The Handicapper's Edge: Racing Headlines

July 2008 - Posts

• Indian Blessing faces five in Test
  Jul 31 2008, 05:29 PM

  Champion juvenile filly INDIAN BLESSING (Indian Charlie) will seek her second consecutive Grade 1 event sprinting when she heads to the starting gate in Saturday's $250,000 Test S. (G1) at Saratoga. Trained by Bob Baffert, the dark bay lass opened... Post Reactions

• Big Brown installed as 1-2 choice over six Haskell rivals
  Jul 31 2008, 05:29 PM

  Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness S. (G1) hero BIG BROWN (Boundary) could not complete the sweep of the Triple Crown in the Belmont S. (G1), but the once-beaten colt will have the opportunity to regain his winning ways in Sunday's $1 million Haskell... Post Reactions

• Black Mamba tops Mabee
  Jul 31 2008, 03:25 PM

  BLACK MAMBA (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe) is clearly the one to beat in Sunday's $400,000 John C. Mabee H. (G1) at Del Mar. A smart 1 1/4-length winner of the Beverly Hills H. (G2) last out, the New Zealand import opened her U.S. racing career with an... Post Reactions

• Zenyatta seeks perfect seven in Clement Hirsch
  Jul 30 2008, 09:41 PM

  Multiple Grade 1 queen ZENYATTA (Street Cry [Ire]) will only have to face three other graded winners on Saturday when taking on eight rivals in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch H. (G2) at Del Mar. The John Shirreffs-trained four-year-old captured the Apple... Post Reactions

• Zappa wires Cougar
  Jul 30 2008, 09:41 PM

  Gary and Cecil Barber's ZAPPA (Afternoon Deelites) sprinted to the fore when the gates opened, slowed down the pace on an uncontested advantage, and went on to a 6 1/4-length score in Wednesday's $150,000 Cougar II H. at Del Mar. Read More... Post Reactions

• Lava Man retired
  Jul 30 2008, 09:41 PM

  Seven-time Grade 1 hero LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew), an earner of $5,268,706, has been retired. Read More... Post Reactions

• Claiming Crown returns to Canterbury Saturday
  Jul 30 2008, 08:39 PM

  Sixty-four of the best claiming horses in the country were entered Wednesday for Saturday's 10th running of the Claiming Crown at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota. Claiming Crown features seven races, with purses ranging from $50,000 to $150... Post Reactions

• Lone Star sees attendance rise, handle decline
  Jul 29 2008, 07:31 PM

  Lone Star Park concluded its 65-day, 2008 Spring Thoroughbred meet on Sunday last Sunday with increases in both average daily and overall attendance. Read More... Post Reactions

• Cherokee Artist looks to shed bridesmaid label in West Virginia
  Jul 29 2008, 07:31 PM

  CHEROKEE ARTIST (Cherokee Run) has finished second in three-of-four lifetime starts, including his two most recent efforts in the Barbaro S. (G3) and Ohio Derby (G2), but he'll have the opportunity to earn his first stakes tally in Saturday's... Post Reactions

• Weather dampens opening week numbers at Saratoga
  Jul 28 2008, 07:33 PM

  Business through the first week of the 2008 meet at Saratoga Race Course, while trending down from the record on-track handle posted in 2007, is improving after unrelenting and torrential rain on opening day Wednesday and Thursday, according to the New... Post Reactions

• Big Booster the one to beat in Cougar II
  Jul 28 2008, 06:26 PM

  With victories in the about 1 3/4-mile San Juan Capistrano Invitational H. (G2) on grass and 13-furlong Gallant Man S. already this year, it is safe to say BIG BOOSTER (Accelerator) needs neither the help getting into the inaugural Breeders' Cup Marathon... Post Reactions

• Jim Dandy rivals to meet again in the Travers
  Jul 28 2008, 04:19 PM

  Trainer Dallas Stewart is now looking ahead to the August 23 Travers S. (G1) after his colt MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno) made a powerful stretch run to win Sunday's Jim Dandy S. (G2) over the favorite PYRO (Pulpit). Read More... Post Reactions

• Stars of Saratoga begin to look forward
  Jul 27 2008, 07:18 PM

  The connections of the winners of Saturday's four graded stakes at Saratoga, as well as some of the vanquished, appeared to be satisfied with the condition of their charges Sunday morning, and with each of the winners securing a berth in a corresponding... Post Reactions

• Monmouth cancels midway through card because of weather
  Jul 27 2008, 06:15 PM

  Monmouth Park canceled live racing following the running of Sunday's 5TH race due to inclement weather that included heavy rains and lightning. Read More... Post Reactions

• Desormeaux joins 5,000-win club
  Jul 27 2008, 06:15 PM

  Hall of Fame rider Kent Desormeaux earned his 5,000th career victory when guiding BELLA ATTRICE (Tomorrows Cat) to a 2 1/4-length score in Sunday's 7TH race at Saratoga. After cruising up to join the leaders on the far turn, the 3-2 favorite struck... Post Reactions