Slew Valley arrived at Calder Tuesday from trainer Michael Dickinson's Tapeta Farm training center in Maryland. The lightly raced 4-year-old by Valley Crossing placed in the Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont and was third in the Sword Dancer Invitational (gr. IT) at Saratoga over the summer.Completing the field: Groomstick Stock's (Rosemary Homeister, Jr.); Unite's Big Red (Eduardo Nunez); Medievil Hero (Jose Ferrer); Band is Passing (Carlos Gonzalez); Profit Option (Cornelio Velasquez); Spindrift (Jerry Bailey); Rize (Mark Guidry); American Halo (Manuel Aguilar); and Mr. Livingston (Abel Castellano Jr.).Eltawaasul, Saint Joseph, Pisces, and Broadway Snowman are on the also-eligible list.
Crash Course, Tijiyr, and Slew Valley head the 12-horse field for Saturday's $100,000 Tropical Turf Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Calder Race Course. Jockey Eibar Coa gets the call on Crash Course for Hall of Fame conditioner Jimmy Croll. The 5-year-old Holy Bull gelding is in peak form, winning the Cliff Hanger Handicap (gr. IIIT) at the Meadowlands and finishing third in the Knickerbocker Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont, beaten only a half-length for it all in his last start. Irish-bred Tijiyr will be ridden by Jorge Chavez. Tijiyr, who raced last year in France before being sent to Niall O' Callaghan, made a big impression by winning an allowance and the Explosive Bid Handicap (gr. II) at Fair Grounds in his first two American starts this year.