Horse Racing News

It's Tricky made a successful return to the races Saturday, persevering over a laboring muddy inner track to a 2 3/4-length victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Top Flight Handicap at Aqueduct.

Five newcomers and five returning finalists comprise the National Museum of Racing's 2012 Hall of Fame ballot. The first-time finalists are trainer Roger Attfield and Thoroughbreds Ashado, Ghostzapper, Housebuster, and Xtra Heat.

Graham Motion brought a horse to Turfway Park nearly a year ago to see whether he fit in the Kentucky Derby scheme.

One horse was euthanized at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races the evening of Feb. 29 but other horses and their jockeys escaped serious injuries in a nasty racing accident that led to cancellation of the remaining race on the program.

A pair of leading three-year-olds from last season, Caleb's Posse and It's Tricky, will make their respective 2012 debuts Saturday at Aqueduct in the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap and the Grade 2, $200,000 Top Flight Handicap.

Little Mike goes for his fifth consecutive win when he attempts to defend his title in the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes over the Gulfstream Park turf course he favors March 3.

With defending champion Game On Dude skipping the Santa Anita Handicap, Ultimate Eagle leads a field of 13 in the $750,000 event March 3.

Juvenile colt champion Hansen, who suffered his first career defeat in the Grade 3 Holy Bull on January 29, will attempt to get back on the winning track in Saturday's Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham at Aqueduct.

Game On Dude will not defend his title in Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap and will make his next start in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31, trainer Bob Baffert said on Wednesday.

X-rays taken Tuesday morning have revealed that Algorithms, undefeated winner of the Grade 3 Holy Bull, has a fractured splint in his right front leg that will have to be surgically removed, his connections announced in a statement.