Horse Racing News

For Saturday's $250,000 Del Mar Mile, Scenic Blast will start again on turf and over a distance that equals the longest race of his 23-race career.

When you have a horse who has won six consecutive races in distances from six furlongs to 1 1/4 miles, one would figure to be quite confident entering the next race.

The question is whether Discreetly Mine can duplicate that performance when he returns less than four weeks later and stretches out an additional sixteenth to seven furlongs against a stellar field in Saturday's Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga.

Purses will be higher than initially expected for the post Labor Day portion of the Monmouth Park meet. The 22 days from Sept. 11 to Nov. 21 will average $375,000 a day, well above the projected $275,000.

As the reigning Eclipse Award winner in the filly and mare sprint division, Informed Decision will be one of the stars of the undercard on Saturday's Travers Day program as the probable favorite in the Grade 1 Ballerina.

The Usual Q.T. drew the outside post on Tuesday night when a field of 10 was entered in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic on Saturday at Del Mar.

Haskell Invitational runner-up Trappe Shot was entered in Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes, drew post 2, and was installed as the 4-1 second choice on the morning line behind Jim Dandy winner A Little Warm.

Tuesday, both Mike Maker, who trains the Brazilian import Uareoutlaw, and Mike Stidham, who campaigns Grade 3 winner Comedero, were still up in the air regarding their status for the seven-furlong fixture.

Like the swallows returning to San Juan Capistrano, so too has Awesome Gem returned to Del Mar. Now age 7, Awesome Gem has become something of a fixture here. On Saturday, he will run in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic.

For the fourth time this year, Evening Jewel won a graded stakes on Saturday at Del Mar.