ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The Winnipeg Futurity winner is in town.
And what that means is about as clear as Arlington's Friday feature, the $45,000-added Top Flight Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Downgraded to an overnight stakes race this season, the Top Flight served as Arlington's stakes prep for the Arlington-Washington Lassie in previous years. There are nine fillies entered this time, but whether any of them are Lassie material remains to be seen.
New York Racing Association officials plan to visit Aqueduct racetrack next week to assess the feasibility of opening the grandstand to the public during the upcoming fall meet.
Most of the grandstand is currently unsuitable for crowds, the officials said, because of a construction project NYRA started to convert a portion of the grandstand to a slot machine parlor. The project, which began in the spring after Aqueduct closed, was halted in August because NYRA's partner in the project, MGM Grand, pulled out.
Jockey Jeff Faul has been suspended pending his appearance before the Great Lakes Downs board of stewards after they determined that there is "credible evidence" that he was in possession of an illegal electrical device when he won the sixth race on Aug. 24 at Great Lakes.
Faul maintains his innocence in the matter.
Steward Jeff Dye said the hearing, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed until next week. He declined further comment on the case and said that the incident was under investigation by Michigan's Office of the Racing Commissioner.
EDMONTON, Alberta - A Shaky Start, winner of the $75,000 Sonoma in her last start here Aug. 9, will be a prohibitive favorite in Friday's $50,000 Sales Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Northlands Park.
This will be the first running of the Sales Stakes, a one-mile race for products of the local yearling sale.
A Shaky Start defeated Raylene in the 1 1/16-mile Sonoma, and that filly came back to defeat males in the Canadian Derby.
Alta Aire surprises
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Going strictly by the company he has kept this season on the main track, Colonial Colony is a standout in Friday's Woodbine feature, an $80,000 optional claimer for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt.
Colonial Colony earned a whopping 109 Beyer Speed Figure when he finished fourth behind Mineshaft in the Grade 1 Pimlico Special on May 16. A month later at Churchill, he was a non-threatening fifth behind Perfect Drift, Mineshaft, and Met Mile winner Aldebaran in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap.
The selected session of the Fasig-Tipton Canadian-bred yearling sale posted modest gains in average price and gross receipts Tuesday at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion in Ontario.
A total of 152 yearlings sold for $6,413,000 at this year's session, compared with 151 head who brought $6,258,500 last year. The average was up 1.8 percent, from $41,447 to $42,191. A total of 58 yearlings were listed as not sold, compared with 39 in 2002.
SASKATOON, Saskatoon - Based on her 14-length victory at Marquis Downs on Aug. 22, Top Stage Dancer should be a prohibitive favorite in the Graceful Klinchit Handicap in Friday's sixth race, a $4,000 allowance for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
The City Centre Bingo Handicap for 3-year-old fillies was to have had top billing here on Friday, the next-to-last day of the meet, but because of a lack of nominations the race was canceled - putting Top Stage Dancer at center stage.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Trish's Diamond, a runner-up in the Cavonnier Juvenile Stakes in his last start, may not be the favorite in Friday's Bay Meadows feature.
The 2-year-old colt has run well in each of his three starts, but that may only be good enough to make him second choice in a field of six 2-year-olds running 5 1/2 furlongs at the first condition allow-ance.
Tailor Fit, the 1999 and 2001 world champion Quarter Horse, will be retired during a ceremony at Sam Houston Race Park on Friday night following the fifth race.
Trained by the late Steve VanBebber and then by Janet VanBebber, Tailor Fit won the Champion of Champions both years he was named world champion. His other Grade 1 wins include the Remington Park Championship for three straight years (1999-2001) and the 2001 MBNA America Challenge Championship.
Tailor Fit, owned by Betty Jane Burlin, won 20 of 40 career starts and earned $1,299,010.