Calder Splits Opening Day Feature

(from track report)
Calder's turf will be in use prominently for the Friday afternoon opening card with two divisions of the Blazing Sword overnight stakes highlighting the 10-race program.

A total of 27 3-year-olds and up were entered for the 7 ½-furlong grass course feature, which was split into two divisions of 10 each with seven others on the also-eligible lists. They are carded as the 5th and 8th races. The purses will be $40,000-added for each.

Teresa and David Palmer's Mr. Livingston and Olga Paradise's Honorable Pic, 6-year-old multiple stakes winners, meet in the first and stronger division. Mr. Livingston makes his third start after a lengthy layoff since May for trainer Bill Kaplan.

Honorable Pic hit the comeback trail at Tampa Bay this winter. Trained by Jerry Paradise, the son of Piccolino has made only four starts in the last two years. Going back to September of 2001, he lost a head decision to Mr. Livingston in the Miami Mile Breeders' Cup.

Acclaimed Racing Stable's Love the Game looks like the horse to beat in the second division on current form. Trained by Henry Collazo, the 5-year-old Mecke horse has run four straight big races, including a close second to Union Place and an allowance victory at Gulfstream.

An intriguing prospect is Stride Rite Racing Stable's Friendly Frolic, who has never tried turf before. Trained by Milton Wolfson, the son of Mt. Livermore out of Cherokee Frolic almost turned in a big upset at Gulfstream in January when second in the Mr. Prospector Handicap (G3) going six furlongs.