Horse Racing News

Kent Desormeaux, who had flown in from New York to ride Hold Me Back for trainer Bill Mott in Thursday's $216,400 Dominion Day Stakes, was taken off his mount by the stewards after failing a breathalyzer test.

Winchester and Acclamation, two emerging forces in the turf division, both bring two-race winning streaks to Monmouth Park on Saturday for the Grade 1, $750,000 United Nations Stakes.

After mulling all the options, trainer D. Wayne Lukas decided Thursday to enter 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird in the Grade 2, $175,000 Firecracker Handicap, the closing-day feature Sunday at Churchill Downs.

Rachel Alexandra is headed for a Jersey Shore encore.

Joel Rosario will ride City to City and will have the mount on Blind Luck for her next two starts, the trainer said.

The defection of four horses in a 48-hour span left the racing office scrambling to fill Saturday's $300,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park.

When the Saturday overnight sheet came out Wednesday at Churchill Downs, the most important news wasn't what was on it - even though a pair of Grade 3 races are on tap.

There will be no three-peat for Presious Passion in the United Nation Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.

When Mambo Meister worked three furlongs in 34.01 seconds here Monday morning, the same day his name appeared on the nomination sheet for the $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap.

Discouraged by stakes purse cuts at Arlington Park, Jonathan Sheppard mulled other plans for horses he was considering bringing to Chicago this summer, but while Just as Well's status for a repeat bid in the Arlington Handicap remains up in the air.