ELMONT, N.Y. - A horse trained by Scott Lake, the leading trainer in the country in victories, has tested positive for a banned substance, Lake said Thursday.
Baltimore Gray, who finished third in a $100,000 claiming race at Belmont Park on June 7, came up positive for clenbuterol, a bronchodilator, in a post-race urine test. A clenbuterol positive in New York can carry up to a 60-day suspension and a fine of $2,500. Lake said he probably would appeal.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - In Saturday's $75,000 Longfellow Stakes for 3-year-olds and up, a small field will have to catch Max's Pal.
The running style of Max's Pal is no mystery. He will use his speed to control the six-furlong sprint. A 4-year-old son of Marquetry, Max's Pal is a dominant 10-1-0 in 13 starts at the distance and comes off a runaway victory in the James B. Moseley Handicap on June 2 at Suffolk Downs.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A sense of relief was on jockey Mike Smith's face as he guided Lift Off into the winner's circle of the ninth race at Hollywood Park last Sunday.
The race may have only been a maiden claimer at the end of the day, but the victory marked two milestones for Smith. It was the 4,000th win of his 19-year career and the first time he had doubled since he moved to California in May.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The $60,000 Manila Stakes at Hollywood Park on Saturday is a pivotal race for Jamaican Rum.
A win would put him on schedule for the $500,000 Swaps Stakes on July 15, and help erase the disappointment of a loss to 33-1 Winston Chi in the California Sires Stakes on June 9.
"He came out of that race as sharp as he's ever been," trainer Jim Cassidy said. "I'm hoping it wasn't the course. I'm still thinking it was the speed because it took him out of his game."
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Caressing, the 2-year-old filly champion of 2000, most likely will run somewhere in the Midwest next, said trainer David Vance.
"It'll be at two turns, that's for sure," said Vance. "I don't want any more one-turn races for her."
That apparently rules out the Grade 1 Mother Goose at Belmont Park on June 30 for Caressing. In her last start, Vance shipped Caressing to Belmont for the June 8 Acorn. Like all Belmont dirt races at 1 1/8 miles or less, the one-mile Acorn and 1 1/8-mile Mother Goose are contested around one turn.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Trainer Lloyd Romero does not merely predict victory for Hallowed Dreams in the $75,000 Miller Lite Stakes at Lone Star Park on Saturday. He predicts a world record.
Romero is hoping Hallowed Dreams, who has won 22 of 23 career starts, can set a world record for five furlongs on turf in the Miller Lite, a filly-and-mare sprint that has drawn six others: Argentina Avenue, Spree, Teenytinytina, Naturalingredients, Cinderella Story, and Sweet and Firm.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Albert the Great will get a chance to avenge two of the toughest defeats of his career in the July 1 Suburban Handicap on his home court.
Include, who defeated Albert the Great by a neck in last month's Pimlico Special, and Unshaded, who defeated Albert the Great by a head in last summer's Travers, are both expected to run in the Suburban, a Grade 2 $500,000 race at Belmont Park.
"That would be great," said Nick Zito, trainer of Albert the Great. "It would be good for racing, good for our horse, and good for the game."
NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Across the Creek should leave the gate as a prohibitive favorite when she takes up highweight of 124 pounds and spots her nine Ohio-bred 3-year-old filly rivals from nine to 15 pounds in the $50,000 Annie Oakley Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Thistledown.
Across the Creek comes into the race off a 2 1/2-length victory in the Tomboy Stakes at River Downs, going the same distance as this race. Before that she was third in the Pinellas Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Fastest qualifier Eyesaflash shoots for her fifth straight win when she heads a strong field in the Grade 1, $135,100 Retama Park Derby for Quarter Horses on Saturday.
Eyesaflash, owned by James Wade, will line up against Grade 1 Sam Houston Futurity winner Mr Bar Code and Grade 1 Dash for Cash Derby winner Pivotal Decision.
Trained by Edward Ross Hardy, Eyesaflash has been in sharp form this spring and won the Grade 1 Remington Park Derby on May 6. She won her Retama Derby trial in 19.863 seconds for the fastest time from the four trials.
ALTOONA, Iowa - Two-time defending Iowa-bred horse of the year Sure Shot Biscuit looks to be a very short price when he heads six other statebred colts and geldings in the six-furlong, $60,000 John Wayne stakes at Prairie Meadows.
Sure Shot Biscuit enters the John Wayne off three straight victories, including a half-length score against open company in the $75,000 Precisionist Handicap here on May 26 in his most recent start.