Horse Racing News on February 13, 2010

Tuscan Evening arrived in this country a little more than a year ago, winless in 11 starts.

The decision by Fair Grounds to rearrange its stakes schedule and push the Louisiana Derby back to March 27 did much more than simply motivate Gulfstream management to move the Grade 1 Florida Derby up a week to March 20.

A little more than three months after running for a $30,000 claiming tag at her home base of Mountaineer Racetrack in West Virginia, Royal Michele ran the best race of her life to upset the 2009 Barbara Fritchie Handicap.

Roman Chestnut was not among the original nominees for Saturday's $65,000 Busher Stakes at Aqueduct. But her connections' desire to run her long, combined with a fortuitously-timed illness, led to the filly being supplemented to the race.

Statistics showing a reduction in fatal injuries in races since synthetic surfaces were installed at California racetracks was challenged as being a function of better oversight by race-day veterinarians, not necessarily safer surfaces.

There weren't many 2-year-olds last summer at Del Mar who were more impressive than Sidney's Candy, so expectations were high when he returned to action following a four-month layoff earlier this meet at Santa Anita.

Awesome Act, a fast-finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, will return to America for a springtime campaign that trainer Jeremy Noseda hopes will land him a spot in the Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Roger Attfield believes Lady Shakespeare has the potential to be a championship-caliber performer in the filly and mare turf division this year.

Twin Sparks has already accomplished something this Turf Paradise meet that few thought possible. The 7-year-old gelding set a world record for six furlongs of 1:06.49 when he won the Nov. 21 Caballos del Sol by 11 1/4 lengths.

A year ago, a future Horse of the Year won the Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies at Oaklawn Park. Two years ago, the one-mile race was a launching pad for the runner-up in the Kentucky Derby.