Thu, 08/15/2013 - 14:43

Woodbine: Ontario Colleen’s mile distance a good fit for Overheard

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Overheard returns from a layoff fresh and ready for Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Ontario Colleen Stakes at Woodbine. The one-mile turf route for 3-year-old fillies also has lured the Grade 3 winner Coffee Clique among its nine entrants.

Overheard has hit the board in all seven of her outings, including a record of 2-1-1 from 4 starts on the grass. She evolved into a useful miler in the spring, when she ran second in the Grade 3 Appalachian at Keeneland, before ending up third in the Grade 3 Selene here on Polytrack.

Thu, 08/15/2013 - 14:19

Monmouth Park: Hard Enough seeks second straight stakes win in Restoration

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Trainer Bobby Dibona likes where he is sitting with Hard Enough heading into the $60,000 Restoration Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf, the Saturday feature at Monmouth Park.

“I think he’s awesome,” Dibona said. “I plan on winning it.”

Dibona claimed Hard Enough for $50,000 over the winter at Gulfstream Park. The chestnut colt has won twice since then, including a 12-1 upset in Monmouth’s Jersey Derby last month.

The Jersey Derby returned Hard Enough to his own age group following a pair of third-place efforts against older rivals in allowance races.

Thu, 08/15/2013 - 14:12

Northlands Park: Broadway Empire must relax in Canadian Derby

Ryan Haynes/Coady Photo Services
Broadway Empire, winner of the Ky Alta Stakes, will start in post 11 for the Canadian Derby.

EDMONTON, Alberta – Trainer Robertino Diodoro is the epitome of calm heading into Saturday’s 84th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park, where he will saddle the likely favorite, Broadway Empire, in the richest race in Western Canada.

Diodoro is hoping some of his relaxed attitude will rub off on Broadway Empire, who has more than one hurdle to overcome if he is going to be able to carry his substantial speed around four turns in the 1 3/8-mile derby, which drew 12 horses.

Thu, 08/15/2013 - 13:31

Arlington: American St. Leger's marathon distance ideal for Dark Cove

Four-Footed Fotos
Dark Cove, who was running for a claiming tag earlier this year, has flourished since he began to focus on turf marathons..

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Ramsey juggernaut knows so few bounds today that even turf stakes run at the inordinately long (and odd) distance of 1 11/16 miles are part of the domain.

Dark Cove, who earlier this year was running in claiming races, will be carrying the familiar red-and-white silks of Ken and Sarah Ramsey on Saturday as a prime contender in the $400,000 American St. Leger, the first of four straight major stakes on the Arlington Million program at Arlington Park.

Thu, 08/15/2013 - 13:24

Hastings: Pretty Reckless looks ready to tackle winners

V ANCOUVER, British Columbia – Pretty Reckless looks like the one to beat when she makes her second lifetime start in a first-level allowance race that will serve as Saturday’s feature at Hastings. If she takes the slightest step forward following her impressive debut, Pretty Reckless is going to be a handful in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares that drew six horses.

Thu, 08/15/2013 - 13:23

Northlands Park: Commander goes for repeat in Westerner Handicap

Four-Footed Fotos
Commander will be seeking to defend his title in Saturday's $50,000 Westerner Handicap.

The large crowd that is expected to show up to watch the Grade 3 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park on Saturday also will get a treat watching Commander at work in the $50,000 Westerner Handicap. The 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up drew a solid field of seven horses, but there isn’t much doubt the race goes through Commander, who drew the rail and will be prominent right from the start.

Thu, 08/15/2013 - 13:22

Arlington Million: Mandella phenom hails from familiar pipeline

Benoit & Associates
Indy Point, Richard Mandella’s best South American runner in years, wins his U.S. debut in the July 24 Wickerr. He runs next in the Arlington Million.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. − It has been a long time, nearly a quarter-century, since trainer Richard Mandella was dispatched on a scouting mission to South America by Hollywood Park chairman and prominent horse owner R.D. Hubbard. On that first trip, to Argentina in 1989, Mandella found a horse named Leger Cat. Imported to North America, Leger Cat won multiple graded stakes and earned $1 million. More important, he opened a pipeline that supplied Mandella with a series of excellent racehorses.

Wed, 08/14/2013 - 21:02

Del Mar: Pick six pays $57,967 to 20 ticketholders

DEL MAR, Calif. – The pick six paid $57,967 to 20 ticketholders at Del Mar on Wednesday, a day when two favorites won pick-six races and another was disqualified from first to third.

The winners of Wednesday’s pick-six races were Calameera ($7.40), Bas ($20.60), Tiz a Kiss ($7.20), Unbridled Giant ($6.20), Sirocco Strike ($16.40), and Dolphin Shorts ($15.20).

Wed, 08/14/2013 - 20:52

Del Mar: Sirocco Strike takes Green Flash Handicap via disqualification

Benoit & Associates
Sirocco Strike (above) inherited the win after Distintiv Passion was disqualified from first in the $100,690 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The $100,690 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar on Wednesday was decided in the stewards room when race winner Distinctiv Passion was disqualified and placed third for lugging out in the stretch, resulting in the promotion of Sirocco Strike from second to first.

Wed, 08/14/2013 - 20:21

Woodbine: Left a Message closes fast to win Flaming Page

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Left a Message stormed home through the stretch to notch her first stakes in the $100,200 Flaming Page on Wednesday night at Woodbine.

Left a Message ($3.60), based at Arlington Park with trainer Tom Proctor, raced toward the rear of the nine-horse field on the backstretch of the 12-furlong marathon. She loomed three wide into contention on the far turn  and then hit the front early in the lane before going on to prevail by 3 1/4 lengths, in 2:27.65 over the firm turf.