JAMAICA, N.Y. - For the first time in nearly 13 months, Peeping Tom won't be running in a stakes when he is led over to the races on Sunday at Aqueduct.
Peeping Tom, whose rags-to-riches story made the headlines last year, is without a win in seven stakes since capturing the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in May. Still, who can knock the 5-year-old gelding, who was claimed for $40,000 by Flatbird Stable in his second start in March 2000? Since the claim, Peeping Tom has won $759,833.
PORTLAND, Ore. - With the current Portland Meadows meeting coming to an early close on Sunday, there is no reason for horsemen to hold back in that day's $7,500-added Flying Lark Stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs.
Under different circumstances, trainer Pat Sonnen might prefer to wait until his speedy filly Lammy could meet her own sex. Laurie Palfry might be seeking more seasoning for her promising maiden winner, Can't Be Golden, and R. G. Pierce might choose to look for a prep race for Manito Gentleman, who has not raced since winning the Columbia River Stakes on Nov. 4.
ALBANY, Calif. - Every trainer wants to win stakes races, and Len Shoemaker is no exception. He's hoping for a big run from Arsen in Sunday's $55,000-added Golden State Mile at Golden Gate Fields.
But a key to Arsen's chances in the one-mile prep for the El Camino Real Derby may be the fact he didn't win his stakes debut on Dec. 30 in the six-furlong Sutter Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
"It might have been a blessing," Shoemaker said of the third-place finish. "In a way, it worked out best."
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The featured allowance at Oaklawn Park on Sunday has drawn five stakes winners, but it appears the key contenders in the race are two colts who have yet to take down a stakes purse: Cojet, second as the favorite in last month's $50,000 Mountain Valley, and World Champion, runner-up in the $47,000 Prevue last out at Turfway Park.
NEW ORLEANS - Everyone wants a shot at the handicap division. A day after a gate of 14 was set to run in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park, 10 older horses face off in the $125,000 Whirlaway Handicap at Fair Grounds.
The Whirlaway is the final prep for the $500,000 New Orleans Handicap, which at this stage figures to come up a wide-open race. Consider the lack of standouts in the handicap division currently, and you'll see why so many horses are in the Donn as well as the Whirlaway.
NEW ORLEANS - Local horsemen with 3-year-olds for the Feb. 17 Risen Star Stakes are watching south Florida. Is Repent coming or not?
Second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the winner of two other graded stakes, Repent is the clear favorite in the newly graded Grade 3 Risen Star - if he ships in for the race.
Friday, trainer Ken McPeek still couldn't say with absolute certainty that Repent was bound for Fair Grounds. "We're still working out the details, but we're planning on coming," McPeek said.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - It takes a very good horse to win a Grade 1 race. To win Saturday's Grade 1 *, it will also take a little bit of luck.
A field of 14 older horses will start in the $500,000 Donn Handicap, which should assure a realistic pace and could create traffic problems in the wide-open lineup.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - *, who capped off an undefeated 2-year-old campaign with an easy victory over Take Charge Lady in the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs, had her first recorded workout of the year on Thursday when she breezed a half-mile here in 49.40 seconds.
Belterra was perfect in three starts last year for Carl Nafzger, who trains the daughter of Unbridled for her breeder, Robert Manfuso.
Nafzger said he is pointing Belterra to the Grade 2, $250,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes here March 15.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - If the past is an indicator of the future, Saturday's Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct will have little impact upon the Triple Crown. The only winner of the Whirlaway, first run in 1980, to win one of the spring classics was Prairie Bayou, the 1993 Preakness winner.
What happens this year remains to be seen, but in the meantime an interesting group of 3-year-olds entered the $75,000-added Whirlaway. The nine-horse field includes a stakes-placed runner, a couple of colts with impressive two-turn wins who are making their stakes debuts, and two English imports.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Affluent has been the leading lady through the first six weeks of the Santa Anita meeting. She won the La Brea Stakes on Dec. 29 and the El Encino Stakes on Jan. 20. On Saturday, she tries for a piece of history in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies. A win would make Affluent the first filly in 17 years to sweep the series.
Along the way, Affluent has beaten a full field of top-class sprinters in the La Brea and rallied from the back of the field to beat Royally Chosen by a nose in the El Encino over 1 1/16 miles.
