Despite his bitter departure from the team, Patrick Roy apparently will be given his due by the Montreal Canadiens.

According to a report by Montreal newspaper La Presse on Friday, the Canadiens plan to retire Roys No. 33 in November.

The team would not confirm the report, and Roy told the newspaper he had no knowledge of the possible ceremony.

I dont know whats going on with that, Roy told La Presse. For sure, it would be a great honor.

A third-round pick in 1984, Roy was one of the top goaltenders in team history, leading Montreal to Stanley Cup championships in 1986 and 1993 – the last of the franchises record 23 NHL titles.

However, the native of Quebecs tenure with the Original Six club came to a screeching halt on December 2, 1995, when Roy allowed nine goals on 26 shots in a 12-1 home loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Feeling that Mario Tremblay humiliated him by refusing to pull him earlier in the game, Roy stormed past the coach to inform team president Ronald Corey he never again would play for the Canadiens.

Three days later, Roy was traded to Colorado in a five-player deal. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner went on to win two Stanley Cups with the Avalanche, who retired his No. 33 in 2003.

To this day, it still is believed Roy and the Canadiens are at odds. However, the former netminder insists there is no bad blood.

I dont know why people think theres a problem, Roy said, stating his duties as co-owner and coach of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey Leagues Quebec Remparts have prevented him from attending ceremonies in Montreal in recent years. I didnt have time to go to the Bell Centre. I would have liked to have gone to some events, like the jersey retirements of Bob Gainey and Serge Savard.

During his career with Montreal, Roy posted a 289-175-66 record with 29 shutouts and a 2.77 goals-against average in 551 games. The 11-time All-Star had a career mark of 551-315-131 with 66 blankings and a 2.54 GAA in 1,029 career contests over 19 seasons with the Canadiens and Avalanche.

His 551 victories are the most in NHL history, 13 more than New Jerseys Martin Brodeur.

A three-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Roy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006.

It’s been a decade since a reigning Horse of the Year raced at Saratoga. A drought that will end Saturday when Curlin goes into the gate for the Woodward Stakes. If you can name the last one without getting out the reference books, your memory’s better than mine.

While you’re thinking back, note that a Horse of the Year has returned to run in the Woodward in the current millennium, but not when the race was at Saratoga. Tiznow, who won the title in 2000, ran in the 2001 Woodward at Belmont Park, where he ran third to Lido Palace and Albert the Great in his first start since winning the Santa Anita Handicap six months earlier. He went on to win a second Breeders’ Cup Classic two starts later, but lost the 2001 Horse of the Year voting to Point Given.

Azeri was the last Horse of the Year titlist to race at Saratoga, but she no longer held the throne when she won the 2004 Go for Wand and finished second to Storm Flag Flying in the Personal Ensign. She won that award in 2002 but settled for just the older-female championships in 2003 and 2004, when Mineshaft and Ghostzapper won respective top honors.

The last crown-wearing Horse of the Year to race at Saratoga was . . . Favorite Trick, who won that title as a 2-year-old in a close and controversial ballot for the 1997 season over Skip Away and Silver Charm. Favorite Trick won all eight of his starts at 2 and the Swale in his 3-year-old debut, then ran a close third in the Arkansas Derby and faded to eighth in the 1998 Kentucky Derby. Freshened up, he came back to win the Long Branch at Monmouth and then, on Aug. 1, 1998, won a three-way photo over Deputy Diamond and Raffies Majesty in the Jim Dandy at the Spa. His connections then passed on the Travers, given the colt’s clear distance limitations, and instead ran him back in the King’s Bishop on the Travers undercard, where he ran fifth.

To find a previous reigning Horse of the Year who ran at Saratoga, you have to skip past Cigar, Holy Bull, Kotashaan, A.P. Indy, Black Tie Affair, Criminal Type, Sunday Silence, Alysheba and Ferdinand and go back to the 1986 Horse of the Year, Lady’s Secret. She was unbeaten in three starts over the track, having won the Test and Ballerina at 3 and the Whitney during her title season at 4, but her fourth Saratoga start turned out to be the last of her career. Sent off at 3-10 in a five-filly allowance race that began the Aug. 10, 1987 card, she bolted on the first turn and was pulled up, effectively announcing she had done enough after winning 25 of 45 career starts and was done with racing.

