STICKNEY, Ill. - The palatial suburban splendor of Arlington Park is gone for this year. Ringed with grape vines, and the host of the first million-dollar horse race, Arlington has been left behind for the gritty urban area that houses Hawthorne Race Course.
And that's just fine with many local horsemen.
CHICAGO - Running deeper into autumn than it ever had before, Arlington Park experienced significant declines in business during September and October, clouding what otherwise was a successful meet.
Still, Arlington officials were pleased with the core of their 2001 racing season. With two fewer racing dates than last year, Arlington's 101-day meet, which began June 13, was up 3 percent in total handle from $335,567,238 to $345,463,483. Daily all-sources handle averaged $3,420,431, up 5 percent from last year's $3,257,934.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A misplaced cap bearing the Mercedes-Benz logo cost trainer Julio Canani a chance at an even bigger payday Saturday when Val Royal won the Breeders' Cup Mile. Officials from Mercedes-Benz contacted Canani beforehand to arrange for Canani to wear the Mercedes-Benz cap in the televised post-race interview if Val Royal won. According to Canani, the financial incentive was significant.
However, in the chaotic celebration after Val Royal's victory, Canani forgot the cap and left it on the fourth floor of the Belmont Park grandstand. Oops.
A strong field of 10 fillies and mares is entered in Wednesday's featured sixth race. The one-mile, second-level allowance race on the turf will offer a purse of $34,000.
The inside fillies, Miss Ng In Action and Blushing Ballerina, should draw much of the support here. Miss Ng In Action, a lightly campaigned daughter of Gray Slewpy, has made only four starts so far in her career and already has two victories.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Streakin Rob tossed his hat into the ring for consideration as Canada's 2-year-old champion with his upset victory in last Sunday's Coronation Futurity at Woodbine.
Owned by Rob Cudney and Allan Kent, Streakin Rob was winning his first stakes race and the first of the year for his trainer, Jim Day. His victims in the Coronation included Rare Friends, a triple stakes winner while sprinting, and El Soprano, a graded stakes winner on turf.
The victory also more than justified the $7,500 outlay required to supplement Streakin Rob to the race.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Horse racing in Vancouver is at a crossroads. Horsemen have been waiting to hear news concerning the sale of Hastings Park to the Woodbine Entertainment Group, hoping that a new operator who is willing to invest in the industry will help turn things around.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Parisia, winner of the Victorian Queen Stakes two starts back, tries two turns in Wednesday's $104,000 South Ocean Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.
Parisia failed to hit the board against maidens in her first two starts, but began to come around when she finished third behind Jade Eyed in the six-furlong Nandi Stakes in July. She ran another solid race Sept. 3 in the seven-furlong Muskoka Stakes, in which she surrendered a two-length lead at the eighth pole before ending up second to Miss Noire.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - There are no such awards, but if one existed for unluckiest disqualification at the Keeneland meet that ended Saturday, there is little doubt who would have been the recipient.
On Oct. 12, Tell It dueled the length of the stretch in a classified turf allowance with heavily favored Good Game. As the wire approached, Tell It, ridden by Calvin Borel, began edging away to what seemed to be a well-earned, clear-cut victory. But with only about 20 yards to go, Tell It suddenly came in sharply on Good Game, forcing jockey Pat Day to steady his mount.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Smok'n Frolic returned to her favorite surface Sunday and finally achieved her first graded stakes victory, romping to a 6 1/4-length score in the $111,500, Grade 3 Tempted on closing day at Belmont Park.
Saintly Action, who took a short lead approaching the quarter pole, settled for second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Wopping.
The victory was the 17th of the meet for trainer Todd Pletcher, who finished as the meet's leading trainer by three over Mark Hennig.
Jerry Bailey won the riding title with 36 wins, two more than Edgar Prado and John Velazquez.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Security was at a high level Saturday at Belmont Park for the Breeders' Cup. Sharp-shooters toting automatic rifles could be seen from all angles on the roof; bags were searched as people churned through the turnstiles; trucks, including horse vans, were banned on the backstretch; and commercial trucks were carefully screened on Hempstead Turnpike, the road that runs parallel to the track.
Terry Meyocks, president of the New York Racing Association, said, "We pulled no stops. We want our fans to feel safe and secure."