Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

Super Quercus faces two toughies

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Super Quercus, a Grade 1 winner, heads a field of six in the $200,000, Grade 3 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on the grass at Bay Meadows Saturday.

In addition to Super Quercus, the field includes the two-time Grade 2 winner Takarian and the Grade 2 winner Sign of Hope.

This will be the 69th Bay Meadows Handicap, the oldest continuously run stakes in California.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

Platel's perfect record on the line

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Unbeaten Platel stretches out to 1 1/16 miles in Saturday's $283,250 Mazarine Breeders' Cup Stakes at Woodbine.

The Grade 1 race has attracted nine other juvenile fillies, including American runners Chase Gap and Honest Deceiver.

Platel was favored in her debut against $80,000 maidens June 28, and scored by three lengths while covering five furlongs in a mediocre clocking of 59.80.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

'Ruckus' in the hunt

EDMONTON, Alberta - With his handicap star Rancour already in line for year-end laurels, trainer Ernie Keller will send out 8-year-year-old Timely Ruckus to lay claim to another championship Saturday at Northlands Park in the $40,000 Red Diamond Express.

Timely Ruckus, packing 124 pounds, including his regular pilot Stephan Heiler, takes a winning streak of three into this 6 1/2-furlong sprint. The Red Diamond Express is one of seven stakes races on Alberta Fall Classic Day, which showcases the Alberta breeding industry.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

One-turn mile will suit top Jerome contenders

ELMONT, N.Y. - Five of the six horses entered for the $150,000 Jerome Handicap when it was originally scheduled to be run on Sept. 15 were entered back for Saturday when the Grade 2 race will be held at Belmont Park. The race was postponed from last weekend when racing here was canceled because of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Only Iron Mask did not return from the original line-up. He will be pointed to the $100,000 Kingsland Stakes on Sept. 29 at The Meadowlands, trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

Paga seeks graded win as fave in Noble Damsel

ELMONT, N.Y. - Paga,the champion miler in Argentina last year, seeks her first graded win in this country in Saturday's $100,000-added Noble Damsel Handicap at Belmont Park.

Paga was one of 14 fillies and mares entered in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at one mile on the Widener turf. Ten will be permitted to run, with four standing by on the also-eligible list, including two main-track only horses.

Paga, a California shipper from Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella's barn, is the 118-pound highweight and likely favorite.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

Dr. Kashnikow gets to run

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - After two postponements, Dr. Kashnikow will finally lead the field in Saturday's $150,000 Grade 3 Cliff Hanger Handicap.

The gelding has been biding his time waiting to follow up his sharp victory in the Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga Aug. 25. This is his third entry into the 1 1/16-mile turf race after two cancellations last week because of the World Trade Center attacks. It is his second start for trainer John Fisher following a private sale. He has never been off the board in his career and never out of the money over the grass.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

Jamaica pivotal for Proud Man

ELMONT, N.Y. - Proud Man gets one more chance to prove he's worthy of Breeders' Cup consideration when he runs in Sunday's $200,000 Grade 2 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park.

Proud Man, a winner of four Grade 3 stakes earlier this year, is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Saranac Handicap at Saratoga. It was his first race off a three-month layoff precipitated by a cut suffered on his tendon sheath while winning the Grade 3 Hill Prince here in June. Since then, he was sidetracked by a fever.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

Sigfreto 'heads and tails' the best

POMONA, Calif. - Assuming that Sigfreto negotiates three turns without incident on Saturday at Fairplex Park, the $100,000 Pomona Derby may play out as the biggest mismatch of the Los Angeles County Fair race meet.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

Miss Indiana is class of Lassie

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Unsettled and baffling, Chicago's 2-year-old filly division begins coming to order on Saturday, with the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie, Illinois's most important race of the season for juvenile fillies.

Thu, 09/20/2001 - 00:00

Battle of champions at Los Al

A Ransom and Tailor Fit, the past two Quarter Horse world champions, each of whom has won the prestigious Champion of Champions, meet in this year's renewal of the Grade 1, $200,000 Los Alamitos Championship at 440 yards Saturday night.

A Ransom, the 2000 world champion, is riding an eight-race winning streak that includes last year's Los Alamitos Championship and the Grade 1 Champion of Champions, which he won by a half-length as the 7-10 favorite.