Sat, 10/11/2003 - 00:00

Janeian breaks course record

STICKNEY, Ill. - Three furlongs into the Indian Maid Handicap, Janeian raced in second place, tossing her head and trying to break free of jockey Eddie Martin's tight hold and run up to the lead. This was not what her connections wanted to see. Janeian needs cover, horses racing in front of her, to relax and produce a big finishing kick.

Sat, 10/11/2003 - 00:00

Woodbine: Maiden surprises

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Maryland invader Master William, a maiden trained by Michael Dickinson, rallied powerfully to take the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds at Woodbine.

Master William ($29.40) had just one runner beaten in the 14-horse field midway on the backstretch of the 1 1/16-mile turf race. He commenced a four-wide rally on the turn under Patrick Husbands, and hooked up with Silver Ticket early in the stretch. Master William began to edge away from that one inside the eighth pole, and prevailed by a half-length, in a final time of 1:42.46.

Sat, 10/11/2003 - 00:00

Delaware: Capejinsky draws clear

Capejinsky had nowhere to run for the first six furlongs of the one-mile Dover Stakes at Delaware Park. Once a hole opened on the rail, however, Capejinsky was long gone.

One of only two horses in a field of eight 2-year-old colts who had raced beyond six furlongs, Capejinsky ($7.20) displayed his superiority in the stretch by drawing off to a 4 3/4-length win in the $100,000 Dover. He covered the distance over a fast track in 1:39.44.

Sat, 10/11/2003 - 00:00

McArthur rising through ranks

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Jerry McArthur isn't sure if he's an overnight sensation, enjoying his 15 minutes of fame, or simply on a roll, but Bay Meadows' hottest trainer is enjoying life these days.

He's started eight horses at the meeting and won five times. When he poses for pictures in the winner's circle now, track announcer Tony Calo tells race fans that the "General" has returned to the winner's circle.

"I don't know where he came up with that," McArthur said, "but now everyone gives me grief about it and calls me 'General.' "

Sat, 10/11/2003 - 00:00

Carotene ideal spot for Alpha Saphire

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Alpha Saphire, winner of the Wonder Where here at Woodbine on Aug. 4, appears to have located a very favorable scenario in Monday's $168,000 Carotene Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile turf race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

Alpha Saphire, owned by Stronach Stable and trained by Malcolm Pierce, captured her first stakes in the 1 1/4-mile Wonder Where, the final leg of Canada's triple tiara.

Sat, 10/11/2003 - 00:00

BC-bound Cactus Ridge tightens up

STICKNEY, Ill. - The 2-year-old colt Cactus Ridge left his connections enthused with a half-mile work Saturday at Hawthorne, his penultimate breeze before the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Working by himself, with his race-rider Eddie Martin in the irons, Cactus Ridge was officially timed in 49.40 seconds for a half-mile, though his trainer, Bret Calhoun, said Cactus Ridge worked five furlongs in just over 1:02. Calhoun sent Cactus Ridge to the track just after training began at 6 a.m. in order, he said, "to get the tightest track possible."

Fri, 10/10/2003 - 00:00

She always tries hard

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Bauhauser comes into the TCA Stakes off a win in the Grade 3 Floral Park in New York.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Anyone who has watched Bauhauser in any of her three races in the United States probably couldn't help but notice the way the gray mare appears to dig down and give every ounce of possible effort.

"That's the one thing that was very evident about her when I first got her," said Steve Asmussen, who began training Bauhauser for Bill Heiligbrodt and Johnny Jones in April. "She's a professional racehorse. She absolutely knows how to run."

Fri, 10/10/2003 - 00:00

Pat Day at 50: 'I'm doing great'

LEXINGTON, Ky. - When Pat Day turns 50 on Monday, he probably will take at least a few minutes to pause and reflect on his life.

Not that Monday will be much different from any other day.

Fri, 10/10/2003 - 00:00

Feline Story back doing her thing

ELMONT, N.Y. - Feline Story lost as the favorite when she was stretched out to a mile in the Grade 1 Matron. She is back doing what she does best - sprinting - in Sunday's $150,0000 Astarita at Belmont Park.

The Grade 2 Astarita, a 6 1/2-furlong race, drew nine 2-year-old fillies.

The last three winners of the Astarita - Xtra Heat, Bella Bellucci, and Humorous Lady - ran back in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Bella Bellucci had the best Breeders' Cup effort of the three, with a third-place finish in 2001.

Fri, 10/10/2003 - 00:00

Ungraded Cowdin draws a field of three

ELMONT, N.Y. - The Cowdin Stakes, run on Sunday at Belmont Park, lost its grade for this year's running and its purse was dropped from $100,000 to $75,000. Its decreased status was reflected in the embarrassingly small number of 2-year-olds entered in the race on Friday.

Only three of the 18 nominees, Lissau, Boston Brahmin, and Smokume, passed the entry box for the 6 1/2-furlong stakes. Because of the size of the field, the Cowdin will be run as the third race, with win betting only. The racing office also added another race to what was originally intended to be a 10-race card.