None of this ancient history is meant to suggest that Curlin will be laboring under a curse Saturday just because Favorite Trick and Lady’s Secret were off the board while wearing their crowns at Saratoga. The only Grade 1 winner facing him in this Woodward is Divine Park, who hasn’t raced since winning the Met Mile on May 26, and the six other entrants are a combined 0 for 22 in Grade 1 and Group 1 races.

His most dangerous opponent could be Wanderin Boy, Nick Zito’s “other” 7-year-old (besides Commentator). Wanderin Boy looks like the lone speed of this Woodward and has run second to champions Invasor (2006 Pimlico Special), Bernardini (2006 Jockey Club Gold Cup), and Lawyer Ron (2007 Whitney). If Zito can add an upset of Curlin to his recent Belmont Stakes upsets of Smarty Jones and Big Brown with Birdstone and Da’ Tara, Allen Jerkens may have to bequeath him that “Giant Killer” title.

Saratoga management has promoting Curlin’s appearance with unprecedented vigor, including civic celebrations, banners around town, a jam-packed “Curlin’s Corner” on its website, and something we rarely see in racing – an entire advertising campaign centered around a particular horse. If the weather holds, a crowd of 30,000 is expected Saturday, and track officials hope it will build some momentum that might carry through to Curlin’s next scheduled start, the Jockey Club Gold Cup at attendance-challenged Belmont Park on Sept. 27.

That’s assuming, of course, that this Horse of the Year survives Saratoga better than the last two who tried it.

A trio of 3-year-olds who ran well in the Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga earlier this month. Including winner Wesley and beaten favorite Adriano, head an 11-horse lineup for Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park.

Adriano, winless in three starts since taking the Grade 2 Lane’s End on Turfway Park’s Polytrack in March, is an underlay as the 5-2 favorite on the track’s morning line, and Wesley is a shaky proposition as the 7-2 second choice breaking from post 11 over a course where posts 9-12 are winning at 4 percent (6 for 149) at the meet.

Bargain-hunters may have a viable alternative, however, in the Hall of Fame’s third-place finisher, Deal Making.

The lightly raced Deal Making, listed at 6-1, missed by a mere half-length trying to close into slow fractions while blocked in the stretch of the 1 1/8-mile Hall of Fame on Aug. 4, his first loss in four career starts.

Ramon Dominguez, who was aboard when Deal Making won an overnight stakes at Delaware Park on July 1 and in the Hall of Fame last time, retains the mount for trainer Graham Motion.

“He was definitely a little unlucky,” Motion said of Deal Making’s troubled trip in the Hall of Fame. “Ramon could not get him out until a little too late, but a couple of other horses in the race could the say the same thing. He still put forth a very good effort.

“To be honest, he has been a huge surprise to me,” Motion added. “Stepping up from winning the overnight stake at Delaware to running in a graded race was a huge jump and he responded to the challenge well.”

Motion said Deal Making, unraced at 2, has been a much-improved horse since he was gelded at the suggestion of Augustin Stable owner George Strawbridge Jr. last winter. He won his career debut in April at Atlantic City, cleared his first allowance condition at Philadelphia Park, and then overcame a bad start to win the $59,000 Stanton. He has moved forward on the Beyer Speed Figure scale with each start, but his top of 87 is still well below the par of 97 for the Kent.

Adriano got a 92 Beyer for winning the Lane’s End and a 90 for his win in a first-level allowance at Gulfstream Park in January, and Wesley recorded a 92 winning his grass debut two starts ago. The lone other member of the Kent field with a 90-plus Beyer is Luck Money.

Luck Money, who began his career in England, won his North American debut in a restricted stakes at Saratoga with a 96 Beyer, but there are red flags. Luck Money needed 24.80 seconds to run his final quarter-mile, a slow time for graded stakes horses. The runner-up, Prussian, finished 10th as the even-money favorite in an optional claimer at Saratoga last Saturday.

The card also includes the $100,000 Go for Wand, a 1 1/16-mile dirt race for 3-year-old fillies.

