ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It's official: The first three finishers from the Atto Mile will be heading to Keeneland for next Saturday's Shadwell Turf Mile.
The Shadwell Mile, a Grade 1 race worth $600,000, had been on the schedule of Touch of the Blues prior to his win here in the Sept. 14 Atto Mile.
The connections of Soaring Free and Perfect Soul, the two-three finishers in the Atto Mile, had expressed an interest in the Keeneland race and have followed through on those inclinations.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - It seemed like trainer Terry Brennan could not lose at Louisiana Downs last week. In fact, he didn't.
Brennan rolled a perfect week, winning with all five of his starters. He had training doubles on Friday and Sunday, and sandwiched in between, sent out Blocked Call to win his fourth straight race on Thursday.
That's the kind of meet it has been for Brennan. He had won with 12 of 21 starters through Wednesday, and ranks fifth in the standings at Louisiana Downs.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - The future looks bright for the New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival following an auspicious debut.
The inaugural day to showcase the state's Thoroughbred breeding program on Sept. 20 drew a solid crowd of 9,100, making the 11-race card for New Jersey-breds the best attended day of the post-Labor Day portion of the meet.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Handicap is taking on a different look than it had earlier in the week.
Decarchy, who looked like a probable entrant, will pass in favor of a possible engagement in the Grade 2, $300,000 Oak Tree Breeders' Cup Mile next weekend.
Bonaguil, looking for his first U.S. victory, has also dropped off the list of probable runners.
Nonetheless, the Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Handicap, the meet's premier stakes, will have a field of 10.
Co-world champion Whosleaving-who will try to avenge a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Go Man Go Invitational Handicap when he faces the top three Go Man Go finishers in the Grade 1, $200,000 Los Alamitos Championship at 440 yards on Saturday night at Los Alamitos.
ANDERSON, Ind. - Next week's Indiana Derby and Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks are generating quite a buzz as both Grade 3 races are expected to draw strong fields.
The connections of Grand Hombre, Wando, and Wiggins have said they are headed this way for the derby, which will be run Saturday, Oct. 4.
MIAMI - Ivanavinalot was the top 2-year-old filly on the grounds here at Calder last season and remained the undisputed queen of the south Florida division last winter with her victory in the Grade 2 Bonnie Miss Stakes at Gulfstream Park. But following three subpar performances, including a dismal sixth-place showing in the Office Queen Stakes on June 14, Ivanavinalot was sent to the farm of owner-breeder Gil Campbell for a much needed freshening.
ELMONT, N.Y. - A bruised foot will keep Empire Maker from running in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, and the racing future of the star-crossed 3-year-old colt is very much uncertain.
Empire Maker, the Belmont Stakes winner, has about a two-inch cut on the outside quarter of his left front foot just above the coronet band. Trainer Bobby Frankel planned to treat the foot with an antiseptic that would aid in drawing any further inflammation out of the injured area.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The rematch between Arlington Million combatants Storming Home and Sulamani will have to wait until next month's Breeders' Cup Turf.
That's because trainer Neil Drysdale on Tuesday decided to keep Storming Home in Southern California for this weekend's $250,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship at Santa Anita rather than ship him to New York for Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park.
