AUBURN, Wash. - Lot of Hope and Michelle's Cap will try to keep their winning steaks alive in Thursday's feature at Emerald Downs, a one-mile race for fillies and mares to be run under $3,200 starter allowance conditions.
Thursday's headliner, which offers an enhanced purse of $7,000, is the latest installment of the Stanislaw Ashbaugh Series, which rewards the lower-level claiming horses that are essential to most race meets.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Vinemeister and Jersey Giant meet for the second time in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Philip H. Iselin Breeders' Cup Handicap at Monmouth Park.
Vinemeister owns the first score, besting Jersey Giant by three-quarters of a length in Monmouth's Grade 3 Salvator Mile on July 26.
The rematch in the Iselin comes at 1 1/8 miles and the extra furlong could be an issue for Vinemeister.
"I'm concerned about the extra eighth of mile," trainer Alan Seewald said. "Now is the time to see if he's ready to move up to the next level."
DEL MAR, Calif. - The matter of who will ride Candy Ride will wait another day. Trainer Ron McAnally on Tuesday morning said that he and owners Sid and Jenny Craig would not decide who would replace the injured Gary Stevens until Wednesday, when entries are due for Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
The Pacific Classic is being drawn at a cocktail party at a local hotel after the races on Wednesday evening. The rest of Sunday's card is scheduled to be drawn on Thursday.
Toccet won his comeback race on Tuesday, breezing to a measured three-quarter-length win over Ashmore in the $35,300 Widener Stakes at Philadelphia Park.
Jorge Chavez came down from Saratoga to ride Toccet, who is being pointed to the Grade 3, $750,000 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 1.
Pie N Burger, who is based at Louisiana Downs, has risen to the top of the region's handicap division in a short time. Since arriving from Southern California in April, he has won three consecutive stakes, with his latest score coming Saturday night in the $75,000 Evangeline Mile at Evangeline Downs.
That race drew one of its deepest fields ever, yet Pie N Burger won by 6 1/2 lengths under Jamie Theriot. It was the horse's fourth straight win since he moved to this region and the barn of trainer Cole Norman.
SAN MATEO, Calif - The Bay Meadows Fair, which ended Monday, was a red-letter meet on several fronts.
On Aug. 13, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer debuted a 3-year-old filly, Gone to Party, who could be something special.
She entered the race with uncharacteristically fast works, blowing out with a bullet half-mile of 46.60 after having worked six furlongs in 1:11.20 in her previous drill.
AUBURN, Wash. - Sky Jack, the highweight and certain favorite for Sunday's Grade 3 Longacres Mile, is an imposing individual.
He was facing the rear of his stall on Monday morning, shortly after he arrived at Emerald from Los Angeles, and his hind end seemed to block out the entire entranceway.
"He's a big guy," trainer Doug O'Neill said. "And he has that classic Thoroughbred hind end. It's not square like a Quarter Horse. It's more like an A-frame, but it's deep and powerful."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Bob Tiller certainly couldn't find any humor in the situation as he watched Twisted Wit thrash about in a tangle underneath the starting gate here last Thursday morning.
But Tiller was able to breathe a sigh of relief Sunday after watching Twisted Wit, a 2-year-old son of Distorted Humor whom he trains for Rolph Davis, bounce back to become a stakes winner in the $163,350 Vandal.
CHICAGO - Storming Home, who crossed the finish first Saturday in the Arlington Million, and Sulamani, placed first by disqualification, both may make their next start at Belmont Park, but not necessarily against each other. Barring a change in plans, the two will have a rematch this fall in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The first four finishers in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes last month meet again in Wednesday's $150,000-added Albany at Saratoga.
Six 3-year-olds entered the 1 1/8-mile Albany, the final leg of the Big Apple Triple for New York-breds. Bossanova, who is sidelined with an injury, won the first race in the series, the Mike Lee at Belmont Park on June 28. Traffic Chief was a three-length winner of the second leg, the New York Derby on July 26. It was Traffic Chief's fourth win in five starts.
