LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Churchill Downs fall meet, which ran Oct. 28 through Saturday, continued a familiar trend as all-sources wagering set an all-time high and ontrack numbers were mixed.
All-sources wagering at the 24-day meet totaled nearly $174.8 million, eclipsing the meet record of $160.6 million, set during a 23-day meet last year (discounting a 24th program, Breeders' Cup Day, for comparison purposes). The daily average of $7,282,573 is a 4.3 percent increase over last year.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Stakes winner Expected Hour looks tough in a strong nine-horse field in Wednesday's sixth race at Woodbine, a six-furlong allowance for 2-year-olds.
Mark Casse has trained four runners in the lineup at some point this year, including Expected Hour, who was a $450,000 2-year-old purchase by the partnership of Bill Farish Jr., George Bolton, Edward Gaylord, and Elizabeth Grossman.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A clean trip may be all that California Sage needs to win the third race of his career on Wednesday at Hollywood Park.
In his last two starts, troubled trips have kept California Sage out of the winner's circle.
He finished fifth after stumbling at the start of an allowance race at Bay Meadows on Sept. 22. In a $70,000 claimer at Hollywood Park on Nov. 8, California Sage overcome a poor start but was blocked in the stretch, losing by a length under Tyler Baze.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - The run of dry weather that has made for uninterrupted turf racing this fall at Aqueduct is about to come to an end. With rain falling following the races Sunday and with more showers forecast Wednesday through Friday, it is quite possible turf racing could be done for the year.
At the very least, Wednesday's featured event, a third-level allowance at nine furlongs, is in jeopardy of moving to the main track.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher wishes he could turn the calendar back a few months.
With Left Bank and Graeme Hall - the one-two finishers from Saturday's Grade 1 Cigar Mile - in the best form of their careers, it's hard putting them on the shelf for a few months.
"You have two horses that are doing so well, you'd love to have a big race a month from now," Pletcher said Monday morning. "But given the time of year and the fact they're both going to run as 5-year-olds, obviously, you've got to give them a break sometime."
MIAMI - The turf course was open for training on Monday morning, and several candidates for this weekend's $100,000 Hollywood Wildcat and Mecke Stakes made the most of the opportunity. Prominent among them was the promising 2-year-old filly August Storm, who will likely be the favorite in the 1/16-mile Hollywood Wildcat.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - What a Breeze edged away from favored Gonetofarr in the final sixteenth for a gutsy triumph in the $144,180 Ontario Lassie Stakes for 2-yearold fillies.
"She doesn't like to get beat," said Jake Barton, who rode What a Breeze. "For as young as she is, she's really mature, and she loves to chase things down. When I got into her, she really responded."
The final time for the 1 1/16 miles over a muddy strip was 1:46.34.
What a Breeze returned $7.50 as the second choice.
ANDERSON, Ind. - Marciann and Fight for Ally both successfully defended their titles in stakes races for Indiana-breds.
Marciann wore down front-running Heresyour Chickey to win the $43,100 Frances S. Slocum Stakes for fillies and mares by 2 3/4 lengths. It is her third win in as many starts at the meet. Marciann won the race last year as a 3-year-old, beating older horses.
With Terry Thompson aboard Sunday, Marciann shadowed Heresyour Chickey through splits of 23.44 seconds, 47.49, and 1:12.96.
NEW ORLEANS - Flick could not win an allowance race at Keeneland in her previous start, but on Sunday she was two lengths better than five rivals in the $60,000 Pontalba Stakes.
Rallying strongly in the final furlong, Flick ($7) passed the pacesetter, Purple Princess, and went on to win by two lengths, running the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.20.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Iron Deputy charged through a large opening along the inside turning for home, rocketed past pace-setting Saratoga Way in midstretch, and drew off to a four-length victory in Sunday's $82,500 Huntington Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings at Aqueduct.
Volley Ball, who broke slowly and then had to alter course in the stretch, got up for second, a half-length ahead of Mr. Kipp. Saratoga Way faded to fourth.