LOUISVILLE, Ky. - John R.S. "Doc" Fisher certainly knows his way around a racehorse, having been a veterinarian and trainer for more than 30 years.
But until Sunday, the Fair Hill, Md.-based Fisher had never run a horse at Churchill Downs. So in the frantic seconds after the Dr. Kashnikow, trained by Fisher, won the $177,300 River City Handicap, Fisher suddenly realized he had no idea where to go.
"How do you get to the winner's circle?" he asked.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It was a year full of highlights for Win City, who recorded his sixth stakes victory of the season at Woodbine in Saturday's Autumn Handicap.
But owner Frank DiGiulio, while savoring every morsel of Win City's successes, allowed that the latest victory was particularly satisfying.
"It was nice to end the year on a high note, and prove he can run with older horses," said DiGiulio.
Win City had finished third behind A Fleets Dancer and Kiss a Native in the Oct. 7 Durham Cup, which marked his first try against older rivals.
MIAMI - The much-anticipated return of Unite's Big Red ended in disappointment on Monday when he did not beat a horse in his first start in 21 months.
Unite's Big Red, whose career has been plagued by foot problems, had been idle since finishing fifth in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap in February 2000.
A son of Unite owned by Randy and Linda Mills's Breakaway Racing Stable, Unite's Big Red won Gulfstream's Grade 2 Pan American Handicap in 1999 and finished third behind Yagli in the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Arromanches is turning into the Cigar of the claiming ranks.
Arromanches, an 8-year-old son of Relaunch, won for the eight consecutive time on Sunday, taking a $50,000 claiming race by a nose over Esteemed Friend at Aqueduct. He is now halfway to the modern day record of 16 consecutive victories shared by Citation and Cigar.
Fed up with watching Arromanches beat their horses, owner Richard Englander and trainer Scott Lake claimed Arromanches for $50,000.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Bob Baffert's prospects for the 2002 Triple Crown and the major preps of the late winter and spring are unclear as the 2001 racing season winds down.
Last year at this time, Baffert's hopes were led by Point Given, who had finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. This year, the group has no standout.
Officer, who won the Champagne Stakes in early October, had his reputation tarnished by losses in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Belmont Park on Oct. 27 and the California Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.
The purses of seven stakes, including the Grade 2 Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds, have been cut for the upcoming Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, which runs from Dec. 26 to April 21.
The cuts were made in consultation with the Thoroughbred Owners of California, which must approve all purse agreements with California tracks.
ANDERSON, Ind. - Special Express ($6.40) rallied to score by a neck in the $43,400 Gus Grissom Stakes, one of two stakes on the card for Indiana-bred and -sired horses.
Ridden by Mike Allen, Special Express angled four wide into the stretch then overcame a bumping incident with third-place finisher Big Duffus to win for the first time in six starts this year.
* Heresyour Chickey ($4.20) grabbed an early lead and coasted home by 8 3/4 lengths in the $43,100 Richmond Stakes for fillies and mares. sired by registered Indiana stallions.
Miss Ritz ($6.60) took over turning for home and drew off to a five-length victory in the filly division of the $73,184 Friendship Stakes, the closing-day feature at Louisiana Downs.
Trained by Bob Young, Miss Ritz won for the third time in seven starts and for the second time in stakes company.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Led by Union One, White Ibis, and Princess Dixie, favorites won three of the four $100,000 divisions of the New York Stallion Series Stakes at Aqueduct.
Union One ($3.20), who was dropping into restricted company after three tries in graded competition, slipped through an opening on the rail turning for home under Richard Migliore and drew off to a 1 1/4-length victory in the Cormorant Division for colts and geldings on the turf.