ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Chris Block's voice was croaking Sunday and virtually gone on Monday. "I'd trade my voice any day for a graded stakes win," Block whispered.
Block, the 33-year-old trainer, shouted himself hoarse Saturday when Ioya Two gave him the first graded stakes win of his career, beating Megans Bluff by a nose in the Grade 3 Modesty. "I think it's a little overdue," Block said, "but more so for my parents than for me."
DEL MAR, Calif. - Trainer Julio Canani was contemplating moving turf specialist Tranquility Lake to the dirt for Sunday's Grade 2 $300,000 Clement Hirsch Handicap, but said Monday morning at Del Mar that he expected to get "four or five pounds" from Gourmet Girl.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - The Grade 1 Haskell Invitational gained another West Coast representative Monday, Jamaican Rum.
Jamaican Rum was scheduled to arrive at Monmouth on Tuesday after flying in from California.
His trainer, James Cassidy, said the horse would possibly put in a final breeze over the Monmouth track Friday. Jamaican Rum, a well-closing third in the Grade 1 Swaps behind slow fractions, could be primed for a top effort in the Haskell, as he worked five furlongs in 59.40 seconds last Thursday at Del Mar. Cassidy called it the "best work he's ever had."
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Hero's Tribute, second fiddle to Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos in John Ward's barn throughout the Triple Crown season, will have a chance to bring himself up to the level of his stablemate in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational Sunday.
John Ward has been serious about Hero's Tribute's chances in the race all along: Ward has pointed him to the Haskell for more than two months, since a smashing victory in the Grade 2 Peter Pan on May 26.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Trainer Andrew Collins grew up among 17 brothers and sisters and there were plenty of occasions where at least some patience was required. Collins needed to use some of that patience bringing Lady's Jewel along, and it has paid off as she figures to be a solid favorite in the in the B.C. Cup Stallion Stakes this Sunday at Hastings Park.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Vito Armata hadn't won a stakes here since Sept. 7, 1998, when Alpine Aster romped in the Muskoka.
But the 52-year-old Armata capped a career day here Sunday when he greeted Molly's Wisdom, the 2-year-old colt whom he trains for Gino Molinaro, in the infield following the $133,500 Bull Page.
"Gino liked this colt from day one," said Armata, who also sent out H Que ($6) to win Sunday's opener and Known Tender ($15.60) to win the third race.
DEL MAR, Calif. - As long as he is racing at Del Mar, Skimming is unbeatable. Maintaining a perfect record in three starts over this track, Skimming defended his title in Sunday's $250,000 San Diego Handicap, beating an outstanding field in a preview of the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 19.
Skimming won the 2000 Pacific Classic, the most lucrative victory of his 18-race career, which includes seven wins and earnings of $1,586,601.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Reine de Romance got a chance to prove herself on the dirt this past winter. All she did was get hot and bothered. So trainer Jenine Sahadi backed off and pointed for a summer grass campaign, the fruits of which are starting to be realized.
Dash For Daylight, left behind among the Churchill Downs string while Elliott Walden travels to Saratoga his summer, wore down Better Road in the final urlong Saturday to win the $49,5000 Don Bernhardt takes at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Check Him Out, a Quarter Horse sired by the Thoroughbred Hennessy, won Saturday's $477,100 Ed Burke Memorial Futurity at Los Alamitos for the owner-trainer team of D. Wayne and Laura Lukas.
The Burke, the summer's top futurity at Los Alamitos, was the most lucrative stakes win for the Lukases since they reopened a Quarter Horse stable three years ago. In the 1960s and 1970s, Wayne Lukas was a public trainer at Los Alamitos.