Trainer Larry Jones has a strong coupled entry in Maren’s Meadow, a two-time Grade 3 stakes winner who is coming off a dominant score in the Monmouth Oaks, and My Heavenly Sign, who is 3 for 5 locally but has yet to race beyond a mile.

Wake Up Maggie rallied to win the $86,000 Adoration Handicap at Del Mar on Thursday. Beating fellow long-shot Super Freaky by 2 3/4 lengths.

Wake Up Maggie, ridden by Tyler Baze and carrying 116 pounds, covered a mile in 1:35.42 to set a Polytrack record and, as a 15-1 long shot, paid $33.40, $15.20 and $6.60. The previous record of 1:36.12 was set by Muny on July 28.

The victory in the race for fillies and mares was the sixth in 20 lifetime starts for Wake Up Maggie and was worth $51,600, raising the career earnings of the 5-year-old Irish-bred mare to $599,124.

Super Freaky, a 27-1 long shot, returned $28.40 and $12.20. Model, the 13-10 favorite in a field of 10, paid $3 to show.

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Dark Equation wins Turf Writers Cup.

Dark Equation edged Be Certain by half-length Thursday in the $159,300 New York Turf Writers Cup steeplechase at Saratoga Race Course.

The Paul Fout-trained 7-year-old gelding, ridden by Matthew McCarron, jumped 10 hurdles and ran 2 3-8 miles on the turf in 4:31.20.

Dark Equation paid $19, $6.90 and $4.40, and earned $91,080 for owner Beverly Steinman. Be Certain returned $4.20 and $3.20, and High Action paid $2.30 to show.

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Former England striker Channon injured in crash.

Former England striker Mick Channon was in stable condition Thursday after being seriously injured in a car crash that killed one of his friends.

Channon, 59, suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs, a fractured jaw and a broken arm in Wednesday crash on the M1 highway in Leicestershire. Surgery was scheduled for Friday, his son Michael said.

Channon, now a racehorse trainer, was traveling with bloodstock agent Tim Corby, who was killed in the crash. Channons 15-year-old son Jack was also in the car, but was not seriously hurt.

Mick is conscious and able to talk from his hospital bed and hes absolutely devastated at the loss of Tim, said Channons son Michael. We have been petrified and worried and absolutely out of our wits worrying about our own family. But as for the Corbys, our hearts really go out to them.

Corby, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, after the silver Mercedes he was driving went off the road and hit a concrete pillar, Leicestershire police said.

Gavin Pritchard-Gordon, the executive chairman of British Bloodstock Marketing, said Corby epitomized everything that is fun and positive about (horse racing).

Win or lose, he greeted all and sundry with a smile and a quip from his infectious sense of humor, and furthermore was a very shrewd and successful judge of horses, Pritchard-Gordon said.

Channon, 59, who played 46 times for England in the 1970s and made 510 appearances for Southampton before embarking on a highly successful career in horse racing, was taken to a hospital by air ambulance.

Being leading rider at a race meet is always nice, though nothing comes with it except bragging rights.
To Alan Garcia and his agent, however, being leading rider at Saratoga is important enough to give up a mount in a $1 million race, face a possible fine, and lose a potential client.

Despite giving the connections of Alaazo a call to ride that horse in Monday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, Tony Micallef, the agent for Garcia, said his client will not ride that horse in that race. Micallef wants Garcia to ride at Saratoga on Monday in hopes of clinching the riding title. Through Thursday, Garcia led John Velazquez by three wins, 34-31.

The problem is, Ahmed Zayat, the owner of Alaazo, doesn’t want to let Garcia out of his commitment, primarily because he can’t find another rider for his horse. Zayat, through his racing manager Sobhy Sonbol, wants Garcia to keep his commitment or not be able to ride anywhere on Monday.

According to Sonbol, the New York stewards told him Wednesday that Garcia would not be permitted to ride at Saratoga on Monday if he didn’t honor his Philadelphia Park commitment. The stewards said Thursday that is not the case. Had Garcia refused to ride a mount in a race in New York, the stewards could then have prevented him from riding another horse in that race.

