ETOBICOKE, Ontario - No Cheating, a runaway winner in her only 2002 start, should be favored in Sunday's Woodbine eighth-race headliner, a $62,500 optional claimer.
A field of 11 fillies and mares was drawn for the seven-furlong race, which carries a purse of $62,900.
No Cheating earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82 in her March 30 victory against preliminary allowance runners. She vied for the early lead before drawing off for a 4 1/2-length score.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - In only 10 weeks, on June 23, the 1 1/4-mile Queen's Plate will be run at Woodbine.
And while the connections of many candidates for Canada's $1 million showpiece may be starting to feel the pinch, that does not appear to be the case with trainer Jim Day, who has one of the prime Plate prospects, Streakin Rob.
"We're not in a big rush," Day said. "He has a comfortable foundation from his 2-year-old campaign."
CALGARY, Alberta - When 13 entries were received for an allowance/optional claimer at Stampede Park, track officials decided to split the race. The resulting co-features run as Sunday's sixth and seventh races, going six furlongs for purses of $18,800.
One of the enticements was the allowance condition "nonwinners of $15,000 once since Jan. 1, 2001," which writes out stakes winners from last year, giving allowance and upper-level claimers a legitimate shot.
Such races have consistently filled in the past and produced excellent betting races, as is the case Sunday.
ARCADIA, Calif. - There is a double carryover in the pick six on Friday at Santa Anita for the third time at the winter-spring meeting.
Bettors failed to hit correctly solve the puzzle on Thursday, resulting in a carryover of $462,042. Few tickets made it past the second leg on Thursday, which was won by Crimson Policy ($53.40).
Friday's nine-race program begins at 3 p.m.; the pick six begins with the fourth race. Here are the scratchtime changes for Friday's pick six races and a look at some of the entrants.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jorge Chavez does not have to be Elmer Fudd. "I don't see any rabbits this time," the jockey said Thursday morning.
No, Chavez will not be hunting rabbits. Nor will rabbits be hunting his mount, Booklet. Unlike the Florida Derby, in which Booklet was shadowed by the rascally Smooth Jazz, the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland could cast Booklet as another Saturday morning cartoon character: the Road Runner.
Fans and horsemen will find several new amenities awaiting them when Finger Lakes opens Saturday for a 161-day meet, which runs through Nov. 30.
Among the changes highlighting the 41st season at the upstate New York track is the elimination of an admission charge for live programs, the introduction of full-card simulcasting during every live card, and ontrack account wagering.
For horsemen, a new equine swimming pool has been built on the grounds.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - The last time Laffit Pincay Jr. rode in New York, Bill Shoemaker was still the sport's winningest rider by more than 300 wins, Bob Baffert had yet to win a Triple Crown race, and Frank Stronach didn't own a single racetrack.
It was Nov. 30, 1996, and Pincay was at Aqueduct to ride Atticus in the NYRA Mile for Richard Mandella. Though Atticus finished sixth, Pincay did visit the winner's circle that day, guiding Pacific Fleet to an allowance win over Unbridled's Song.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Two strong supporting stakes, the $350,000 Carter Handicap and the $150,000 Bay Shore, act as bookends to Saturday's $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
The Grade 3 Bay Shore, the seventh race, is the lead-in to the Wood Memorial. The Grade 1 Carter follows the main event.
A competitive field of 11 entered the seven-furlong Carter. The main players are Snow Ridge, the 120-pound highweight; Affirmed Success, an 8-year-old closing in on $2 million in earnings; and Dream Run, who owns two sharp wins at the Carter distance this year.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Tates Creek, shipping in from California for trainer Bobby Frankel, overcame traffic to shake clear in early stretch and wear down favored Snow Dance in the $113,600 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland Thursday.
Kent Desormeaux rode Tates Creek, a homebred Juddmonte Farms filly, who returned $6.20 to win after finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.27 over firm turf. Snow Dance, the 17-10 favorite in a field of 10 fillies and mares, finished second by a head under Pat Day.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Explicit handily won the Grade 3, $150,000 Count Fleet Handicap at Oaklawn Park by 3 1/4 lengths on Thursday. Entepreneur finished second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Junior Deputy.
Explicit ($4) took the lead shortly after the break in the six-furlong race, and set fractions of 21.60 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.40 seconds for the half while under pressure from Junior Deputy.
Exlicit rebuffed stretch bids by Entepreneur and Junior Deputy, and went on to cover the distance over a fast track in 1:08.60.
