Mon, 08/12/2013 - 14:46

Ferndale: Russell Baze brings excitement to opening day

Vassar Photography
Russell Baze, here earlier this year after winning his 12,000th race, will greet fans and sign autographs on Wednesday.

There will be big doings at California’s smallest racing fair, the Humboldt County Fair, which opens its eight-day run Wednesday in the Victorian village of Ferndale.

On hand for opening day will be Russell Baze, the all-time leading rider in the North America. Baze, who will be at Ferndale for the first time, will not ride but will take part in a prerace meet-and-greet with fans hosted by track announcer Frank Mirahmadi.

Golden Gate Fields announcer Michael Wrona will join Baze and Mirahmadi. Baze and Wrona will be available for photos and autographs.

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 14:39

Northlands Park: Smart Promotion needing new rider for Canadian Derby

Trainer Robertino Diodoro is hoping Nate Smith will replace Fernando Perez aboard Smart Promotion for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park. Perez is reportedly out for a few weeks after cracking a couple of ribs when he went down in a spill Friday night.

“Nate was there when I needed him at Turf Paradise, and I think he would suit the horse perfectly,” Diodoro said. “I would like to see him ride the horse, but I’ll leave the final decision to his owners.”

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 14:16

Delaware Park: Brujo de Olleros finds softer spot in Carl Hanford

STANTON, Del. – Brujo de Olleros, a rallying second in the $100,000 Donald Levine Memorial Handicap at Parx in his only 2013 start, tries a slightly easier level on Wednesday at Delaware Park when he heads a field of nine 3-year-olds and up in the $50,000 Carl Hanford Memorial Stakes at one mile and 70 yards.

Under the allowance conditions of the race, Brujo de Olleros will carry 119 pounds and will be ridden by Alex Cintron.

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 13:56

Del Mar: Midnight Lucky out for year

Barbara D. Livingston
Midnight Lucky won the Sunland Park Oaks in her stakes debut in March.

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DEL MAR, Calif. - Midnight Lucky, winner of the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park earlier this year, will not race again as a 3-year-old owing to bone bruising, her trainer, Bob Baffert, said Monday morning.

“She got jammed up, wasn’t moving right,” Baffert said.

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 13:33

Woodbine notes: Attfield seeks ninth Breeders' Stakes score with Global Express

Michael Burns
Go Greeley (inside) and jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva win the Vandal Stakes on Sunday by a nose over Heart to Heart.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Roger Attfield’s eight wins in the Breeders’ Stakes have come with horses of varying backgrounds.

There were the dominant winners With Approval, Izvestia, and Peteski, who all completed Canadian Triple Crown sweeps as odds-on favorites. There were the fillies Carotene, Pinafore Park, Free Vacation, and Sweetest Thing, who all defeated males in the 1 1/2-mile turf race.

And, most recently, there was Perfect Shower, who was coming off a $25,000 maiden-claiming win and took the Breeders’ at 46-1.

Mon, 08/12/2013 - 12:51

Woodbine: Irish Mission on the fence for Flaming Page Stakes

Michael Burns
Irish Mission, the winner of the 2012 Breeders' Stakes against males, will start in either Wednesday's Flaming Page Stakes or Sunday's Sky Classic Stakes.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Irish Mission, a dual Canadian champion last year, heads the $100,000 Flaming Page Stakes on Wednesday night at Woodbine. She also is nominated to Sunday’s Grade 2 Sky Classic Stakes and could bypass the Flaming Page, a 1 1/2-mile turf marathon in which she should be an odds-on favorite if she starts.

“We haven’t made up our minds yet,” said Mark Frostad, who trains the lanky chestnut Irish Mission for owner Robert Evans.

Sun, 08/11/2013 - 22:42

Emerald Downs Derby: Worldventurer makes it look easy

Reed Palmer/Emerald Downs Photo
Worldventurer, with Julien Couton aboard, won the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby by seven lengths.

AUBURN, Wash. – Worldventurer rolled to a surprisingly easy victory Sunday in the $65,000 Emerald Downs Derby, taking advantage of a blazing early pace to cruise past a trio of tiring front-runners en route to a seven-length victory. He ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.79 and paid $7.80.

Sun, 08/11/2013 - 22:05

Del Mar: Pick-six carryover of $255,708 for Wednesday

DEL MAR, Calif. – No one hit the pick six Sunday at Del Mar, leading to a carryover of $255,708 when racing resumes Wednesday.

There were 11 horses in Sunday's final race, and eight were covered. But one of the uncovered runners, 35-1 Tiz Dynamic, prevailed to cause a Sunday-to-Wednesday carryover for the fourth straight week. Based on what happened this past week, expect close to $1.5 million to be added to the pool Wednesday.

Sun, 08/11/2013 - 21:59

Santa Rosa: Hirschy gives Hollendorfer, Baze repeat in Cavonnier Juvenile

William G. Vassar
Hirschy (center) improves his record to 2 for 2 by winning the $64,300 Cavonnier Juvenile on Sunday.

The favored Hirschy ($5), making his second start in 10 days, sat back early before powering to his second straight victory in the $64,300 Cavonnier Juvenile at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Sunday.

Just as he had in his debut, Hirschy settled nicely behind the pacesetting Luck Lasts in the six-furlong stakes race for 2-year-olds. He was fifth in the field of six as Luck Lasts set splits of 23.01 seconds, 46.48, and 59.55 while being pressed by Tupelo Cush.

Sun, 08/11/2013 - 21:48

Del Mar: Tiz Flirtatious dominates Mabee Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Jockey Julien Leparoux never used his whip while steering Tiz Flirtatious to a 2 1/4-length victory in the Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes on Sunday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Tiz Flirtatious has steadily progressed into one of the elite female turf runners in the country, and her breathtaking performance Sunday in the Grade 2, $250,000 John Mabee Stakes at Del Mar surely stamped her as one of the top contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf this fall.