Local Review takes a big drop into $12,500 claiming company and looms a strong favorite in Thursday's featured seventh race at Bay Meadows. The one-mile race for 3-year-olds will offer a purse of $16,000 and drew a field of seven.
Local Review has made ten starts already this season with a win, two seconds, and two thirds to his credit.
He was claimed by trainer Brian Koriner for $12,500 in August and has made two starts for his new owners against much tougher competition.
Delta Downs in Vinton, La., received unanimous approval for a gaming license to operate slot machines from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board at a special meeting Tuesday. The track's bid for the license was opposed by officials representing area riverboats, who contested the number of machines planned for installation at Delta Downs.
Handle from all wagering sources was down significantly at the fall meet that ended Saturday at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., primarily because of the decision by New York OTB not to accept wagering throughout the meet.
Total handle on the 17-day meet was $88.4 million, down from $99.5 million for the corresponding 16-day meet in 2000. The daily average handle of $5.2 million represents a 16 percent decrease.
Steve Bourque, the all-time winningest jockey at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston, will be looking for his fourth Sam Houston riding title when the track opens for its ninth season of racing Thursday night.
Bourque has won the last two titles at Sam Houston in record performances, setting a new standard for wins last year, and setting the record for earnings the year before. He won his first riding title at Sam Houston in 1996.
So long, Sundays. Sam Houston Race Park in Houston has dropped Sunday racing from its calendar for its 82-night Thoroughbred meet, which starts Thursday, and will replace the weekend date with Wednesday-night racing starting in December.
The track has also replaced its pick three wager with a rolling pick three that will be offered on seven races. There will be a reduced, 12 percent takeout on the wager for the entire meet, which runs through March 30.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Trainer Mark Hennig said Unrestrained is finally getting around to showing the talent he knew the 3-year-old filly possessed. On Saturday, Hennig will see if Unrestrained, who became a stakes winner in her last start, is ready to take it to the next level and become a graded winner in the $100,000-added Turnback the Alarm Handicap at Aqueduct.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The 2001 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championship Day Saturday at Belmont Park will not be remembered as a banner afternoon for Woodbine participants.
But the good news is that all came out of their races in good order and will be back to race another day.
The most difficult pill to swallow was the one administered to the interests of Numerous Times, who did not even make it to the post.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Morluc, the Churchill Downs-based horse who quietly has become a world-class turf sprinter, will run next in the $1 million Hong Kong Turf Sprint on Dec. 16, trainer Randy Morse said Tuesday.
Morluc finished second, beaten a head, in the same race last year. After an impressive victory in the Oct. 5 Nureyev Stakes at Keeneland, Morluc was extended a preferred invitation to the Hong Kong race late last week.
The 2002 World Thoroughbred Championships may have to be moved to an alternate site because Arlington Park has so far failed to secure state funding for temporary renovations, officials for Breeders' Cup Ltd. and Arlington acknowledge.
Located just outside Chicago, Arlington Park was named the likely site for the 2002 championships early in September, but the selection was contingent on several developments, including $3 million in funding from the state to build temporary seating. Breeders' Cup mandates that all host tracks have seats for at least 45,000 people.
STICKNEY, Ill. - The marathon ended Sunday. Now Chicago racing shifts into sprint mode. On the heels of a six-month meet at Arlington Park, Hawthorne Race Course opens a short two-month meet Wednesday. The meet, the second held at Hawthorne this year, will conclude after 47 days with a New Year's Day program.