Horse Racing News

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.

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.