Horse Racing News

One day after being named a finalist for champion 3-year-old filly of 2010, Blind Luck moved a step closer to her 2011 debut by working a sharp seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Friday morning.

The three brightest lights in racing in North America in 2010 -- Blame, Goldikova, and Zenyatta -- on Thursday were announced as finalists for 2010 Horse of the Year by the three sponsoring organizations of the awards.

Final Mesa proved much the best following a five-month layoff Wednesday when dominating the opening-day feature of the 2011 Gulfstream Park meet, the Grade 3, $100,000 Old Hat Stakes.

Storied Claiborne Farm, those associated with Zenyatta, and Marylou Whitney, for decades one of racing's shining beacons, were announced on Wednesday as Eclipse Award winners, according to the awards' three sponsoring organizations.

When trainer Bob Baffert realized that Saturday's $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita may have only four starters, he had a quick opinion of the chances of his starter, Spurrier.

Drosselmeyer, unraced since winning the Belmont Stakes last June, has had two easy three-furlong breezes at Payson Park and could make his return to racing within a couple of months, said trainer Bill Mott.

Total wagering, purses, and race days all fell significantly in 2010 compared to 2009, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Jockey Club, with betting on U.S. races declining to its lowest level since 1995.

Unzip Me won her 2011 debut in Sunday's $100,000 Monrovia Stakes at Santa Anita. Last year, she did not win her first stakes until March, in her second start.

hanging Skies bounced back from her poorest performance since shipping to the U.S. during the summer of 2009 with a convincing 3 3/4-length victory over Casablanca Smile in Sunday's $150,000 La Prevoyante Handicap at Calder.

Jockey Robby Albarado broke his right heel in a pre-race mishap on Sunday at Fair Grounds.