SAN MATEO, Calif. - Phone Prospector, a long-time maiden who has now won two in a row, may offer some value as he steps up in class again in Friday night's six-furlong, $32,000 allowance feature at Bay Meadows Fair.
Phone Prospector, trained by Gil Matos, lost his first 15 starts, mostly in straight maiden company, but finished second eight times and third four times.
Jockey Garrett Gomez, who is 2 for 2 in the Remington Park Derby, will try to keep his streak going Sunday when he ships in from Southern California to ride Top Hit in this year's renewal of the Grade 3, $300,000 race, which has been renamed the Oklahoma Derby.
Three stakes were held last weekend at the inaugural meet at Yavapai Downs in Prescott Valley, Ariz.
Cartel Charley posted a narrow win over Rocket Effort in Saturday's $46,620 MBNA Racing Challenge. Cartel Charley, with Kenny Hart in the saddle, covered the 350 yards in 17.84 seconds.
The $10,000 Mile High Handicap at 1 1/16 miles was won by Vaclav, who completed the distance in 1:47.90. He was ridden by Scott Stevens, who had three wins on Saturday's card.
Sir Echo, a 10-year-old gelding making his second start within seven days, nearly stole last Friday's 29th running of the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Penn National. Buenos Dias, however, came along in time to foil the plan.
Buenos Dias, a 7-year-old gelding who was winless in eight starts dating to May 2000, caught Sir Echo inside the sixteenth pole and drew clear for a 1 1/4-length victory in the track's richest race of the meet.
Jockey Kirk LeBlanc's early arrival before this meeting began has paid big dividends as he has been awarded jockey of the month honors for July and holds a commanding lead in the standings.
LeBlanc won 35 races last month, including a win with Midge Too in the Suthern Accent Stakes on July 14. LeBlanc has extended his success to this month, as he picked up a three-bagger on Monday to bring his meet total to 45 wins. David Guillory is second in the standings with 19 victories.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Lone Star Park will offer 28 stakes worth $2.9 million when it opens for 33 nights of Quarter Horse racing on Sept. 20. The meet will run on a Thursday through Saturday basis through Dec. 1, and daily purses will average $145,000.
The richest race of the meet is the $1 million-estimated Texas Classic Futurity, a 400-yard race to be run Dec. 1. The Texas Classic is one of four Grade 1 Quarter Horses races to be run this season at Lone Star.
MUSKEGON, Mich. - Jockey Freddie Mata returned to action Sunday at Great Lakes Downs after a six week-recuperation period for broken toes suffered in a freak paddock accident. He won with his second mount of the evening, Lulu's Lil Sister ($3). But in the next race, Mata's mount, Daffodil, stumbled at the start and pitched Mata to the ground. Mata was unhurt and rode out the card.
Darvin Herndon died last Saturday night at his home in Macon, Mo., after a lengthy battle with cancer. Herndon was well known at Fairmount Park where he worked for more than 30 years as a jockey's valet. Before that he had been an owner-trainer. A memorial service was held Wednesday at Carney's Funeral Home in Macon. Herndon's wife, Shirley, plans to have the body cremated and scatter the ashes at Fairmount on what would have been his 75th birthday, Sept. 20.
Columbus, Neb. - Rider Dan Beck suffered bruised ribs Sunday when his mount Zoucha Nutcracker acted up in gate while loading for the seventh race. He took off the final two races of the day but was scheduled to ride again this weekend.
Friday night racing continues to be a hit. The second Friday night of the meet brought out 2,772 fans, up more than 600 from the same night a year ago. It was also an increase over the opening-night card when 2,670 turned out.
Two of Charles Town's top five jockeys are expected to be sidelined for at least a month with injuries sustained during recent races.
James Vail suffered a dislocated elbow when his mount broke down after the seventh race July 29. Four days later, Mark Rosenthal suffered a separated shoulder when the horse he was riding in the fifth race stumbled and fell on the clubhouse turn.
Coming into August, Vail ranked as the track's third-leading rider with 85 wins and Rosenthal was fourth with 77.