On Thursday, the stewards told Micallef he could accept calls for Monday here.

Micallef believes a Saratoga riding title could be very important for the 22-year-old Garcia’s career, and tried to explain that to Sonbol when he asked on Sunday to get out of the call.

“I thought I gave them plenty of time to get out of the call,” Micallef said. “I gave him at least a week’s notice. I was straight up with him, told him the reason why; he doesn’t think that it’s that important to be leading rider at Saratoga and I told him it is, it’s a big deal. He’s going to need a rider, because I’m not going to ride the horse.”

When Sonbol was persistent in Micallef keeping his commitment, Micallef asked Sonbol for $5,000 for Garcia to ride the horse, according to both Sonbol and Micallef.

“What are you doing? What are you teaching this kid?” Sonbol said. “He’s got the title in the bag anyway even without that last day. He could win the title and maybe win a million-dollar race, too. If I could get a good jockey I could release him. I’m not able to get a jockey – not a good jockey.”

If Garcia doesn’t ride Alaazo, Micallef could face fines from both the Philadelphia Park and New York stewards. Philadelphia Park was dark on Thursday, and the stewards were unavailable to comment. Entries for the Pennsylvania Derby were to be taken on Friday.

McLaughlin seeks first Spa title

Garcia’s success goes hand and hand with trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, and McLaughlin is in line to capture his first Saratoga trainer’s title. With eight winners since last Friday, McLaughlin has taken a 16-13 lead over Todd Pletcher entering the final four days of the meet.

“It matters a lot,” said McLaughlin, who has not won a meet title on the New York Racing Association circuit. “The prestige of being leading trainer at Saratoga never was one of my goals. You just want to do well for your owners, but when you’re three in front with five days to go, the fire in your belly says, ‘Hey, let’s go do this.’ ”

McLaughlin will have plenty of action over the final four days, including running Divine Park in the Grade 1 Woodward and Lucky Island in the Grade 1 Forego on Saturday. Pletcher, a six-time leading trainer at Saratoga, has eight horses entered on Saturday.

“Todd is one of my best friends,” McLaughlin said. “A dead heat would be great for us, but we’re very happy to be in this position.”

Ward hopes for strong finish

While Wesley Ward won’t finish as the leading trainer in terms of wins, he could finish on top in winning percentage. When Easy Ashley won Thursday’s seventh race, it gave Ward a record of 8 wins from 20 starters for a healthy .40 winning percentage.

Ward hopes to conclude this meet in a big way when he runs Mine All Mine in Sunday’s Grade 1 Spinaway and Notonthesamepage in Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful.

Ward had planned to run Notonthesamepage in the Sanford Stakes here on July 24, but the horse developed a temperature. It subsided quickly enough that Ward ran the horse two days later in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park, where he was beaten by Fellow Crasher.

“In the Sanford I wanted to put him on the lead with blinkers,” Ward said. “In the Tyro, he just blasted out of there and basically he just got outrun.”

Ward is taking the blinkers off Notonthesamepage, and he is extremely happy with the way the colt has trained.

Ward said Mine All Mine was his best 2-year-old of either gender until recently, when Notonthesamepage overtook her. Mine All Mine won a maiden race by 9 3/4 lengths here on July 24.

Ward said he may also run August Rush in the Spinaway. August Rush won her debut on the turf on July 28.

Others pointing to the Spinaway include Casanova Move, Collegiate, Girlfrienontheside, Jardin, Mani Bhavan, Miss Ocean City, and Winning Brew.

Big Brown has turf work at Aqueduct

Big Brown worked five furlongs in 1:04.67 Thursday morning over Aqueduct’s turf course in preparation for a start in the $500,000 Monmouth Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sept. 13.

Under Michelle Nevin, Big Brown’s fractions were 12.70 seconds, 25.52, 39.99, and 53.11. The move was done around a triple set of cones set up on the course to protect the inner part of the turf. Aqueduct does not open until Oct. 29.

Dark Equation wins Turf Writers Cup

Dark Equation, second to stablemate High Action in the A.P. Smithwick three weeks ago, turned the tables on that rival by winning Thursday’s Grade 1, $159,300 New York Turf Writers Cup by one-half length over Be Certain. It was a neck back to High Action in third.

