VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Elana d'Amour will be hard pressed to repeat as horse of the year in British Columbia, and if the vote were held right now, she would finish behind Shelby Madison as the top older filly and mare. Her connections are hoping to get her back on track in the 6 1/2-furlong Cover Girl Handicap Saturday.
FORT ERIE, Ontario - Malcoha, a fan favorite here for many years, will race no more.
A winner of his last start by just over six lengths July 22, the 11-year-old Malcoha ends his career with 24 wins from 106 starts and earnings of $414,151.
In 1998, Malcoha was named Fort Erie's horse of the year. Among his five scores that year were the Benburb and Puss N Boots Stakes.
Trainer Wilf Jones, who co-owns the horse with Tom Grimes, said that he felt further racing might aggravate Malcoha's ankles. The gelding won three of his seven starts this year.
EDMONTON, Alberta - The $75,000 Edmonton Distaff, on the Canadian Derby card at Northlands Park on Saturday, features Sly Lady, who is unquestionably the top older filly or mare in the province. But Sly Lady, trained by Ron Grieves, will have some significant obstacles to overcome in the 1 1/16-mile race.
The first is the loss of valuable conditioning time since her last start July 19. She has had a serious throat infection that forced her to stay for one full week at a veterinary clinic, where she lost a significant amount of weight.
AUBURN, Wash. - With all 12 of the hopefuls for Sunday's Grade 3 Longacres Mile having completed their preparations by Thursday morning, it remained only for the three contestants not on the grounds to arrive for all the pieces to be in place.
Gondolieri and Nose the Trade left Ontario Airport near Los Angeles at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday morning and, following a layover in Oakland, were scheduled to arrive at Sea-Tac International Airport at 4:15 p.m.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Battlements may be facing a rather tall order as the only 3-year-old in the field of eight for Saturday's Shepperton Stakes.
But Battlements, owned and bred by Minshall Farm and trained by Barb Minshall, has been pointing for the Shepperton since late June and certainly can be expected to put up a fight under the meet's leading stakes-winning rider, Todd Kabel.
"He's done everything right, from the get-go," said Minshall. "Right from day one, he's just been a little machine."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Krz Ruckus should be favored in Saturday's $132,375 Shepperton Stakes at Woodbine, but the race is by no means a gimme for him.
Seven others were entered in the 6 1/2-furlong dash for Ontario-sired runners - Mister Coop, Wild Whiskey, Dillinger, Forever Grand, Crease Infraction, Battlements, and Sophia's Prince - and a case can be made for several of them.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Only five horses will run in the $35,000 Agassiz for Manitoba-foaled colts and geldings going a mile here Saturday night.
With two speed horses in the form of Rare Deputy and Certified Coin, the race sets up for the pace-pressers, Trebbiano and Gus Again.
The final entrant in the field, Silver Greek, tends to come from well back, and he also has a good chance if a pace battle develops.
King Robyn scored as the favorite in Wednesday's $78,800 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar, notching his third stakes victory of the year.
Ridden by Alex Solis, King Robyn stalked pacesetter Swiss Lake to early stretch, reached contention with a wide rally, and won by a length. King Robyn ($6) finished five furlongs in 55.45 seconds.
"It was nice to see him settle behind horses and make a run," winning trainer Jeff Mullins said of the 3-year-old.
Swiss Lake, a 4-year-old filly, held second, finishing three lengths in front of Menacing Dennis in a field of seven.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Medaglia d'Oro and Candy Ride, the top two contenders in Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar, drew posts alongside one another when the expected field of five was entered Wednesday evening during a party at the nearby Lodge at Torrey Pines.
Medaglia d'Oro, who won the Whitney Handicap in his last start, will start from post 2, with the undefeated Candy Ride next to him in post 3. Jeff Tufts, Del Mar's morning-line maker, made Medaglia d'Oro 6-5, with Candy Ride 7-5.