VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Godoliphin Road earned his way into next Sunday's $35,000 Jim Coleman Province Stakes for 3-year-olds with an upset win over $50,000 optional horses going 1 1/16 miles last Monday.
Godoliphin Road looked like one of those horses who had good speed, but after a couple of disappointing efforts against straight maidens, it seemed that he was headed to the claiming ranks. "I take some of the blame for that," said his trainer, Brian O'Connell.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Christophe Clement and Bill Mott are on a reconnaissance mission of sorts heading into Saturday's $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap, a 1 3/8-mile Grade 2 race run over Belmont Park's inner turf course. Both trainers are trying to find out which way they should point their Bowling Green horses for the more prestigious turf events in the fall.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - The short career of Platinum Tiara has been a roller-coaster ride of sorts for her connections. Yet in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Reeve Schley Jr. Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Monmouth Park's turf course, she has the opportunity to straighten course and capture her first graded stakes.
ALTOONA, Iowa - Dixie Dot Com enters Saturday night's Grade 3 Cornhusker Breeders' Cup Handicap at Prairie Meadows off two smashing open-lengths scores in Texas and will be the starting highweight over a solid field of seven, including defending champion Sir Bear and Euchre.
The Cornhusker, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up with a purse of $400,000, is the premier event of the meet and culminates the Iowa Festival of Racing.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Only to You finally won her first stakes a month ago, the Grade 3 Nassau, and she should be favored to double up in Saturday's Grade 3 Dance Smartly Handicap at Woodbine.
A pair of American shippers, Good Game and Badouizm, were also entered in the 1 1/8-mile turf race, which is worth $171,300.
The Dance Smartly is named for the 1991 Canadian horse of the year. Dance Smartly raced for Sam-Son Farm and is the dam of Dancethruthedawn, who won this year's Queen's Plate for Sam-Son.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The $100,000, Grade 2 Bel Air Handicap Saturday at Hollywood Park is more meaningful to bettors than to the national handicap division.
While the field of seven lacks a standout or a prominent name, the Bel Air is an intriguing betting race with several possible winners, and many unanswered questions.
Can Out of Mind, the 118-pound highweight, or Freedom Crest, the winner of the San Antonio Handicap last February, successfully return from long layoffs?
EDMONTON, Alberta - In Saturday's Spangled Jimmy, Scotman runs before his hometown fans at Northlands Park for the first time since being voted Alberta's horse of the year for 2000. The Spangled Jimmy, a one-mile handicap, has attracted a field of six older horses.
Owned by Northlands Park president Gordon Wilson and his son, Scott, Scotman will carry topweight of 121 pounds as he seeks his second victory in three races this season.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Castle Mountain and Lady's Jewel stand out in the $35,000 Emerald Downs Handicap Saturday at Hastings Park.
Ivy Lane and Sabrinas Spirit are also entered in the 6 1/2-furlong race, but they are probably running for a minor award.
AUBURN, Wash. - Five older sprinters, each eligible to be claimed for $25,000, will clash at 6 1/2 furlongs in Saturday's featured eighth race at Emerald Downs.
Though Saturday's headliner is shy on entries, it presents an intriguing challenge to handicappers owing to an uncertain pace scenario. None of the five contestants shows a sprint race in which he has held the lead at the first or second call, and only one shows a route in which he has held the early advantage.