The 2004 Turfway media guide was distributed to press members this week, and the several pages devoted to trainers are dominated by Bernie Flint.
Flint has amassed an impressive array of records at Turfway, having won or shared the training title at the last nine meets held at the Florence, Ky., track. Overall, Flint has won or shared 19 Turfway titles, and his 44 wins at the 2003 winter-spring meet are the most by a trainer at any Turfway meet.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Wagering on Eye Dazzler, one of the 23 individual betting interests in the second round of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager, was suspended before the pool opened Thursday because the filly will miss the Oaks due to injury.
Eye Dazzler was scheduled to undergo surgery Thursday in south Florida to take a chip out of her left knee. She will be sidelined for up to 90 days, trainer Mark Hennig said. Eye Dazzler, owned by Lee Lewis, closed at odds of 59-1 in the first pool. Under the rules of the wager, no refunds will be granted.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Rick Violette's best dream and colleague Todd Pletcher's worst nightmare were realized Wednesday when Frisky Spider was among the late entrants that swelled the starting lineup to 10 for Saturday's $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Michael Dickinson has pulled off some amazing feats with horses coming back from extended vacations. He sent out Da Hoss to capture the 1998 Breeders' Cup Mile off a two-year hiatus with only a single prep race under his belt and A Huevo to win the 2003 De Francis Dash in just his third start following a four-year layoff.
But even Dickinson admits winning Saturday's $1 million Florida Derby with Tapit, who has not started since he captured the Laurel Futurity on Nov. 15, might be just a little too much to ask.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Dale Romans had nothing to lose when he ran Everything to Gain in the off-the-turf, Grade 3 Canadian Turf Handicap here in January. If Everything to Gain handled the slop, it could open some new doors. If not, there would always be another grass race.
Everything to Gain didn't handle the slop too well, yet still managed to finish third, get a graded-stakes placing, and earn $11,000. Friday, Everything to Gain returns to the turf in the fourth-level allowance race at Gulfstream Park.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Corey Nakatani appeared before the Santa Anita stewards Wednesday in a 90-minute hearing regarding his involvement in a spill in the sixth race last Saturday.
The incident occurred at the half-mile pole of a one-mile turf race. Nakatani argued that he did not deliberately let his mount, Mister Cosmi, drift out and bump Terrifying, who was ridden by Javiar Santiago. Terrifying stumbled after being bumped, unseating Santiago, who was not injured in the spill.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Vronsky went to the sidelines last year in the midst of a four-race losing streak and an inclination to misbehave during races.
Since his return in early January, is unbeaten in two starts on the hillside turf course. His current form makes him a contender in Friday's second race at Santa Anita, a $56,000 optional claimer over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.
For many of the seven runners, the race is a prep to the final hillside stakes of the meeting, the $100,000 San Simeon Handicap on closing day, April 18.
ALBANY, Calif. - Jockey Omar Figueroa will be sidelined four to six weeks with a fractured left collar bone after his mount B. Good Hero suffered a fatal breakdown in Wednesday's fifth race at Golden Gate Fields. Jockey Gary Baze suffered scrapes and bruises when thrown from his mount, Echoman, trying to avoid the accident near the quarter pole. Baze was able to continue riding.
NEW ORLEANS - Louie Roussel III, a former owner of the Fair Grounds, confirmed Wednesday that he had made a formal offer to buy the financially troubled racetrack. Roussel, reached by telephone in Florida, said he had made a $30 million offer.
Last week, a bid of $28.5 million from Churchill Downs Inc. - unconfirmed by CDI officials - was made public. Roussel, who sold Fair Grounds to the Krantz family in 1990, said 70 percent of his bid would be used to pay a Louisiana horsemen's group that Fair Grounds might owe millions of dollars.
Look out, Congaree.
Strong Hope prepped for a possible showdown with Congaree in next month's Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct with a jaw-dropping return to the races Wednesday at Gulfstream Park. With John Velazquez simply holding on, Strong Hope ($3.20) won a six-furlong classified allowance race by 9 3/4 lengths. His final time of 1:08.77 is believed to be the fastest six furlongs run at this meet.