Horse Racing News

ItZayat Stables' Prayer for Relief made a strong case for that title when he held off Populist Politics and Awesome Bet in the stretch to win the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby in wire-to-wire fashion Sept. 10 at Louisiana Downs.

Rahystrada strutted his class while giving Greta Kuntzweiler her second straight victory in the Kentucky Downs showcase event, the Kentucky Cup Turf, as a four-day meet opened Saturday with the 14th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 race.

Grassy took over from Center Divider in mid-stretch and notched his first win of the year in the Grade 2, $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap on opening day of the Belmont Park fall meet Sept. 10.

The fast but fragile Sean Avery is sidelined again with a bowed tendon in his right foreleg that will not only end his year, but puts his racing future in doubt, his connections said Thursday.

Baffert did it again on Wednesday, winning the Grade 1, $250,000 Futurity for the 10th time in its last 16 runnings, this time with Drill, who survived a bumpy stretch run to prevail in the closing-day feature at Del Mar.

Juveniles of both sexes take the spotlight Sept. 10 at Arlington Park, with the Arlington-Washington Futurity and the Arlington-Washington Lassie each sharing top billing on the 11-race card. Both are contested at one mile on Polytrack.

Rahystrada, an earner of more than $850,000, and Rezif, the defending champion, were among the 10 older horses entered Wednesday in the Grade 3, $150,000 Kentucky Cup Turf, which will help to open the 2011 Kentucky Downs meet Saturday in Franklin, Ky.

Led by Grade 2 winners Alternation and Prayer for Relief, a well-rounded field of nine was drawn for Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby Sept. 10 at Louisiana Downs.

Jeff Bloom, 47, is hoping his latest venture is his best yet, and, so far, he's batting 1.000.

It was a quiet experiment begun by Kiaran McLaughlin with his 2-year-olds starting under the colors of Darley and Shadwell Stables.