pick six pool could hit $1 million

ARCADIA, Calif. - The pick six pool on Wednesday at Santa Anita is expected to climb past the $1 million mark after bettors failed to hit the bet on Sunday, leaving a carryover of $193,207.

Five of the six races in the pick six Wednesday are sprints, at between 5 1/2 and seven furlongs. There is one race over a mile; all six are on dirt.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Suspension controversy

ALBANY, Calif. - A series of stiff suspensions for rough riding at Golden Gate Fields is causing concern among jockeys and their agents, and has caused two riders to plan to leave northern California.

Two of the top five riders at the meeting have been given suspensions that extend to the end of the meet, March 31. Apprentice Kevin Krigger, who was sidelined March 9 when he injured his elbow, has returned home to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, after being handed a 10-day suspension. Ben Russell has been given consecutive seven- and 10-day suspensions.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

As usual, Hollendorfer holds a pair of aces

ALBANY, Calif. - It's a familiar story in northern California. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is the one to beat in Wednesday's feature race at Golden Gate Fields.

Hollendorfer, northern California's leading trainer, is being recognized nationally these days because of his solid group of 3-year-olds, including U S S Tinosa, who was second last Sunday in the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita and has been a separate entry in both Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools. The Hollendorfer-trained Cappuchino and Yougottawanna have also been separate entries in the pools.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Party Queen: looks good; is beatable

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Party Queen has the makings of a stakes winner from the looks of her first two starts, both of which were easy come-from-behind victories on the turf. But as bright as Party Queen's future appears, even the filly's trainer, Victoria Oliver, thinks she could prove vulnerable when she races under second level allowance conditions in Wednesday's $36,000 feature at Gulfstream Park.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Big hand for big winner

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Long after the last mutuel ticket had been cashed and the crowd had filed out after watching Harlan's Holiday dominate Saturday's $1 million Florida Derby, the hero of the hour finally left the testing barn and made his way back to his stall in Barn 16. The route home took him past the track kitchen area, located just across the street from trainer Ken McPeek's barn, where a gathering of grooms and hot walkers were celebrating the day's events.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Laurel: Owner completes weekend sweep

Owner Michael Gill, who captured the $50,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial a day earlier with First Amendment, came right back to win the $50,000 Endless Surprise with Rusty Spur at Laurel Park.

Rusty Spur ($5) , the favorite of the six-horse Endless Surprise for male sprinters, was a three-length winner over Deer Run. Rusty Spur was claimed several starts ago for $20,000 and won his first stakes for Gill after finishing second in th Grade 2 General George in his last start.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Sam Houston: Storm Alarm upsets

Storm Alarm, trained by G. Leon Bard, won the $30,000 Texas Heritage for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds at Sam Houston in Houston.

Storm Alarm ($44.20) led from start to finish to win the Texas Heritage by 1 1/4 lengths over Revered Soldier. It was a neck back in third to Padlock. Storm Alarm covered the mile in 1:38.71 under Allen Dupuy. He races for Clayton Atkinson and Trey Malecheck.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Sportsman's: Wired to Fly hangs on

Wired to Fly repelled a challenge from two rivals in the stretch to capture the $100,000 Cicero Handicap for fillies and mares at Sportsman's Park in Cicero, Ill.

Longshot Adam's Time, last at the top of the stretch, fell a head short of the winner. Hattiesburg, the 6-5 favorite, closed for third, beaten less than a length. The winning time for six furlongs over a fast track was 1:12.52.

Mon, 03/18/2002 - 00:00

Laurel: First Amendment wins

First Amendment set some quick early fractions but had enough left in the tank to win Saturday's $50,000 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Handicap at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

First Amendment defeated P Day by 3 1/4 lengths in the 1 1/8-mile Johnson, for older males. Lyracist finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind the runner-up.

Owned by Michael Gill, First Amendment, a 5-year-old, completed the distance in 1:49.35 over a fast track after clicking off fractions of 23.31 seconds, 46.62, and 1:11.15.

First Amendment ($14.60) is trained by Mark Shuman.