INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Yougottawanna has already slayed a giant this fall with his victory over the once-mighty Officer in the California Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.
On Saturday, *, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer in northern California, returns to the South for the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity, hoping to conquer a field led by Siphonic, the winner of the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland who was third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
NEW ORLEANS - Things are starting to pick up at Fair Grounds. There was some good maiden action here Monday, and Thursday's card has a very solid center in the form of a third-level, optional claiming sprint, and a two-turn allowance race for 2-year-olds.
The optional claimer, race nine, is carded for about 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, but rain is forecast here for Wednesday and Thursday, and a switch to the main track would come as no surprise. That might be appreciated by the connections of the six entrants: between them, they have made four starts on grass.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A last-minute decision to enter Stormy Jack at Hollywood Park on Friday has given a $53,000 allowance for older horses the quality of a minor stakes.
The 4-year-old Stormy Jack will attempt to enhance an already strong fall campaign, which includes a second in the California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 and a win in the On Trust Handicap here on Nov. 22. Trained by Bob Baffert, Stormy Jack is the likely favorite against four others in Friday's race, run over about 7 1/2 furlongs.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - An owner whose filly was scratched from a claiming race at Santa Anita on Oct. 10 after being found with a sponge in a nostril is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved.
Art Acosta, who owns My Sweet Lucy, is putting up the reward, according to trainer Frank Olivares. "Hopefully someone will come forward," Olivares said.
NEW YORK - The New York Racing Association board of directors approved a plan on Wednesday to eliminate parking and general admission fees during most of the Aqueduct winter meet.
The fees will be eliminated beginning the first week of January until mid-March, when the inner-track meet at Aqueduct ends, according to NYRA chairman Barry Schwartz. Parking at Aqueduct is normally $1, and general admission is also $1.
"Those months are a really tough time for New York, and we think this is something the fans deserve," Schwartz said after the board meeting.
MIAMI - Gulfstream Park will offer a guaranteed pick six pool of $25,000 every Friday afternoon throughout its 2002 meet, which opens on Jan. 3. A regular non-guaranteed pick six will also be available daily throughout the meet, which runs until April 24. The takeout on the pick six, comprising the last six races each day, will be lowered from 25 percent to 20 percent on all cards.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Inanout, who posted a confidence-building win just a week ago, will attempt to step up and repeat in Friday's featured eighth race at Portland Meadows. The six-furlong race has drawn seven fillies and mares, all eligible to be claimed for $3,200.
MIAMI - The plane that brought jockey Rosemary Homeister back from Puerto Rico touched down in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday. But Homeister said she was still "floating on air" Wednesday because of her victory aboard Alexia in the Clasico Internacional del Caribe at El Comandante Racetrack on Sunday.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - When Peeping Tom runs in Saturday's $100,000-added Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct he will be looking to snap a five-race losing streak that dates back to May.
*, plucked out of the claim box by Flatbird Stable for $40,000 in March 2000, proved to be an exceptional claim when he won the Grade 1 Carter Handicap in May. The Carter was preceded by three consecutive wins during the winter, including scores in the Toboggan and Grade 2 General George.
ALBANY, Calif. - A plan by Golden Gate Fields to run 10-race cards Saturday, Sunday, and Monday has run into criticism from the Thoroughbred Owners of California and California Thoroughbred Trainers. As a result, Monday's card will have only nine races.