The New York State Assembly overwhelmingly passed a bill Friday that will allow the New York Racing Association to cut 12 days from its Aqueduct race meet. The legislation has already been passed by the Senate and will be sent to Gov. George Pataki, who is expected to sign the bill.
Under the new legislation, NYRA will be required to run 95 days at Aqueduct from December to April. The association was previously required to run 107 days.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Captain Steve is already there. After winning the Donn Handicap and Dubai World Cup in his only two starts this year, the colt, along with Tiznow, stands atop the North American handicap division.
Unshaded strives to be there. Widely regarded as one of the top 3-year-olds of 2000 after winning the Travers Stakes, the gelding had been out of sight and out of mind until returning to action last month.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Carl Bowman would just love to return to Delaware Park with a top contender after winning the Delaware Handicap last year with Lu Ravi.
But first, Bowman needs a horse to take him there.
On Saturday, when he saddles the Maltese Superb in a tough running of the $300,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap, Bowman probably will be able to determine whether a return trip is in store.
"It might be a good spot," he said, beaming.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - While there is little argument about Captain Steve being a deserving favorite in the Stephen Foster Handicap, and Unshaded being an equally deserving second choice, a fight still looms.
Six other horses will oppose the two favorites, and the trainers of each are conceding nothing.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - First-time starter Expected Hour and unbeaten Spy Hill could be the two big guns in Saturday's $111,200 Victoria Stakes at Woodbine.
Mark Casse, who trains three of the eight 2-year-olds in the five-furlong race, including Expected Hour, said on Wednesday that he may scratch the two Mockingbird Farm fillies he has in the field - Jealous Forum and Misty Expectation.
Expected Hour was purchased from Mockingbird for $450,000 at the April Ocala 2-year-old sale by the partnership of Bill Farish Jr., George Bolton, Edward Gaylord, and Elizabeth Grossman.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Earlier this week, George Steinbrenner named names when voicing his displeasure with the production of some of his New York Yankees, who entered their weekend series with the crosstown rival Mets in second-place in the American League East.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Love at Noon lost her undefeated status when she finished second in the Dogwood Stakes at Churchill Downs last month. On Saturday, she can easily start a new winning streak in the $100,000 Princess Stakes at Hollywood Park.
The probable favorite, Love at Noon, is one of six starters in , which is run over 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies. The Princess was on the schedule of the multiple stakes winner Golden Ballet until she injured a tendon in a workout last week. Without Golden Ballet, the Princess is more wide-open.
NEW YORK - The city of New York has requested and received new bids from two partnerships seeking to buy New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation, amid concerns that time is running short to pass legislation that would permit the sale this year.
The city's request for amended bids was intended to simplify the legislative process that must precede the sale, officials involved in the bidding said. The previous bids had included laundry lists of legislative requests, which would have complicated the effort to pass legislation enabling the sale.
ELMONT, N.Y. - His flop in the Flamingo well behind him, Proud Man will try to re-establish himself as one of the top 3-year-olds on turf when he heads a 10-horse field entered in Saturday's $100,000 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park.
The Hill Prince, run at nine furlongs over the inner turf course, shares billing on a nine-race card with the $100,000 Vagrancy Handicap. Both are Grade 3 events.
