Horse Racing News

Wilkinson, a Dec. 10 maiden winner here, captured the Grade 3, $96,000 Lecomte, wearing down slow-pacesetting Pants on Fire while rallying up the rail under Garrett Gomez.

Former claimer Calibrachoa became a graded stakes winner and remained unbeaten in two starts for owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher when he held off Independence War by a half-length in the Grade 3, $98,000 Toboggan Stakes Jan. 22 at Aqueduct.

Trainer Bob Baffert continued his domination of the young 2011 Santa Anita meet when Euroears scored an easy front-running 2 1/4-length upset in the Grade 2, $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes, dealing odds-on favorite Smiling Tiger a third consecutive defeat.

Live racing was canceled at Aqueduct Friday because track officials feared the effects of an overnight storm might cause damage to the inner track. It was the third weather-related cancellation of the winter meet.

Strike Again and Gran Estreno, the one-two finishers in the Fair Grounds meet's first turf-route stakes for older males, the Dec. 4 Diliberto Memorial, are back for the Grade 3, $100,000 Colonel Bradley Handicap on Saturday.

On Saturday, Smiling Tiger will be expected to perform at a championship level when he makes his 2011 debut in the $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes over six furlongs.

Short fields have been dominated by heavy favorites or second choices. On paper, at least, Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Toboggan Stakes scheduled for six furlongs over Aqueduct's inner track has some appeal.

Miesque, the first two-time winner of a Breeders' Cup race and a champion in both Europe and America, was euthanized Thursday due to the infirmities of old age at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky.

David and Jill Heerensperger's Bourbon Bay is at it again. After sweeping Santa Anita Park's series of turf route races a year ago, Bourbon Bay signaled a possible encore with a stylish victory in the Jan. 17, $150,000 San Marcos Stakes

Caleb's Posse faced the distance question heading into the $100,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park on Monday and he answered it emphatically when he burst through the fog to win the one-mile race by 2 3/4 lengths over Dreaminofthewin.