When the powerful and far-flung Magna Entertainment purchased Remington Park in Oklahoma City in the fall of 1999, local concerns hoped the transaction would translate into wider distribution of the track's signal.
Their wishes will be realized Saturday when Remington Park opens for a 76-day meet with its largest network of simulcast outlets ever. The season, which gets underway with the $30,000 Chuck Taliaferro Memorial Stakes, runs to Dec. 21.
SALEM, N.H. - With all the pageantry of Saratoga a mere 3 1/2 hours away, New England's racing fans can easily be drawn into desires to make a splash at the Spa. Trainer John Rigatteri has already made a big splash there, and remains easy-going about his latest success.
The $100,000 Obeah Stakes, run June 22 at Delaware Park, could be considered a negative key race by handicappers.
Aside from the decisive winner, Your Out, who came within a few yards of upsetting Summer Colony in the $600,000 Delaware Handicap, nearly every one of the fillies and mares who exited the 1 1/8-mile Obeah returned to run poorly. That group includes second- and third-place finishers Quiet Lake and Shag, who each ran seventh next time out. Four other horses have since raced, and only one ran better than third.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Sam-Son Farm entry of Portcullis and Mountain Beacon should be favored Saturday at Woodbine in the $500,000 Breeders' Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown.
A field of 10 Canadian-bred 3-year-olds will line up in the 1 1/2-mile event, one of the few races contested over one full lap of the European-style E.P. Taylor turf course.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - When it comes to winning the Breeders' Stakes, there's no better authority than trainer Roger Attfield.
Attfield has won a record seven Breeders' Stakes, including three of the last four.
His three latest wins came with fillies: Sweetest Thing in 2001, Free Vacation in 1999, and Pinafore Park in 1998. Attfield also sent out the filly Carotene to victory in the 1986 Breeders.'
FERNDALE, Calif. - Trainer Tim Bellasis has fond memories of his first trip here in 1992, when he sent out a maiden named Miss Gumdrop to capture the Les Mademoiselle Stakes.
Bellasis has returned in search of his second Humboldt Fair stakes victory with the ultra-consistent Miss Misbehavin' for Saturday's $7,500 Charlie Palmer Handicap.
Named for the California racing official who served for 20 years as racing secretary at the Humboldt County Fair, the 6 1/2-furlong Charlie Palmer attracted six fillies and mares.
In the first soft spot Xtra Heat has found in several months, she towers over a field of four hugely overmatched fillies and mares in Saturday's $125,000 Straight Deal Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park.
Xtra Heat's rivals, Folly Dollar, Skip the Print, Winter Leaf, and Outstanding Info, all appear to be running for second money in the seven-furlong Straight Deal, an ungraded race.
HENDERSON, Ky. - The hottest trainer through the first half of the Ellis meet was Steve Flint, who won with seven of his first 12 starters.
Flint will try to improve on that percentage Saturday when he runs Interest Only against more seasoned fillies and mares, including defending champion Miss Seffens, in the supporting feature, the $125,000 Ellis Park Breeders' Cup Stakes.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It's a Giggle continued his drive for an Eclipse Award by jumping smartly en route to a 1 1/2-length victory in Thursday's $79,950 at Saratoga.
It's a Giggle had an ideal trip under jockey Gus Brown, who took over for the recently injured Blythe Miller. It's a Giggle sat third during the early going of the 2 1/16-mile race, moved to challenge for the lead midway through the race, took over with authority with a half-mile to go, and safely held off Tres Touche for the victory. Indispensable was another 1 3/4 lengths back in third.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - I'm All Yours was last year's champion New York-bred turf horse, in part because of a victory in the West Point Handicap at Saratoga. In search of another statebred title, I'm All Yours seeks a repeat victory in the $75,000-added West Point, the feature race on Friday's card at Saratoga.
