ELMONT, N.Y. - The showdown between Mineshaft and Empire Maker is on.
Empire Maker, the Belmont Stakes winner, worked six furlongs in 1:12.64 on Saturday morning at Belmont Park, a move good enough to earn him a spot in the starting gate in next Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup.
"He's going to run as long as he's fine the rest of the week," Frankel said.
MUSKEGON, Mich. - Zosia's Genius will try to duplicate her Aug. 22 Temptress Stakes victory when she takes on eight Michigan-bred 2-year-old fillies in Monday's $45,000 Sickle's Image Stakes at Great Lakes Downs. Five of her opponents from the Temptress will be in the six-furlong race.
Zosia's Genius is from the barn of leading trainer Gerald Bennett, who will also saddle Deb's Favoite Gift. Zofia Partynski owns Zosia's Genius, a daughter of Beau Genius.
Docent romped to a fifth win in seven starts this season as he cruised to victory Saturday afternoon in the $50,000 Charley Hadry Stakes at Pimlico.
Docent ($3.60) saved all the ground under Clinton Potts and took charge at the top of the stretch. A 5-year-old gray gelding, he ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.15 to win by 3 1/2 lengths.
"He was ready to go any time I asked him," Potts said. "The hole opened up for us, and he made a nice move down the lane."
Trainer Tim Ritchey felt the race was a perfect tune-up for next month's Maryland Million.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Dream About led all the way under Patrick Husbands to take Saturday's $268,250 Mazarine Breeders' Cup Stakes by 8 1/4 lengths at Woodbine.
Dream About set uncontested fractions of 23.99 and 48.29 seconds in the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-old fillies. She opened up a 3 1/2-length lead after three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.77, before coasting home on top to complete the distance in 1:47.54.
MUSKEGON, Mich. - Heza Mountain Man looks for a stakes repeat when he faces a full field of Michigan-bred juveniles in the $45,000 Patrick Wood Stakes Tuesday evening at Great Lakes Downs. The six-furlong event will go as the seventh race on the 5 p.m. Eastern card.
MIAMI - It cost $3,000 to supplement Stolen Time to Saturday's $100,000 Foolish Pleasure Stakes at Calder. But the lightly raced 2-year-old got that money back and another $57,000 along with it by rallying from just off the pace to register a three-quarter-length victory over Second of June and eight other juveniles.
MIAMI - Trainer Richard Root has wanted to try his speedy Storm Flag on the turf all summer. He'll finally get the opportunity in Monday's $30,000 allowance feature at Calder when he sends the 3-year-old filly out against older colts and geldings going five furlongs on the grass.
Storm Flag wound up in Monday's main event more out of necessity than choice. Root has unsuccessfully been trying to get a third-level allowance race on dirt to fill for his filly for the past several weeks.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - The brilliantly fast Something Smith helped launch the first New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival on Saturday at Monmouth Park with a front-running victory in the Friendly Lover, one of three stakes on the card.
The festival offered 11 races for New Jersey-breds as a showcase of the state's breeding industry. Such days have worked well in other states, and New Jersey hopes to build the festival to a similar level.
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - The third edition of Illinois Day will be held at Fairmount Park on Tuesday and will feature six $35,000-added races for Illinois-breds. Short-priced favorites ruled on last year's Illinois Day card, and while it is possible the same thing will occur this year, several of the races do offer wagering value.
