ELMONT, N.Y. – Spooky Kitten debuted and won for a $15,000 claiming tag on Polytrack at Turfway Park, ran second in the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks, and was the favorite against Marketing Mix in a $250,000 Canadian-bred stakes going 1 1/4 miles on turf.
Of course, that was two years ago. Spooky Kitten’s prowess lay somewhere in the middle, and she looks to be a nice fit in a $55,000 starter optional-claiming race, one of several interesting betting races on Thursday’s nine-race card at Belmont Park.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Mark Casse is still mulling his options with Funny Proposition in the wake of the filly’s victory over two-time champion Royal Delta in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs.
“I still don’t know what we’re going to do,” Casse said Tuesday, three days after Funny Proposition led throughout in a five-length score over Royal Delta. “She doesn’t like synthetic, and she doesn’t seem to want a deep, heavy track.”
When the 2013 Northern California fair racing season begins Thursday at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, all eyes will be on Russell Baze, who is poised to reach the 12,000-victory mark this summer.
Baze, who has more wins than any other North American rider in history, needs only 24 more victories to reach 12,000, and at his usual win rate should hit the milestone at either at the Alameda County Fair or the California State Fair in Sacramento.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Woodbine Entertainment Group will receive $38 million in transitional funding from the province of Ontario for the 2013-14 fiscal year, according to previously confidential figures released Monday by the government.
The transitional funding was intended to ease the impact of the loss of revenue from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s slots-at-racetracks program, which expired March 31.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The dominant winners of two Illinois-bred turf stakes Saturday appeared to have exited their races in good condition, and both are likely to return in open stakes July 13, Million Preview Day.
Coalport, who earned a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure winning the Black Tie Affair Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths, is being pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Arlington Handicap, trainer Wayne Catalano said.
“He won very nice,” Catalano said. “He relaxed, did everything he was supposed to do.”
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Arlington Classic winner General Election remains on track to start in the July 13 American Derby after being scratched from the $207,600 Centaur Stakes on Saturday at Indiana Downs.
Trainer Kellyn Gorder said General Election was entered in the Centaur, a one-mile grass race for 3-year-olds, “just to take a look” at the field’s complexion. Had Gorder seen what he judged an easy spot that would set up well for General Election, the colt would have run. Instead, General Election worked five furlongs in company Saturday at Keeneland, going in 1:01.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Eblouissante, the younger half-sister to champion Zenyatta, worked a solid five furlongs in 1:01.44 on Monday at Belmont Park, and trainer John Shirreffs believes his filly is one work away from a return to the races.
Eblouissante has not raced since winning a first-level allowance event on Jan. 17 at Santa Anita, her second victory in as many starts.
ELMONT, N.Y. – An intriguing matchup is looming in the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 3 at Saratoga between defending Whitney Handicap winner Fort Larned and the speedy Cross Traffic.
Fort Larned, who won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic in front-running fashion, reverted back to his front-running ways Saturday night in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster and scored an impressive 6 1/4-length victory at Churchill Downs.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – With multiple graded stakes wins on turf and more than $835,000 in career earnings, 5-year-old Willcox Inn already has put together a fine career on the racetrack. The possibility of a post-racing stallion career, though, is helping shape his summer campaign.
