Horse Racing News

The race book at the Red Rock Resort and Spa will be filled to the rafters Friday and Saturday when 305 horseplayers compete for the $500,000 first-place prize and title of 2010 Handicapper of the Year.

Ann and Jerry Moss, owners of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, announced Wednesday that their wildly popular 7-year-old mare will be bred to Bernardini for her first mating.

Kathmanblu asserted her class through the stretch, outfinishing Excited by 1 1/4 lengths to register a popular victory in Saturday's $100,000 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park.

Wilkinson, a Dec. 10 maiden winner here, captured the Grade 3, $96,000 Lecomte, wearing down slow-pacesetting Pants on Fire while rallying up the rail under Garrett Gomez.

Former claimer Calibrachoa became a graded stakes winner and remained unbeaten in two starts for owner Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher when he held off Independence War by a half-length in the Grade 3, $98,000 Toboggan Stakes Jan. 22 at Aqueduct.

Trainer Bob Baffert continued his domination of the young 2011 Santa Anita meet when Euroears scored an easy front-running 2 1/4-length upset in the Grade 2, $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes, dealing odds-on favorite Smiling Tiger a third consecutive defeat.

Live racing was canceled at Aqueduct Friday because track officials feared the effects of an overnight storm might cause damage to the inner track. It was the third weather-related cancellation of the winter meet.

Strike Again and Gran Estreno, the one-two finishers in the Fair Grounds meet's first turf-route stakes for older males, the Dec. 4 Diliberto Memorial, are back for the Grade 3, $100,000 Colonel Bradley Handicap on Saturday.

On Saturday, Smiling Tiger will be expected to perform at a championship level when he makes his 2011 debut in the $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes over six furlongs.

Short fields have been dominated by heavy favorites or second choices. On paper, at least, Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Toboggan Stakes scheduled for six furlongs over Aqueduct's inner track has some appeal.