LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JULY 2, 2020—Stakes winners Alamode, Tac Me Up, Rite Quick and Ai Babe Foose are among the eight older horses that will be in action in the Grade III, $25,000 Independence Day Handicap at 300 yards on Friday night at Los Alamitos. First post is 6 p.m. (PDT). Now owned by Genaro Martinez while still under the tutelage of trainer John Cooper, Alamode has been one of the sharpest older runners this season. The Kiddy Up gelding won the Mr Jet Moore Handicap on March 31 and since then has posted back-to-back hard-fought second place finishes to older star Chocolatito. Alamode was second in the Kaweah Bar ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—JULY 1, 2020—Delta Downs has carded three stakes on its Fourth of July holiday program, topped by the 330-yard, $357,981 Louisiana Breeders’ Laddie Futurity (RG2) for state-bred colts and geldings. El Camino CL, an undefeated son of Heza Fast Dash trained by Jose Luis Sanchez III for owner Delfino Lozano IV, drew post 3 and will be ridden by Eddie Sanchez. El Camino CL has banked $151,425 from three starts, all in Louisiana, and the colt’s three wins include the 300-yard, $315,000 Mardi Gras Futurity (RG2) at Louisiana Downs in March. Rogelio Marquez Jr.’s Sir Louisiana Dash, the fastest qualifier, drew ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI VINTON, LA—JULY 1, 2020—Ten state-bred 2-year-old fillies, topped by fastest qualifier Ms Runaway Presence, have entered back in Friday’s 330-yard, $329,410 Louisiana Breeders’ Lassie Futurity (RG2) at Delta Downs. Ms Runaway Presence is a gray daughter of Sir Runaway Dash ...

SHELBYVILLE, IN—JULY 1, 2020—Indiana has always had a competitive group of older horses in the Quarter Horse ranks and 2020 is no different. Ten will line up in the starting gate for the 22nd running of the $59,600 Bradford Stakes Monday, July 6. The race is set for the ninth on the program with an estimated post time of 6 p.m. (EST). ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SHELBYVILLE, IN—JUNE 30, 2020—Indiana Grand will hold the first all-Quarter Horse program of its 2020 season on Saturday, July 4. Post time for the first of 13 races is set for 10 a.m. (CDT). Eleven sophomores, including one also-eligible entry, have been entered back in Saturday’s Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby. Williams Racing Stables Inc.’s WRS Apolliticalivory, a multiple stakes placed son of Apollitical Blood trained by Randy Smith, drew post 6 and will be ridden by Shanley Jackson. Raced exclusively at Indiana Grand, WRS Apolliticalivory has earned $56,566 from six starts, and his 2-year-old resume includes a third-place finish in the 300-yard, $92,000 Heartland ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI SELMA, TX—JUNE 29, 2020—Retama Park has carded three $30,000 stakes on its 10-race Fourth of July holiday program. Post time for the first race is set for 6:45 p.m. (CDT). Sarah Huskey’s Serendipity Rocks, a homebred son of Rock Solid Jess trained by Esteban Rubio, will make his 5-year-old season debut in Saturday’s ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 29, 2020—Seventy-two 3-year-olds, headed by graded stakes winners Hotsempting, Uncle D and Love Is Everything V, are entered in Saturday’s 440-yard Rainbow Derby (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs. Hotsempting is a bay daughter of champion Tempting Dash ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 29, 2020—Thirty-two 3-year-old fillies, headed by multiple graded stakes winner Fernweh, are entered in Saturday’s 440-yard Rainbow Oaks trials at Ruidoso Downs. Trained by Charles “Duke” Shults for owner Rusty Allred, Fernweh has won all four of her starts and has earned $541,118. The ...

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JUNE 29, 2020—Grade 1 winners Cyber Monday and Shott Gun are among the 292 2-year-olds entered in this weekend's 400-yard Rainbow Futurity (G1) trials at Ruidoso Downs Fifteen heats will be contested on Friday and Saturday, beginning at noon MDT each day. The five fastest qualifiers from each day will meet in the July 19, ...

LOS ALAMITOS, CA—JUNE 28, 2020—Link Newcomb’s Cattail Cove will return to action for the first time since running second in the Grade 1, $1.9 million Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity on December 15 when he leads a field of seven in the $25,000 Vandy’s Flash Handicap on Sunday at 400 yards. Cattail Cove had a highly productive freshman campaign, as the gelding won three of seven starts while also running third in the Governor’s Cup Futurity. Trained by Juan Aleman, the Favorite Cartel gelding worked 220 yards in :12.40 in preparation for this race on June 13. He could be a medium price on ...

BY MICHAEL CUSORTELLI AJAX, ONTARIO, CAN—JUNE 28, 2020—Nine aged sprinters, led by morning-line favorite Had To Be Ivory, are entered in Wednesday’s 300-yard, $31,800 Picov Maturity at Ajax Downs. A homebred 5-year-old son of Ivory James trained by Bryn Robertson for owners Carol Robertson and ...