Horse Racing News

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.

Regal Ransom, who at 3 won the UAE Derby, defeating Desert Party, in Dubai and the Super Derby in Louisiana, has not run since finishing eighth behind Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup Classic last Nov. 7 at Santa Anita.

Colts and stallions were fatally injured at nearly twice the rate as female racehorses, according to early findings from an industrywide database that also uncovered no immediate proof that synthetic tracks are safer than dirt ones.

The 2009 Horse of the Year and the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner were sent through solo five-furlong breezes two hours apart Monday morning at Churchill Downs when Rachel Alexandra went in 1:03 and Mine That Bird went in 59.80 seconds.

The track on Friday night at Prairie Meadows played fast, but Majesticperfection played faster.

Six horses were entered in the $125,000 Arlington Sprint here Saturday, and Euroears isn't coming, so just five remain, and two appear to stand out. But for a two-horse race, the Arlington Sprint isn't bad.

Bay to Bay had a wonderful campaign last year, winning two races, including the Grade 3 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine.

When does a horse win its maiden in a Group 1 race? It could be on Saturday when Remember When goes in the $264,000 Pretty Polly Stakes, a 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares at the Curragh.

After much hand-wringing, Johnny Murtagh has decided that his mount in the $1.5 million Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday will be Cape Blanco.