Horse Racing News on July 13, 2011

Trainer John Shirreffs has a deep team of 3-year-old turf fillies this summer in the stakes winner Star Billing and the improving Nereid.

Mike Hushion truly didn't know what to expect when he ran Gantry in a first-level allowance race at Belmont Park on June 23. After all, Gantry, a 4-year-old gelding, had not run in 227 days, never raced on grass, or faced anything but maidens.

Coming off two graded stakes victories utilizing distinctively different running styles, Banned heads a field of 12 3-year-old turf runners in Saturday's Grade 2, $600,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs.

Ramon Dominguez went into the final four days of racing here with a 64-62 lead over Javier Castellano in the battle for leading rider at the meet, a title that likely won't be decided until closing day.

Hippolytus, runner-up in Woodbine's Queen's Plate at 61-1, has been made the 2-1 morning-line favorite for Sunday's $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes at Fort Erie.