ELMONT, N.Y. - Harlan's Holiday was scratched out of Friday's $350,000 Pegasus Handicap at The Meadowlands because of a sloppy track and is likely to run in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.
Harlan's Holiday trainer, Todd Pletcher, delivered the news to New York Racing Association officials around noon on Friday.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Lido Palace won the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes three weeks ago and was criticized for the manner in which he did it. Repent finished second in the Grade 1 Travers five weeks ago and was lauded for overcoming a long layoff and sloppy track.
Handicappers will get a chance to reassess both colts before next month's Breeders' Cup Classic when they meet in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. Lido Palace and Repent figure to vie for favoritism in the Gold Cup, which has produced 13 of the 18 Classic favorites.
ELMONT, N.Y. - There may not be a horse entered in Saturday's $750,000 Flower Bowl Invitational who can beat Banks Hill.
But perhaps Mother Nature can keep the defending female turf champion from seeing the Belmont starting gate.
The connections of Banks Hill said she would not run in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl if Belmont's inner turf comes up soft. It rained most of Thursday and was expected to rain all day Friday, which could force Banks Hill to scratch and run in next Saturday's Yellow Ribbon at Santa Anita.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Mandy's Gold proved in the Ruffian she is more than just a sprinter. Next Saturday, we will find out where Mandy's Gold fits in the Breeders' Cup Distaff picture when she runs against Summer Colony in the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes at Belmont Park.
Trainer Michael Gorham confirmed Thursday that Mandy's Gold would prep for the Distaff in the $750,000 Beldame rather than in the Spinster at Keeneland on Oct. 6.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The good-natured California rivalry between Bob Baffert and Eoin Harty goes Midwest when the two trainers send out the top choices Saturday in the Arlington-Washington Futurity, a Grade 3 prep for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Harty was Baffert's assistant before he found work as Godolphin's American 2-year-old guru, and the two trainers often chase the same prizes with expensive young horses. Saturday, three colts from their Midwest satellite operations square off in the $150,000 Futurity, run at a mile on dirt.
POMONA, Calif. - A onetime prospect for the Kentucky Derby, Fonz's faces lesser competition Saturday at Fairplex Park, where he will start as one of the favorites in the $100,000 Pomona Derby for 3-year-olds.
A field of 10 entered the Derby, and Fonz's vulnerability is clear - at 1 1/8 miles the Derby is a virtual marathon for the good sprinter. Trainer David La Croix recognizes the problem. The longer the race, the less effective Fonz's becomes.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A field of eight horses - four Europeans, three Canadians, and one American - will go in Sunday's $1.5 million Canadian International at Woodbine.
The 1 1/2-mile Canadian International will be one of two Grade 1 turf stakes on Sunday's program, along with the $750,000 E.P. Taylor for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles.
Zindabad, who finished third in last year's International but was disqualified to sixth for causing interference, returns this year in good form and is Daily Racing Form's 5-2 morning line choice.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Full fields in the Jack Diamond and Sadie Diamond futurities highlight a 13-race program at Hastings Park Saturday. Both 6 1/2-furlong races are worth $100,000 and are restricted to 2-year-olds foaled in Canada.
Illusive Force will be one of the favorites in the Jack Diamond Futurity, which drew 10 colts and geldings. He started his career in the New Westminster Stakes Aug. 24, and was beaten 3 1/2 lengths by Bullseye Bill, who is also entered Saturday and will likely receive heavy support.
EDMONTON, Alberta - Sam Steele, the 118-pound topweight, will take a winning streak of three into the $11,700 final of the Northlands marathon series Saturday.
A field of seven will run 1 5/8 miles, the longest race of the Alberta season.
Sam Steele's most recent victory was in the 1 3/8-mile second leg of the Northlands marathon series, for horses racing for a claiming price of $5,500 to $11,000.
Maiden claimers are the bottom rung of racing's class ladder. It's usually a long climb from there to the classiest horses in the stakes ranks.
Trainer Scott Lake, who is well known for improving horses after they come under his care, came close to turning a maiden claimer into a six-figure stakes winner in one giant step.
Rachelle's Numbers, a 2-year-old filly Lake claimed for owner Richard Englander out of a victory at Saratoga last month for $75,000, came within a neck of winning last Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Million Lassie at Pimlico.
