Horse Racing News on February 13, 2010

Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra will make her first start of the year in the March 13 New Orleans Ladies in preparation for her scheduled race against Zenyatta in the April 9 Apple Blossom.

The extra week between the scheduled date for the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes last Saturday and the rearranged date this Saturday gave race favorite Blind Luck one more opportunity to remind everyone what she is capable of accomplishing.

Anybody planning to be outside around the Hallandale Beach area on Saturday would be best advised to bring an umbrella along.

Life Is Sweet may have won the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic by a convincing 2 1/2 lengths here in November, but she has not scared away many rivals for her comeback in Saturday's $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap at Santa Anita.

Rain was relentless the night before the Grade 2 Strub Stakes on Feb. 6, and trainer Bob Baffert was not keen about starting Misremembered over the wet Santa Anita racetrack. He considered scratching.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas will hit the Triple Crown trail Monday at Oaklawn Park with one of the most credentialed colts he has had in several years.

Quantity trumps quality in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita. Yes, that is a knock on Stardom Bound.

With Lookin At Lucky, trainer Bob Baffert has the most accomplished prospect for this year's Kentucky Derby. His bench is deep, though.

Rule all but earned himself a spot in this year's Kentucky Derby field when closing out his 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the Grade 3, $750,000 Delta Jackpot.