SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Firm ground or soft, trainer Christophe Clement appears to have all the bases covered in Wednesday's featured allowance race at Saratoga.
One of seven stakes-less days of the meet, Wednesday's feature is a $58,000 classified allowance race for fillies and mares at one mile over the inner turf course. A field of seven was entered on the turf, and two more were entered for main-track only.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Bob Tiller will saddle favorites in both Woodbine stakes on Wednesday, when he sends out Win City in the $136,875 Seagram Cup, and Forever Grand in the $135,125 Vice Regent.
The 1 1/16-mile Seagram Cup was originally scheduled for Sunday's card, which was canceled because of a horrific barn fire at Woodbine early Sunday morning.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Trainer Mel Stute turns 75 on Thursday. His birthday present may arrive two days late when Buffythecenterfold starts in the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar.
Buffythecenterfold won the Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park on July 4 and is considered by Stute to be among the best 2-year-old fillies he has trained. It is not an easy club to join. In 1986, Stute had two of the best 2-year-old fillies in the nation - Brave Raj and Very Subtle.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Racing in northern California returns to a major-track venue Wednesday when Bay Meadows opens for 12 days as host of the San Mateo County Fair, better known as the Bay Meadows Fair.
Wednesday's opening day card is highlighted by an interesting starter allowance race at one mile. Four of the seven entrants will be stretching out to try a mile for the first time as they try to beat Mr. Ararat and Runaway Dancer, both of whom won maiden races at a mile earlier this summer.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - With the 3-year-olds out of the Monmouth Park spotlight after the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational last Sunday, the focus shifts to 2-year-old fillies on Wednesday as two divisions of a maiden special weight highlight the nine-race card.
DEL MAR, Calif. - An otherwise quiet Monday at Del Mar will have an added significance for bettors with a pick six carryover of $230,217.
It is one of the largest one-day pick six carryovers of the year.
Monday's pick six covers the third through eighth races on a program that begins at 2 p.m. There are no stakes on Monday's program, but several races have large fields.
Here is a look at the changes. In the fourth race, Ava's Delight and My Whole Enchilada are scratched from a maiden claimer for fillies and mares over six furlongs that has 10 runners.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Grey Memo pulled an upset in Sunday's $250,000 at Del Mar, rallying from last to win his second major stakes of the year.
Dismissed at 14-1, Grey Memo launched a wide run on the final turn and won by a convincing three lengths, finishing 1 1-16 miles in 1:43.48. Ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye at 116 pounds, Grey Memo ($30) easily beat Euchre and Congaree, who finished second and third.
"I knew if he kicked it in, he'd have a good chance," Delahoussaye said. "He took off."
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jockey Richard Migliore was to remain overnight in a Saratoga hospital, but appeared to escape serious injury as a result of a spill during the running of Sunday's Jim Dandy Stakes.
``He's got a bruised arm and a bruised sternum, but nothing is broken and that's a relief,'' said Drew Mollica, the agent for Migliore. ``When he feels better, we'll go back to work.''
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Mr. Technique ($8.80), a troubled third in his debut when he was spooked after seeing the Ferris wheel on the turn at the Solano County Fair, scored a wire-to-wire victory in the $52,770 Redwood Empire Stakes at the Sonoma County Fair on Sunday.
The $75,000 yearling purchase beat odds-on favorite Taraval, the winner of Northern California's first two 2-year-old stakes, by 3.5 lengths in the 5.5-furlong race. The winning time was 1:03.55.
"Today he broke good, and I just tried to get him to go comfortably," winning rider Jason Lumpkins said.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - The connections of Clearly a Queen decided to pass on the Grade 2 Diana Handicap at Saratoga July 27 and await the Grade 3 Eatontown Handicap at Monmouth Sunday, and the decision clearly paid dividends as she nosed out Laurica to win her second consecutive Grade 3 on the turf.
