ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Where the Tour Bus stops next, in Chicago or Saratoga Springs, remained uncertain Thursday morning. Trainer Niall O'Callaghan said he is "50-50" between the Whitney or Washington Park Handicaps for Guided Tour's next race.
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DRF Past Performances
FORT ERIE, Ontario - Trainer Tom Agosti was as surprised as anyone when he came out of the winter meet at Tampa Bay in May with a 24 percent win average. It was the first time he had raced in Florida, and the goal was to ready his barn for the Fort Erie season.
Saturday's $200,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs has attracted a capacity field of 14 3-year-olds, with several standouts among the colts and geldings and one filly entered.
The Virginia Derby will be run over Colonial Downs's trademark turf course at 1 1/4 miles and shares the card with the $150,000 All Along Breeders' Cup Stakes for fillies and mares, also on the grass. Unlike the wide-open Virginia Derby, the All Along has a standout in its field, Colstar.
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Rapadash, the local Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's champion 2-year-old filly last year, will be making just her second start this season in Saturday's $6,500-added James Leakos Sophomore at Marquis Downs.
Owned by trainer Sandra Foster and Bill Meikle, Rapadash raced just twice last year, winning the Woodland Heritage and then running third behind Ice Jamer in the Prairie Lily Sales Stakes.
If you believe history repeats itself, then there's both good news and bad for Secret Status in next Saturday's $600,000 Delaware Handicap.
On the plus side, she will be ridden by Pat Day, who has won the last two runnings the race with Lu Ravi and Tap to Music.
Now for the bad news. In the race's long history, no jockey has ever won the Grade 3 Delaware Cap three times in a row.
Handicappers more interested in fundamentals than historical trends may be more concerned with another question. Can Secret Status win at 1 1/4 miles? Trainer Neil Howard thinks she can.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - In three starts, Meadow Gem hasn't made a wrong move.
The 3-year-old filly, who was a 10 1/2-length winner over older rivals here Wednesday night, has been judged ready to test stakes waters in the seven-furlong Duchess here Aug. 11.
"She's a good filly, and she acts like she'll go a little further," said Bob Tiller, co-owner and trainer of Meadow Gem, a Florida-bred who was an $82,000 yearling purchase.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Three fillies have been entered to take on eight male rivals in Saturday's $50,000 Canterbury Juvenile.
Purple Pleasure should prove a slight favorite in the 5 1/2-furlong race off a second in the Prairie Meadows Juvenile two weeks ago. A son of Mr Purple, Purple Pleasure finished fourth at Keeneland in his debut in April, then shipped to Prairie Meadows and won his maiden by a comfortable margin three weeks later.
Purple Pleasure was favored in the Prairie Meadows Juvenile. He pressed a rapid pace and was beaten a half-length by Cockle Burr Man.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Gus Again and Princely Bu, who both earned career-best Beyer Speed Figures in winning their last start, will clash in the Manitoba Maturity here Saturday. The 1 1/16-mile race, for 4-year-olds bred in Manitoba, offers a purse of $35,000.
Trainer Harry Kube won this race last year for owner Russ Edwards with Sovereignadversary, and will look to duplicate the feat for Edwards's wife, Joan, with Gus Again.
AUBURN, Wash. - Slippy will head an exceptionally tough field of seven older $16,000 sprinters in Friday's 6 1/2-furlong feature at Emerald Downs.
Slippy, a lightly raced 4-year-old, should be favored off an impressive performance in his last race, a length victory over $25,000 rivals on June 9, when he led throughout 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.20. Slippy has been on the sidelines for five weeks, but two recent half-mile drills in 47.60 seconds and 46.60 are evidence that he has retained his edge for trainer Howard Belvoir.