Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

Calder purses at record level

Calder purses are at an all-time high following the latest purse increase, which went into effect on Friday.

All overnight purses have been increased approximately 10 percent, bringing the daily average up from $168,000 to $185,000. The purse increase, when combined with stakes purses and breeders' awards, brings the new daily purse distribution to approximately $225,000.

Ken Dunn, Calder's president, said the increases are a result mainly of a "resurgence in ontrack business in August along with an increase in average daily ontrack attendance of 3.5 percent."

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

Came Home to go in Hopeful

DEL MAR, Calif. - Came Home, the winner of the Grade 2 Hollywood Juvenile Championship, will make his next start in the $200,000 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga on Sept. 1, owner John Toffan said on Friday.

The decision ends any hope of a much-anticipated matchup between Came Home and Officer in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 5, the closing day of the current meeting. Officer, the winner of the Best Pal and Graduation Stakes, is widely considered the top 2-year-old male in California.

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

California moves to OK clenbuterol

DEL MAR, Calif. - Clenbuterol may be approved for use in California later this year after the California Horse Racing Board's medication committee voted on Thursday to allow trace levels to appear in post-race tests.

The committee's decision was approved by the CHRB at a meeting on Friday. The issue will be open for public debate for 45 days before the CHRB reconsiders the proposal.

The issue was discussed at a three-hour CHRB meeting, which included the allocation of racing dates in Southern California for 2002.

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

La Vida Loca favored in Flawlessly

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Just because Saratoga and Del Mar are the centers of the racing world every summer does not mean that Pat Byrne has fallen off the map.

In fact, Byrne traveled to Del Mar last month to run La Vida Loca, a new acquisition for Robert Sangster. Otherwise, Byrne has been spending most mornings with his 20-horse string in the quiet environs of Churchill Downs, "sitting here firing some shots at Ellis Park and Arlington," he said Friday.

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

Hallowed Dreams after No. 24

Hallowed Dreams, a winner of 23 races in 24 starts, will be making her first start in two months Sunday in the $50,000 Monique Rene Handicap at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., but don't expect her to be rusty from the layoff. "She might get beat eventually," said her trainer, Lloyd Romero, "but it won't be Sunday."

Hallowed Dreams will break from the rail as the 123-pound highweight in the Monique Rene, a six-furlong handicap for fillies and mares that has drawn a field of five.

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

Fireworks and monster trucks - what is a colt to do?

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - In a twist of fate, Dancewithavictor will make his first start since winning the 1999 B.C. Nursery in Sunday's Pacific National Exhibition Speed Handicap. According to Dancewithavictor's owner, Paul Minichiello, the Pacific National Exhibition is to blame for the injuries that have kept Dancewithavictor out of action for over two years, and he is pursuing legal action against them.

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

Divisonal lead up for grabs in Lads Stakes

AUBURN, Wash. - With less than a month remaining in the Emerald Downs season, most of the divisions have clear leaders, if not champions. But that is not the case with the 2-year-old colts and geldings, who will be on display in Sunday's $40,000 Washington Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Lads Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

Stevens and Espinoza to ride Belmont meet

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Gary Stevens and Victor Espinoza, two of California's top jockeys, are headed east for the fall and will ride the Belmont Park meet, which begins on Sept. 7.

The major reason they will ride in New York is that Belmont Park hosts the World Thoroughbred Championships on Oct. 27. The fall meet is attracting several quality out-of-town outfits including California-based trainers Neil Drysdale and Bobby Frankel.

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

Pompeii says good-bye to Kimmel in style

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When Pompeii scored a 1 1/4-length win over Beautiful Pleasure in Friday's $400,000 Personal Ensign Handicap at Saratoga, it was a bittersweet moment for trainer John Kimmel.

Pompeii became a Grade 1 winner in the Personal Ensign, but on Saturday morning she was scheduled to move over to trainer Elliott Walden's barn after have been sold earlier this week by Robert Clay to WinStar Farm. In the Personal Ensign, Pompeii ran for both WinStar Farm and Robert Clay.

Fri, 08/24/2001 - 00:00

Bienamado to prep once for Cup

DEL MAR, Calif. - Bienamado, who finished seventh as the favorite in the Arlington Million on Aug. 18, will reappear in an early October prep race for the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Belmont Park on Oct. 27, according to co-owner John Toffan.

Toffan said the $750,000 Turf Classic at Belmont Park on Sept. 29 or the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Turf Championship at Santa Anita on Sept. 30 are being considered.

"I think we'll need another race before the Breeders' Cup," Toffan said. "I hate to go into the Breeders' Cup off that race."