The anticipated match between Carey's Gold and O'Rocky, winners of split divisions of last month's Dr. Fager Stakes, will have to wait after the promising juveniles drew into opposite divisions of Saturday's split Affirmed Stakes. The seven-furlong Affirmed will share the spotlight with its filly counterpart, the Susan's Girl Stakes. All three races will be worth $125,000.
Lakeside Cup might always be more accomplished than the seven fillies who will face her in the $100,000 Bassinet Stakes. Or she might not be.
But as far as Steve Flint is concerned, the right here and the right now is what will count most Saturday when Lakeside Cup, already a seasoned veteran with six races behind her, goes as a solid favorite in the Bassinet, the six-furlong race that begins the richest weekend of racing this year at River Downs in Cincinnati, Ohio.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Steve Asmussen will have the shoe on the other foot Saturday when he sends Goodness to Monmouth Park to take on likely favorite Forest Heiress in the $150,000 Grade 3 Sorority Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
"It's an ambitious spot, but she seems to have a tremendous amount of ability," said Asmussen. "But we've got Cashier's Dream up here," he said by phone from Saratoga.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Slewsbox, who has won four consecutive stakes over a period of slightly more than a year, deserves to be favored in Saturday's $50,000 Mae De Vol Sprint for fillies and mares at Bay Meadows.
Eight entered the six-furlong race, including the Jeff Bonde-trained entry of De Goddaughter and Two on the Aisle. Slewsbox is the 121-pound highweight and will spot from three to 11 to her rivals.
When last they met, the home team won. That was when Golden Antigua, based at Arlington Park with Wayne Catalano, pulled a mild upset over the invading Star Queen in a July 21 race at Arlington.
On Saturday, Star Queen, a Kingmambo filly, will be on more familiar turf when facing Golden Antigua and nine other fillies and mares in the $50,000 Dade Turf Classic at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. Star Queen, trained at Churchill Downs by Pete Salmen Jr., clearly has the credentials to turn the tables in a well-matched race, which goes at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Ruidoso Downs announced on Thursday a $4 million bonus for the connections of any horse who can win the Ruidoso Futurity, the Rainbow Futurity, and the All American Futurity, the track's three Grade 1 Quarter Horse races for 2-year-olds.
The bonus would start in 2003 and be paid out over 20 years at $200,000 per year.
Since the winner of the All American Futurity receives $1 million, the total earnings for any horse sweeping the three races would exceed $5 million.
The only horse to win all three races was Special Effort in 1981.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Six weeks apart, trainer Clifford Sise swept the 2-year-old stakes for California-bred fillies at the Del Mar meeting.
On Wednesday, Whitewinesipper ($3.80) won the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes, remaining unbeaten after two starts. On July 20, the Sise-trained Asian Adventure won the $125,000 California Thoroughbred Association Stakes. "We thought if we played our cards right, we could win the first one and the second - and it worked," Sise said.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Steve Asmussen, jockey Donnie Meche, and most of the betting public were surprised when Cashier's Dream was beaten by You following a prolonged stretch duel in the Adirondack Stakes. But with You back in the barn on Friday, there should be no surprises when Cashier's Dream takes on six seemingly overmatched rivals in the $200,000 Spinaway Stakes, a Grade 1 for 2-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Notable Career has not raced in 10 months; Cindy's Hero has not raced successfully around two turns. If those were their only hurdles, the $75,000 Torrey Pines Stakes Friday at Del Mar would be a two-filly race.
However, lightly raced Tamara Princess threatens to emerge as a division leader, and despite having raced only twice, she is the key starter in the Torrey Pines. A mile race for 3-year-old fillies, the Torrey Pines also attracted longshots Irguns Angel, Warren's Whistle, Elaine's Angel, and Emerald Magic.
