JAMAICA, N.Y. - Monday's 30-degree temperatures and Wednesday's unappealing nine-race card notwithstanding, spring has arrived for New York horseplayers. After 14 weeks and 69 cards over the inner track, Aqueduct's main track opens Wednesday for its 38-day spring meeting.
The opening of the main track also brings a return to a 1 p.m. post.
Penn National's infield tote board was leveled on Sunday afternoon, a dark day at the track, when extremely high winds ripped through Pennsylvania.
Wind gusts of nearly 60 mph blew through Grantville, where the track is located. The 200-foot long tote board, made primarily of wood and cinder block, fell front to back, collapsing the entire structure. The tote board, with more than 8,000 bulbs to display odds and wagering pools during evening racing, also housed the track's race-timing system.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The prospective starting lineups for two of this week's key attractions lost some of their luster when trainer Todd Pletcher announced he will not run Smok'n Frolic in Friday's $250,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes or Smooth Jazz in Saturday's $150,000 Swale Stakes.
Smok'n Frolic finished a disappointing seventh making her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes on Feb. 24. She had closed out her 2-year-old campaign with easy victories in the Grade 3 Tempted and Grade 2 Demoiselle stakes in New York.
ALBANY, Calif. - Yougottawanna became the meet's top 3-year-old by winning the El Camino Real Derby last weekend, and on Saturday the meet's top older horse will likely be determined in the $200,000 Golden Gate Breeders' Cup Handicap.
Nineteen were nominated to the Grade 3, 1 1/8-mile turf race, with trainer Bobby Frankel planning to send two horses up for the race.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Saarland, unraced since winning the Remsen Stakes last November, arrived at his Belmont Park barn Monday afternoon to continue preparations for his 3-year-old debut in Sunday's $200,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.
After working a sharp five furlongs in 1:00.20 Saturday at Gulfstream Park, boarded a van along with a few other Shug McGaughey-trained horses on Sunday morning. He arrived at Belmont at 12:30 p.m. Monday.
"He got in here just fine,'' said Buzz Tenney, assistant to McGaughey. "I assume it was a pretty uneventful trip.''
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Tate's Way, last year's 3-year-old champion at the Fonner Park meet, used a late run to wear down Yankee Ruler and capture the $25,700 Ogataul Handicap for older statebreds.
Trained by Kelly Von Hemel, Tate's Way carried Armando Martinez to a 1 1/4-length victory in 1:12.80 for the six furlongs over a fast surface. The $15,420 winner's share boosted his earnings to more than $65,000.
Winter Leaf scored an upset victory over seven rivals in the $60,000 Conniver Stakes at Laurel Park.
Winter Leaf ($34.40) set the pace in the seven-furlong Conniver for Maryland-bred fillies and mares and won by three-quarters of a length over Your Out. The favorite, Case of the Blues, finished third, two lengths behind the runner-up.
Winter Leaf, owned by North Highland Farm, covered the distance in 1:23.18 over a fast track. Trained by Ron Cartwright, Winter Leaf was ridden by Larry Reynolds.
With a furious rally in the middle of the track, Secret Romeo ($10.40) caught the pace-setting Tic N Tin to win the $100,000 Lost Code Handicap by three-quarters of a length. Bet on Joe finished 3 1/2 lengths back in third, and favorite Magic Doe finished last in the field of seven. Final time for six furlongs over a sloppy track was 1:11.96.
Ridden by T.D. Houghton and trained by Gerald Bennett, Secret Romeo won his second stakes of the year in the Lost Code. Secret Romeo has won 14 of 23 career starts and has earned more than $425,000.