Horse Racing News on June 22, 2011

A few barns partially collapsed and horses ran loose for a time Wednesday at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, after a powerful storm that spawned tornadoes blew through Louisville.

Hibaayeb and Giants Play, the top two finishers in the Sheepshead Bay, will square off again in Grade 2, $150,000 New York Stakes for fillies and mares June 25 at Belmont Park.

Astrology will be the one to beat in the $250,000, Grade 3 Iowa Derby following his good third in the Preakness.

Led by undefeated Texas-bred Shocktime, a field of eight 2-year-old fillies was drawn for the Grade 3, $100,000 Debutante June 25 at Churchill Downs. It is the first graded race of 2011 for juvenile fillies.

Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty has been entered for Saturday's $150,000 Hollywood Oaks at Hollywood Park, days after trainer Bob Baffert removed her from consideration for Saturday's Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park because of a brief illness.

Grand Adventure, who captured the most lucrative win of his career in last year's King Edward Stakes, is back to defend his title in the one-mile turf event worth $250,000 at Woodbine June 25.

Saturday evening's concluding night of the Iowa Festival of Racing stages the Thoroughbred meet's trio of Grade 3 stakes -- the $200,000 Iowa Oaks, the $250,000 Iowa Derby, and the track's signature event, the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap.

Until a few days ago, the $250,000 Mother Goose (Grade 1) was shaping up to be one of the highlights of Belmont Park's spring/summer meet.