INGLEWOOD, Calif. - With little fanfare, trainer Christopher Paasch achieved a milestone last month when Roman Dancer and Ponche de Leona won stakes on consecutive days at Santa Anita.
The occasion was overshadowed by the presence of the Breeders' Cup a week later and the minor stature of the stakes the
pair won - Roman Dancer won the Sunny Slope Stakes and Ponche de Leona the Anoakia.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Fourteen fillies and mares were nominated to Sunday's five-furlong,
$7,500-added Diane Kem Handicap at Portland Meadows, and director of racing Jerry Kohls assigned 117 pounds or more to 10 of them. That is a clear indication of the depth of quality in the division, which should prove to be the most competitive on the grounds.
Sunday's Diane Kem figures to be especially contentious, since several of the most distinguished members of the field could be a race away from their best effort, or slightly past it.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Brian Morgan found himself squarely in the spotlight in 1999 as the trainer of the sensational Gregorian Chance.
A 3-year-old filly owned by Dennis Morrison and Karin Schmidt, Gregorian Chance rattled off six straight scores at Woodbine, including the Duchess and Seaway stakes, and was the runner-up in the Sovereign Award voting for outstanding sprinter.
But when Gregorian Chance failed to reproduce that form in 2000 and was retired with an ankle injury, Morgan's training career shifted into neutral.
ANDERSON, Ind. - The older generation of Indiana-breds get a chance to stretch their legs with a pair of $40,000-stakes at 1 1/16 miles, a distance at which few have experience.
The Gus Grissom Stakes for colts and geldings, and the Richmond Stakes for fillies and mares highlight the 12-race card. Both stakes are restricted to statebreds sired by registered Indiana stallions.
GROVE CITY, Ohio - Lady Cherie is the one to beat when she starts as the highweight and likely favorite in a full field of 12 Ohio-bred fillies and mares in the $40,000 Scarlet and Gray Handicap at Beulah Park.
Lady Cherie, a 4-year-old daughter of Al Sabin, goes after her fourth stakes victory of the year for trainer Michael Nance. She was an easy 7 1/2 length winner in her most recent start, the Bobbie Bricker Handicap here at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 28.
Owner Ken Murphy is hoping history repeats itself Sunday when his Miss Ritz runs as a $6,500 supplemental entry in the fillies division of the $66,650 Friendship Stakes, closing day feature at Louisiana Downs.
The last time Murphy supplemented Miss Ritz to a closing-day stakes she was a winner, and the victory helped lift Murphy to leading owner honors at Lone Star Park.
Murphy again finds himself in a close battle for an owner's title, this time at Louisiana Downs. Entering the races Friday, he led the standings by three wins over 17-time champ John Franks.
A strong field of 10 older allowance horses will run in Sunday's featured eighth race at Golden Gate Fields, a 1 1/16-mile allowance on the Lakeside turf course. Heading the cast in the headliner is the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained entry of Alert and Ready and Ninebanks.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A Thoroughbred stabled at Churchill Downs, who was being treated for laminitis and who was euthanized late last month, apparently was suffering from the deadly West Nile virus, according to a Churchill official, who said the case was brought to his attention on Friday.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - European-based fillies have enjoyed great success in the Long Island Handicap over the years, winning four of the last 10 runnings and placing in several others.
In Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Long Island, the Irish-bred and French-based Moon Queen looms the one to beat in a full field of fillies and mares attempting to navigate 12 furlongs over Aqueduct's turf course.