After racing in sixth position, Dark Equation, under Matthew McCarron, made an outside rally to gain contention entering the stretch and came to the final fence just outside of Be Certain, to whom he was giving 13 pounds. Be Certain led after the final hurdle, but Dark Equation was able to run him down.

Dark Equation, a 7-year-old gelded son of Polish Numbers owned by Beverly Steinman and trained by Doug Fout, covered the 2 3/8 miles in 4:31.28 and returned $19.

“Matt had the perfect trip,” Fout said. “We were very worried that the pace was going to be so quick for him; this horse usually drops way out of it if it’s too fast. He’s been training great, came out of the Smithwick super. I kept him up here because he does better at the flat track than he does back home and it paid off.”

High Action, under Paddy Young, got stopped on the final turn as he tried to rally along the inside as per Fout’s instructions.

“Poor Paddy, he stuck to exactly what I said,” Fout said. “You could see he was trying to get through twice and he never did. The second time he probably should have gone out and followed Dark Equation.”

* Earlier on the card, Silver Knockers overcame a stumbling start to rally for a 3 3/4-length victory over stabelmate Debbie Got Even in the $80,000 Halfmoon Stakes for fillies and mares. Both horses are trained by Nick Zito.

Silver Knockers, under Velazquez, covered seven furlongs in 1:23.70 and returned $4.40 as the 6-5 favorite.

In any given stakes race in which four of the 10 starters are maidens. It might be tempting to whittle the number of legitimate contenders to six.

But not so fast. Two of the maidens in the $100,000 Bassinet Stakes own the best lifetime Beyer Speed Figures in the field, and handicappers trying to dissect the six-furlong race might have a difficult time deciding on one of the maidens, or any of the 2-year-old fillies who already have won, as the most likely winner.

The Bassinet, which starts closing weekend Saturday at River Downs in Cincinnati, is carded as the 11th race on a combined 7&7 program with Thistledown. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The $200,000 Cradle Stakes, the annual highlight of the River meet, is set for Monday.

None of the 10 fillies in the Bassinet has won a stakes, and only one, Yo Eleven, has won more than once, having captured the Aug. 10 Bassinet prep at River. Yo Eleven, based at the Victory Haven training center in Lexington, Ky., with trainer Mike Crowder, also won a maiden-special race at Churchill Downs in May.

“She’s a real honest filly,” said Crowder. In the Bassinet prep, “she kind of hopped at the start, so she probably could’ve won easier that day.”

Still, two of the maidens might take more wagering action than Yo Eleven. Robin My Girl was a close second on Polytrack on the Aug. 9 Arlington Million undercard at Arlington Park for trainer Terry Gestes, while Emma Darling was a close fourth in a tough July 28 maiden race on the Saratoga turf for trainer Mike Maker.

The last-out Beyers for the top contenders were 65 for Yo Eleven, 75 for Robin My Girl, and 71 for Emma Darling.

Two Churchill-based trainers with starters in the 2008 running have accounted for seven previous renewals of the Bassinet: Bernie Flint, who is sending out More of the Best, has won the race four times, while David Vance, trainer of Westline, has won it three times, including last year with Kadira.

Gestes won the 2006 Bassinet with Devil House, while Tim Hamm, who on Saturday will saddle Afternoon Stroll, won the 2001 running with Joanies Bella. Afternoon Stroll, a close second as the favorite in the Bassinet prep, will be treated with Lasix for the first time Saturday.

Steve Asmussen said he would be excited to watch Curlin run even if he weren’t his trainer.
The New York Racing Association hopes the public shares Asmussen’s enthusiasm for the reigning Horse of the Year.

After spending two summers training here on a daily basis, Curlin will make his highly anticipated Saratoga debut in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Woodward Stakes as he begins what could very well be the final three-race stretch of his brilliant career. The final Saturday of the Saratoga meet is usually the least-attended – averaging between 18,000 to 19,000 fans – but NYRA officials are hoping that won’t be the case this summer.

