Lukas Contenders Turn in Final Preparations

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas sent Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) contenders Oxbow and Will Take Charge through their final pre-race moves April 29.

Flat Out Takes on Seven Rivals in Westchester

Some prominent names -- including Flat Out and Pants On Fire -- are set to clash in the April 27 Westchester Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont Park.

Justin Phillip Wins Count Fleet at Oaklawn

Zayat Stables' Justin Phillip rallied in the stretch to win the $250,000 Count Fleet Sprint Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park April 13.

Gentlemen's Bet to Ante Up in Count Fleet

Lightly raced and undefeated Gentlemen's Bet will add some intrigue when he faces several tough competitors in the $250,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park April 13.

Take Charge Indy Among Skip Away Favorites

A year after Take Charge Indy left seven other 3-year-olds in his wake with a front-running score in the Florida Derby (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park, he returns as one of the favorites in the $100,000 Skip Away Stakes (gr. III).

Suggestive Boy Tops Lineup for Kilroe Mile

Argentine-bred Suggestive Boy, an impressive 2 1/2-length winner of the Arcadia Stakes (gr. IIT) over the Santa Anita Park turf one month ago, heads an eight-horse field in the $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (gr. IT).

Mucho Macho Man Out of Gulfstream Handicap

Defending Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. II) winner Mucho Macho Man will miss the March 9 event because of a mild virus, owner Dean Reeves confirmed Feb. 28.

Ive Struck a Nerve, 135-1, Shocks Risen Star

A 135-1 shot took the Risen Star Stakes (gr. II) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 23, Matthew W. Bryan's Ive Struck a Nerve closing late in the furlong grounds and catapulting himself onto the Derby trail.

The Lumber Guy Stacks Up Well in San Carlos

Top sprinter The Lumber Guy, looking to rebound from a disappointing performance in the Malibu Stakes (gr. I), is part of a well-balanced field for the $200,000 San Carlos Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 23 at Santa Anita Park.

Pants On Fire Hot in Gulfstream Slop

Rain couldn't extinguish Pants On Fire as the multiple graded stakes winner easily drew off to win by 5 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park Feb. 15.

GP Races Feature Capo Bastone, Pants On Fire

Two allowance events on the Feb. 15 and 16 Gulfstream Park cards feature some of racing's familiar names, with Pants On Fire taking on milers Feb. 15 and Capo Bastone making his first start since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Suggestive Boy Surges Late for Arcadia Score

Suggestive Boy, overcoming a terrible post, burst away from his rivals in deep stretch to post a convincing victory in the Arcadia Stakes (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf course Feb. 2.

Silentio Packs Top Weight in 14-Horse Arcadia

Lightly raced Silentio, a stylish winner of his stakes debut to begin the Santa Anita season in December, will be part of a packed starting gate for his first start as a 4-year-old in the $150,000 Arcadia Stakes (gr. IIT).

Lukas Weighs Options for Weekend Stakes Stars

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas had an anxious moment when victorious Will Take Charge stumbled while pulling up after winning the Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 21 at Oaklawn Park, but the Hall of Fame trainer said the colt is doing well.

After the Wire - 1/20/2013

Evan Hammonds recaps the Sunshine Millions Classic, Lecomte Stakes, and Silverbulletday Stakes.

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Oxbow in Lecomte, Silverbulletday is 'Magic'

Bluegrass Hall's Oxbow went wire-to-wire to win the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes by 11 1/2 lengths for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Jan. 19. Earlier, Touch Magic took the Silverbulletday.

Longshot Sahara Sky Scorches Palos Verdes

Sahara Sky took advantage of a blistering pace to tally a one-length victory from off the pace for a 21-1 upset in the $150,500 Palos Verdes Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 19 at Santa Anita Park.

THS: LeComte Stakes

Tom LaMarra and Pete Denk handicap the Lecomte Stakes and Sunshine Millions Classic this weekend.

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Comma to the Top Makes Jump in Palos Verdes

Versatile Comma to the Top, who has produced wins on dirt, synthetic, and turf, as well as going long and sprinting, brings his best form recently into the $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 19.

Circle Unbroken Starts Season in Lecomte

Grade III winner Circle Unbroken makes his 2013 debut Jan. 19 in the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds, stretching out in distance and taking on eight other 3-year-olds including Canadian stakes winner Avie's Quality.

Csaba Keeps Hot Streak Alive in Hal's Hope

Favored Csaba ran his stakes winning streak to four and likely stamped his ticket to next month's Donn Handicap (gr. I) with his victory in the $100,000 Hal's Hope (gr. III) Jan. 13 at Gulfstream Park.

Hal's Hope Could Springboard Csaba to Donn

Csaba is the best he's ever been, and if he sails through the Hal's Hope Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 13, he'll punch his ticket to his first grade I stakes attempt in the $500,000 Donn Handicap on Feb. 9.

Comma to the Top Takes Off-Turf Daytona

It was the wrong lead but the right result for Comma to the Top, who slugged his way to victory while becoming racing's newest millionaire in an off-the-turf edition of the $100,000 Daytona Stakes Dec. 29 at Santa Anita Park.

Dozen Set for Hillside Turf in Daytona Stakes

The $100,000 Daytona Stakes (gr. IIIT) attracted a dozen entrants to the hillside turf course at Santa Anita Park Dec. 29 including Great Mills, most recently fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) on the course.

Fair Grounds Meet to Open Thanksgiving Day

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots will continue a 114-year tradition with live racing Thanksgiving Day as the 84-day 2012-13 meet will open with a 10-race holiday card Nov. 22.