LOS ALAMITOS, CA—SEPTEMBER 22, 2017—A berth to the $750,000 Champion of Champions will be on the line when an outstanding group of aged mares compete in the nation's premier race for the division, the Grade 1, $125,000 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap on Sunday night at Los Alamitos. First post for the eight-race card is 6:50 p.m. The 400-yard Mildred Vessels field will be headed by a pair of stakes winning ladies from the barn of trainer Lin Melton in the form of Merial California Distaff Challenge winner Time For Jess and California Breeders Matron Stakes winner Maggie Durant. Owned by Spackman Racing, Time For Jess has been a Grade 1 performer her entire career, racing in the ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI CLAREMORE, OK—SEPTEMBER 21, 2017—Rogelio Marquez Jr.’s Political Attraction will risk his three-race win streak in Sunday’s $282,552 Black Gold 350 Futurity (RG3) at Will Rogers Downs. The fastest qualifier, Political Attraction is coming off of a three-length victory in the eighth of 11 trials on September 9. The ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOBBS, NM—SEPTEMBER 21, 2017—Champion Imperial Eagle and graded stakes winner Wild Mares Milk are among the 31 sophomores entered in Sunday’s Hobbs America Derby (G3) trials at Zia Park. The 10 fastest qualifiers from these four 440-yard trials will meet in the $80,000-added final on October 8. Imperial Eagle is trained by Tony Sedillo for the Estate of Charles Robinson and Christina Robinson, which purchased the gray son of One Famous Eagle for $48,000 at the 2015 Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale. Imperial Eagle has ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—SEPTEMBER 21, 2017—Paul Jones and Thompson Racing, Inc’s That Rico, the hero of Grade 2 Golden State Derby, takes on Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity winner Chazaq in a battle of major stakes winners in the $15,000 Old Habits Handicap Saturday at Los Alamitos. The two stars are both preparing for the trials to the Grade 1 ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI HOBBS, NM—SEPTEMBER 20, 2017—A total of 42 2-year-olds has been entered in Saturday’s 400-yard Hobbs America Futurity (G2) trials at Zia Park. Mr Perry Strong, a gelded son of champion Mr Jess Perry owned by Licon Farm and Ranch LLC, is coming off of a Ruidoso Downs summer campaign during which he won two of three starts, including the 350-yar, $100,000 Ruidoso Juvenile Invitational Stakes on June 11. Mr Perry Strong drew the rail post and will be ridden by Salvador Martinez for trainer Mike Joiner in the first of five ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI GRAND PRAIRIE, TX—SEPTEMBER 19, 2017—RC Me Leaving You, a 5-year-old stallion by Coronas Leaving You and a two-time stakes winner at Lone Star Park last season, drew the rail post for Saturday’s 350-yard, $20,000 Nevill Stakes (R) at Lone Star Park. Trained by Jimmy Padgett for owners Bennie and Terri Jeter, RC Me Leaving You has earned $11,260 from three starts this year, and his season resume includes a third-place finish, one length behind winner Politically Corrupt, in the 440-yard, $50,000 Sam Houston Classic ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI AJAX, ONTARIO, CANADA—SEPTEMBER 16, 2017—Ghost Pines, a homebred daughter of the Walk Thru Fire stallion Fire Finder, is the 3-1 morning-line favorite in Sunday’s 400-yard, $96,500 Picov Derby at Ajax Downs. Raced exclusively at Ajax Downs, Ghost Pines has earned $32,345 from five starts, and her three wins include a a nose victory in the 350-yard, $63,000 Ontario Sires’ Derby (R) on July 16. The filly drew post 3 and will be ridden by Cory Spataro for trainer Michelle Woodley. Milena Kwiecien’s LS Prince, a stakes-winning son of ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA—SEPTEMBER 16, 2017—Dale Zukowski’s Bringonthewave will put his undefeated mark on the line in Saturday’s 330-yard, $45,000 Alberta Bred Futurity (RG3) at Northlands Park. A gray son of 2006 world champion Wave Carver, Bringonthewave has earned $12,515 from three outs, and his three wins include a one-length victory in the 300-yard, $23,000 Jerry Stojan Futurity at Evergreen Park on July 23. The gelding drew post 6 and will be ridden by Ramiro Castillo. Bringonthewave’s seven opponents include ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—SEPTEMBER 15, 2017—Keith Nellesen’s undefeated star KVN Corona will make his first start since winning the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Ed Burke Million Futurity when he headlines the sixth of 10 trials to the $400,000 PCQHRA Breeders Futurity Sunday at Los Alamitos. A total of 76 juveniles will be in action in the 350-yard trials, which will include 29 runners with experience in stakes action. The horses with the 10 fastest times will advance to the PCQHRA Breeders Futurity final to be held on October 7. The big name in the trials is the outstanding KVN Corona, a gray colt ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SHELBYVILLE, IN—SEPTEMBER 15, 2017—Stakes winners Keen Liaison and CB Come Fly With Me are among the two dozen Indiana-bred 3-year-olds entered in Saturday’s 400-yard Sterlie Bertram Memorial Stakes trials at Indiana Grand. A bay daughter of Sixes Liaison racing for James Black, Keen Liaison has won three of her ...