“If we saw a spike of 25,000 to 30,000, I’d be ecstatic,” said Hal Handel, executive vice president and chief operating officer for NYRA. “I think the fact this is a purist’s racetrack and they’re reverential about seeing good horses run, might mean more up here than any other racetrack.”

Curlin hopes to add the Woodward to his victories this year in the $6 million Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest race, and the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs. He will take on seven rivals, including Grade 1 winner Divine Park, in the Woodward, a 1 1/8-mile dirt race that shares billing on Saturday’s 11-race card with the Grade 1 Forego for male sprinters.

Curlin is the first reigning Horse of the Year to run at Saratoga since Favorite Trick, the 1997 Horse of the Year who won the Jim Dandy and finished fifth in the King’s Bishop in 1998.

Curlin stabled here last summer and worked nine times over the Oklahoma training track from July through September, but did not race here. His connections chose the Haskell over the Travers primarily because the Haskell was run at Monmouth Park, where the Breeders’ Cup was held three months later. This year’s Breeders’ Cup is being held at Santa Anita over a synthetic surface, and Curlin is instead being pointed to the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on Sept. 27 and potentially the Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin on Dec. 7.

Another reason for avoiding Saratoga was Asmussen’s concern that Saratoga’s track would not be conducive to Curlin’s running style. Asmussen likened Saratoga to Keeneland’s old dirt track, which tended to favor front-running horses. Asmussen also had an issue with Saratoga’s tighter turns.

“For a track that size, with sharp turns, horses that cut the corner get an extra step when they do,” Asmussen said. “Every track has a nuance to it, that’s what Saratoga’s is.”

Now, 4 years old and more experienced, Curlin is more adept racing around turns, Asmussen said. “He’s handling so much nicer as far as his turning,” he said.

The Woodward will be Curlin’s first race since he finished second in the Man o’ War at Belmont on turf. Curlin ran a decent race that day, but appears to be doing better entering this race than he was going into that one. Curlin trained at Churchill Downs for the Man o’ War.

“Curlin definitely does better in the cooler weather, I think that’s why he did so well here last year,” said Asmussen’s assistant, Scott Blasi, who has been with Curlin every day up here. “It gets pretty hot at Churchill in June, July. He’s definitely gone the right way physically.”

Curlin will break from post 5 under Robby Albarado in a weight-for-age race where all participants carry 126 pounds. With Divine Park, Past the Point, and Wanderin Boy in the field, there is plenty of speed to allow Curlin to take up his usual spot off the pace.

Divine Park figures to be Curlin’s toughest rival. He has won 6 of 8 career starts, including the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handcap on May 26, and has had legitimate excuses in his two losses. In finishing ninth in the Grade 1 Malibu last December, Divine Park was making his first start in nine months and breaking from post 14. In finishing last in the General George at Laurel in February, Divine Park broke through the starting gate before the start.

“We’re pretty confident even with Curlin in there that he’s going to run a big race,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “He’s doing great and we feel like he has us to beat. I don’t know who else is in there, but this horse is a top horse and could easily be undefeated.”

The 7-year-old Wanderin Boy, trained by Nick Zito, is coming off an excellent allowance win going seven furlongs and has run second to champions Invasor, Bernardini, and Lawyer Ron in Grade 1 races.

“He’s been of the best handicap horses year-in and year-out, and he certainly belongs in there,” said Zito, whose biggest concern is post 8. “He’ll give his all.”

Trainer Bobby Frankel entered Out of Control, who has finished second in Grade 1 turf races in his last two starts, including a nose loss in the Manhattan at Belmont on June 7. Frankel had been planning to run Out of Control in the Pacific Classic, but the horse had mucus in his lungs and he didn’t want to ship him.

“I’ve had him ready to run for a while, I just didn’t want to put him on a plane and chance that he’d get sick again,” Frankel said. “He trains real well on dirt.”

Out of Control has a win and a third in two dirt races, and Frankel is changing bits on the horse because of his tendency to lug in a bit.

Mystery Classic, who had been sidelined with a non-displaced condylar fracture to his right hind leg. Returned to training on Aug. 25, said his trainer, Bob Schultz. The horse is based at Retama.

“He just got back,” said Schultz. “He probably won’t be ready until Houston. We ought to be able to start putting works in him the first part of October.”

