It took Mazoolian Ghost six tries to score his maiden victory. He needed just one more race, however, to become a stakes winner.
Mazoolian Ghost ($28.80), fresh from a decisive maiden win at Delaware Park last month, came from far off the pace to score a four-length victory over six rivals in the $50,000 Valley Forge Stakes for 2-year-olds at Philadelphia Park.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Tiznow's seemingly disinterested performance in Sunday's $500,000 Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting left his trainer, Jay Robbins, puzzled Monday morning, but Robbins said Tiznow had emerged from the race well and was still scheduled to run in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 27 at Belmont Park.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Maybe it's the time, the place, the distance, or the money. For whatever reason, the Raven Run Stakes, a $100,000 race at seven furlongs, has come up a particularly tough spot again Wednesday at Keeneland, just as it did last year.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Mighty Quinn, a late scratch from Saturday's Cup and Saucer Stakes, should be well backed in Wednesday's $103,800 Frost King Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds at Woodbine.
Mighty Quinn hasn't done much wrong in three starts for trainer Malcolm Pierce. He graduated July 1 in a maiden special with a wide bid, beating subsequent stakes winner Nowyouseeit.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Royal Highlander's career is behind schedule. A maiden winner at 2 in England, he has made only two subsequent starts, including a win in a turf sprint at Hollywood Park last December.
On Wednesday, the 4-year-old Royal Highlander returns in a $46,000 allowance race/optional claimer over about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita's hillside turf course. Facing six others, Royal Highlander may be favored despite his lengthy hiatus.
"He's got a lot of ability," trainer Jenine Sahadi. "I'm glad to have him back at the races."
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Six 3-year-old fillies with limited turf experience will contest the featured seventh race at Bay Meadows on Wednesday, which will be run at one mile on grass.
The only entrant with a turf victory to her credit is Lady Cara, who defeated $25,000 maiden claimers on grass. That said, the main contention in Wednesday's headliner should come from the two outside fillies, Miss Blue Bayou and Pheiffer. Miss Blue Bayou already has five wins this year and is in top form.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Since winning the Del Mar Derby in 1999, Val Royal has made two starts, those coming after layoffs of 18 months, and then seven months. Now, trainer Julio Canani will try to bring Val Royal back in just 20 days, for the Breeders' Cup Mile on Oct. 27 at Belmont Park.
Val Royal proved he belonged in that race with his dazzling two-length victory in Sunday's Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile. Canani on Monday said Val Royal came out of the race "super," and since owner David Milch is game to supplement Val Royal to the Breeders' Cup, he will be pointed for that race.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Officer, who kept his perfect record intact with a dominant victory in Saturday's Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, will do the bulk of his training for the Breeders' Cup in Southern California, trainer Bob Baffert said.
Officer was scheduled to ship back to California on Tuesday and will train at Santa Anita before flying back to New York on Oct. 23 for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, which will be run here on Oct. 27.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - If you haven't already, it's time to start taking trainer Tom Tomillo seriously at Arlington. Tomillo, who typically has front-loaded his Chicago success at the beginning of the racing season here, is having a strong Arlington meet for the second year in a row. Through mid-card Monday, Tomillo ranked third in the trainer standings here with 24 wins, just 10 behind leading trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The main-track speed bias that many handicappers have come to expect at the Keeneland fall meet never reared its head opening weekend.
For every wire-to-wire winner such as Siphonic or Miss Linda, there was at least one pace-stalking or deep-closing winner such as Mountain Melody or Bet On Sunshine.
From 20 races on the dirt, nine were won by speed horses (first or second at all calls); five by stalkers; and six by closers from mid-pack or beyond.
Better yet, no major injuries or breakdowns resulted during the 27 combined races on dirt and turf.