Melnyk Racing Stable's grade I winner Host, beaten by a half-length when second in last year's $100,000 Appleton Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park, gets another chance in Saturday's renewal of the one-mile turf course test.
Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum's L'Oiseau d'Argent won the $100,000 Sussex Handicap in gate-to-wire fashion at Delaware Park Saturday.
Argentine-bred Mr. Light found a lightning pace to his liking in Sunday's $100,000-added Poker Handicap, sweeping past the field in mid-stretch and holding off the late closer Willard Straight on the Belmont Park Widener turf course.
In the Texas Hold 'Em style of poker, what is referred to as the "turn" is the next-to-last community card dealt to the table. For Willard Straight, the turn of Sunday's, $100,000 Poker Handicap (gr. IIIT) at one mile on the Belmont Park turf, is where he will begin his closing run.
Evening Attire emerged from the foggy turn for home to take the lead in the stretch, but the Chilean-bred Host finished better to take the $150,000 Knickerbocker Handicap (gr. IIT) on Breeders' Cup Saturday at Aqueduct.
Christine's Outlaw, a winner of two of three races since trainer George Weaver switched the 4-year-old to the grass, is one of the favorites for Saturday's $200,000 Fourstardave Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Saratoga outer turf course at 1 1/16 miles.
After establishing himself as one of the leading sophomore turf runners in the nation last year, Kicken Kris drops out of grade I company Saturday in search of a much-needed win in the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap (gr. IIT) at Belmont Park.