Mystery Classic was the Texas-bred horse of the year in 2007.

F-T Texas colt gets $120,000

A colt by Even the Score topped the Fasig-Tipton Texas yearling sale held at Lone Star Park on Monday and Tuesday. Lee Young purchased the horse for $120,000 from Elysian Bloodstock, agent. The Louisiana-bred horse is out of the mare Whata Rock, a multiple stakes winner of $205,502. His connections said plans are for him to launch his career at 3.

* A half-brother to Liberty Bull, winner of this year’s $600,000 WinStar Derby, topped a summer yearling sale in Oklahoma City on Saturday when he brought a bid of $50,000. He is by Slew City Slew.

Jockey Clinton Potts celebrated his 37th birthday Wednesday. By riding Ten Churros to a 2 1/2 -length victory over Tammys Luck in the $108,200 Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar.

Ten Churros, who carried 116 pounds, covered six furlongs in 1:11.61 and paid $9.80, $5.40 and $3.80. The win in the race for California-bred 2-year-old fillies was the second in four lifetime starts for Ten Churros and was worth $64,920.

They put the blinkers on her today to get her to relax, Potts said. You can do that with them sometimes and that was the plan today and it worked. She was very responsive and when it was time off that fast pace, she came running. It worked out great.

Tammys Luck returned $9.40 and $4.80. Trash Master, a 17-1 long shot, finished third and paid $5.20 to show. Streamin Heat, the 17-10 favorite, was last in a field of seven.

The stakes win was the first of the Del Mar meeting for trainer Bob Baffert and his 79th overall at the trackmost of any trainer.

Well, I got my stakes win for the meet, he said. Now I can go home. Shes been working well and training, and I decided to put Clinton (Potts) back on her. I told him if were going to rate her, maybe this is the day. When he came off the turn, I was feeling pretty good.

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Cagey Girl wins Mollie Wilmot.

Cagey Girl beat Nedjma by 1 lengths Wednesday at Saratogna in the $83,250 Mollie Wilmot Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares.

The 4-year-old Cagey Girl, ridden by Mike Luzzi, ran a mile on the turf course in 1:36.01, and paid $47, $23.20 and $12.20. The David Duggan-trained Cagey Girl earned $49,950 for North Shore Racing.

Nedjma returned $12.20 and $8.20, and Love Cove paid $7.10 to show.

The depth of Joseph LaCombe racing stable will be evident in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity next Wednesday.

LaCombe owns Azul Leon, who was promoted from second to first via disqualification in the Best Pal Stakes on Aug. 10, and Escalon, an exciting maiden race winner on Aug. 1. As of Wednesday, Escalon was expected to start in the Del Mar Futurity, while Azul Leon may be held out of that race in favor of Norfolk Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 28, according to LaCombe’s son, Joe.

Doug O’Neill trains both colts. Escalon beat maidens by two lengths in a six-furlong race on Aug. 1, drawing off in the final furlong. For Joe LaCombe, the style of the win justifies a start in the Del Mar Futurity.

“He ran great the first time out,” LaCombe said. “He came from off the pace and ran really well. Anytime you see a first-time starter run like that you have to be excited.”

Azul Leon is unbeaten in three starts. He finished a nose behind Futurity hopeful Kelly Leak in the Best Pal Stakes, and was promoted to first after Kelly Leak was ruled to have caused interference. The Best Pal Stakes was Azul Leon’s second stakes win, preceded by the Grade 3 Hollywood Juvenile Championship over six furlongs at Hollywood Park on July 5. After that race, LaCombe and O’Neill said that Azul Leon may have only one one start at Del Mar. They may stick to that plan.

“If he doesn’t run in the Futurity, he’ll go for the Norfolk,” LaCombe said. “He’s doing so well.”

LaCombe, a frequent visitor to trainer Doug O’Neill’s stable this summer on behalf of his father, pegged Azul Leon’s chances of starting in the Del Mar Futurity as “50-50.”

Escalon worked five furlongs in 1:02.60 on Wednesday. Another O’Neill-trained hopeful, S.S. Stone, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20. Owned by Robert LaPenta, S.S. Stone finished eighth in the Best Pal Stakes in his stakes debut.

