Horse Racing News

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.

Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra will make her first start of the year in the March 13 New Orleans Ladies in preparation for her scheduled race against Zenyatta in the April 9 Apple Blossom.

The extra week between the scheduled date for the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes last Saturday and the rearranged date this Saturday gave race favorite Blind Luck one more opportunity to remind everyone what she is capable of accomplishing.

Anybody planning to be outside around the Hallandale Beach area on Saturday would be best advised to bring an umbrella along.

Life Is Sweet may have won the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic by a convincing 2 1/2 lengths here in November, but she has not scared away many rivals for her comeback in Saturday's $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap at Santa Anita.

Rain was relentless the night before the Grade 2 Strub Stakes on Feb. 6, and trainer Bob Baffert was not keen about starting Misremembered over the wet Santa Anita racetrack. He considered scratching.