ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Though this has not been a strong Arlington Park meet for trainer Danny Miller, there was a bright spot Sept. 8 when his Illinois-bred, Faccia Bella, upset a good field of high-end, open allowance horses at nearly 24-1. Faccia Bella, the star of Miller's stable, returns to action Sunday at Arlington in the $45,000 Unique Type, an overnight handicap.
FLORENCE, Ky. - Sports people call it overachieving. Racetrackers call it outrunning your pedigree. The folks at Turfway Park simply call it wonderful.
What is it? The way the Kentucky Cup continues to produce horses who go on to accomplish greater things. The series - a fall fixture at this modest track since its debut in 1994 - earned plaudits after 2000 Kentucky Cup winners Point Given, Captain Steve, Spain, and Caller One went on to win major races around the globe.
ELMONT, N.Y. - When Bobby Frankel took over the training of Squirtle Squirt earlier this year, he wasn't all that impressed with the colt.
"He wasn't a real comfortable horse to train," Frankel said. "I didn't know how to take it."
Whatever apprehensions Frankel had about the horse in the morning were erased in the afternoon as Squirtle Squirt has put in four solid efforts to become a legitimate contender for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint, part of the World Thorough-bred Championships to be run here Oct. 27.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.