Urlacher has made a strong impression on horsemen at Sunland Park, winning both his career starts at this meet with ease against fellow New Mexico-breds.
In last Saturday's seventh race, he won a nonwinners-of-two-lifetime allowance race, covering six furlongs in 1:10.89 under jockey Brian Theriot.
Trainer Joel Marr will now point Urlacher for the $100,000-added Pepsi-Cola Handicap on Jan. 20, a state bred sprint for 3-year-olds.
Ronney Brown is the new king of the hill among Charles Town trainers.
Brown saddled 129 winners to finish seven ahead of seven-time season champion Jeff Runco.
The seasonal crown ranks as a career highlight for Brown, who ranked among the top 10 trainers six times at Penn National, won seven three-month meet titles at Charles Town during the past three years, and trained Charles Town's 2000 Horse of the Year, Pressin' Your Luck.
EAST BOSTON, Mass - Racing secretary John Morrissey has released a slate of 25 stakes races to be contested between Jan. 19 and the close of the meeting on June 8.
The highlight of the $1.34 million package is the 63rd running of the Grade 2 Massachusetts Handicap on June 1. The $500,000 Mass Cap is one of four stakes scheduled for that afternoon's card. The co-feature is the $150,000 James B. Moseley Breeders' Cup Handicap at six furlongs.
PORTLAND, Ore. - When Thoroughbred stakes action resumed at Portland Meadows with Saturday's running of the $10,000 Oregon Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stallion Stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds, Ransome Road was ready for it. According to trainer L.A. "Hammy" Williams, the same couldn't be said of the gelding's three prior starts.
Turfway Park canceled its Wednesday night card after rising temperatures caused Turfway's frozen racetrack to thaw rapidly and in an uneven manner. The cancellation was announced early Wednesday afternoon.
Turfway remained open for simulcast wagering Wednesday evening.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Strolling Belle, a 6-year-old mare, will sport a new look when she runs in Saturday's $100,000-added Affectionately Handicap at Aqueduct.
Trainer John Kimmel said Strolling Belle, second in last year's Grade 3 Affectionately, will race with blinkers for the first time in her career in the 1 1/16-mile stakes.
Kimmel said it was an idea he had toyed with before, but decided against it because the mare, who makes her 29th career start on Saturday, was running well enough without blinkers.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - An irritated hoof forced the scratch of Too Scarlet from an allowance race last month. The problem wasn't serious, and trainer Kristina Dupps has found a similar spot for the 4-year-old New York-bred Too Scarlet at Aqueduct in Thursday's eighth race.
Dupps nominated Too Scarlet, who is 5 for 7 lifetime, to Saturday's $100,000-added Affectionately and said she would have run there if this third-level open allowance race didn't fill. Six fillies and mares entered the mile race, which will be run around two turns on the inner track for a $48,000 purse.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Although she has rarely missed earning a check for her connections, Sound of the West has been somewhat of a disappointment for owner John Peace and trainer Rusty Arnold.
After watching her lose at 2-5 last time out, Arnold will equip Sound of the West with blinkers for the first time Thursday, when she makes her 5-year-old debut in a second-level allowance race at Gulfstream Park. The $36,000 allowance race will be run at 1 1/16 miles over the main track.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - After watching Victory Ride train for a month, trainer Rusty Arnold is pleased with the progress she has made, and remains "cautiously optimistic" she will return to the races this year.
*, who won the Grade 1 Test Stakes in July and then suffered a broken leg during a workout on Aug. 18 at Saratoga, resumed training on Dec. 1 at Palm Beach Downs, Arnold said.
Victory Ride jogged for a month and began galloping last week.
Theft charges are pending in a Bexar County, Texas, court against Steve Habel, an Austin-based freelance turf writer who allegedly cashed 37 checks totaling $22,375.97 on a Racetrack Chaplaincy of America, Texas Chapter, account. Habel was arrested at Retama Park in Selma, Texas, on Dec. 6, and is being held at Bexar County Jail.