PORTLAND, Ore. - Future Leader figures to be a short price when he takes on seven rivals in Sunday's eighth at Portland Meadows, a six-furlong race for older $8,000 claimers who have never won three races.
Future Leader appears to have found a home in the Northwest after failing to make an impact through his first eight starts in Southern California.
The 6-year-old finished second against maiden special weight company in his local debut on
ARCADIA, Calif. - Lido Palace has raced in four corners of the world the past 14 months - Chile, Dubai, the United States, and Japan. You would think global travel eventually would exact a toll on Lido Palace, the country's leading handicap horse. Not so, according to trainer Bobby Frankel.
"Travelling is a bit overrated as an excuse," Frankel said. "He sure doesn't look like it's hurting him."
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Picking the winner of the Herecomesthebride Stakes used to be as easy as thumbing down the program until you found the horse Jerry Bailey was riding. Bailey has won this race five of the last six years.
But Bailey will be in California on Sunday to ride Lido Palace in the San Antonio Handicap. That makes for a difficult edition of the $100,000 Herecomesthebride even tougher to handicap.
Zippy Chippy, the winless 11-year-old gelding who has what is believed to be the North American record for utter futility, will be allowed to continue running at Penn National despite his losing ways, track officials said Friday, one night after the horse ran his infamous losing streak to 92.
"I haven't won the lottery yet, but they keep allowing me to play," Richard Schnaars, the track's general manager, said Friday morning. "And as long as the horse is sound, he will be allowed to run. We're an equal opportunity racetrack."
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The ramifications of the Gulfstream Park stewards' decision to suspend jockey Eibar Coa 30 days for his ride aboard Mr. Livingston in last Saturday's Ft. Lauderdale Handicap continued Friday when trainer John Ward said he has "given up" Coa's call aboard Booklet for the Grade 1 Fountain of Youth Handicap on Feb. 16.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Bettors are routinely informed when horses are given Lasix or phenylbutazone, and when they wear blinkers or front wraps. Will earmuffs be next?
Trainer Jerry Weaver has been making a case they should be. Weaver outfitted his talented but underachieving filly Little Nat with earmuffs - which are simply blinkers, with or without the cups but with ear covers built in - at Emerald Downs last summer for her fourth start. She improved dramatically to finish fourth that day, then posted back-to-back wins at Portland Meadows in her next two starts.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - It's unusual to see a European horse ship to New York for a race over Aqueduct's inner track, but Goshin's Lad will next week when he arrives from England for Saturday's $75,000-added Whirlaway for 3-year-olds.
Goshin's Lad brings essential dirt experience with him across the Atlantic. A Kentucky-bred colt, he is a winner of two dirt races over Lingfield's left-handed course in England.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Some believe a horse's 5-year-old season can be his best, as a horse that age is both at his physical peak and has had time to mature mentally. Trainer Gary Hartlage is hoping that is true for Ornate, who makes her 5-year-old debut Sunday in the featured eighth race at Oaklawn Park.
The one-mile allowance has drawn eight fillies and mares, and is worth $31,000.
NEW ORLEANS - If you ran a racetrack, and the Super Bowl was being played in your city, then you might think about capitalizing on the tens of thousands of people in town by luring some of them to the track in the early afternoon before they head out to watch the football game.
Then again, you might not realize just how huge the Super Bowl is.
"You wouldn't want to have a major stake or any kind of big promotion for Super Bowl day, simply because you're not going to get the kind of media focus you need," said Fair Grounds president Bryan Krantz.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Sunday's $100,000-added New Mexico State University Handicap will test Yulla Yulla, the queen of the New Mexico circuit, as she attempts to stretch her speed around two turns while facing male rivals.
The NMSU Handicap, a mile race for older statebreds, will be Yulla Yulla's second career try at a route, her first being a disappointing fourth-place effort Jan. 2.