The Del Mar Futurity has 11 probable starters, including Arashi Cat, Believe in Hope, Blazing Spirit, Coronet of a Baron, Kelly Leak, Midshipman, Southern Exchange, and Wild Wild Posse.

Monday’s $250,000 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies over seven furlongs has 10 probable starters, led by Evita Argentina, the winner of the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes on Aug. 6, and Empressive lady, a flashy maiden race winner here on July 27.

The other hopefuls are Emmy Darling, Montana Fields, Palacio de Amor, Saucey Evening, Stardom Bound, Trifecta King, and Turtle Creek Babe.

Mast Track’s next uncertain

Mast Track, third in the Pacific Classic last Sunday, is bound for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, owner-trainer Bobby Frankel said. Frankel said it was unclear whether Mast Track would have another start before the BC Classic, in a race such as the $500,000 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27.

In the Pacific Classic, Mast Track finished 2o1/2 lengths behind race winner Go Between after racing in fourth for much of the 1 1/4-mile race. The Pacific Classic was Mast Track’s first start since winning the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 28.

“I thought he ran good,” Frankel said. “He was a little wide. He was competitive.”

Frankel said “I haven’t made up mind yet” on whether Mast Track would start in the Goodwood.

Zappa, who finished a troubled fourth in the Pacific Classic, has the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Marathon over 1 1/2 miles on the main track on Oct. 25 as a long-term goal, trainer John Sadler said.

In the Pacific Classic, Zappa finished 3 1/4 lengths behind Go Between, but was in traffic on the turn and in early stretch. Sadler said the Goodwood or the $125,000 Ralph Hinds Pomona Invitational at Fairplex Park on Sept. 21 are possible preps for Zappa.

Awesome Gem, a disappointing seventh as the 4-1 second choice in the Pacific Classic, could return in the Goodwood, although trainer Craig Dollase said no plans have been finalized.

Chocolate Candy deserves to be favorite

Following sixth-place finishes in his first two starts, Chocolate Candy will be favored to win a one-mile maiden race for 2-year-olds on Friday.

“If he doesn’t win that race, I’ll be disappointed,” said Dan Ward, assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. “We’ve been waiting for distance.”

Chocolate Candy was beaten 2 3/4 lengths in a six-furlong maiden race on July 26. By Candy Ride, Chocolate Candy could run in the Norfolk Stakes if he wins on Friday.

Chocolate Candy is owned by the Craig Family Trust, and was bred by Sid and Jenny Craig. Sid Craig died earlier this summer after a lengthy illness.

Yankee Bravo passing on Del Mar Derby

Yankee Bravo, unraced since finishing 10th in the Preakness Stakes on May 17, was not entered for Sunday’s $350,000 Del Mar Derby after trainer Paddy Gallagher decided the colt was not ready.

Yankee Bravo worked five furlongs in 59.20 seconds on Tuesday, but jockey Alex Solis told Gallagher he was not pleased with the way the colt finished. “Alex thought galloping out he was getting a little tired,” Gallagher said.

“I missed a bit of time with him. He had a little thing with his feet.”

Gallagher said that Yankee Bravo will be pointed for the $150,000 Oak Tree Derby over 1o1/8 miles on turf Oct. 25.

The Del Mar Derby, run over 1 1/8 miles on turf, has drawn a field of nine, including Sky Cape, the winner of the La Jolla Handicap on Aug. 9, and Tiz West, the winner of the Cinema Handicap at Hollywood Park in June who finished 10th in the La Jolla.

Owners host U.S. Marines

Pablo Suarez, who co-owned Thor’s Echo, the 2006 Eclipse Award-winning sprinter, is among a group of Del Mar horse owners, including Bob Bone and Scott Guenther, who will be hosting a group of United States Marines at the track on Monday.

Suarez said about 150 Marines will attend. He is seeking additional owners to make donations to give to the Marines as they leave the track. “Not gambling money,” he said in an email, but a cash gift. He is hoping to raise $30,000, or $200 per Marine.

According to Suarez, donations can be left with Bridget Crawford, the paymaster of purses at Del Mar. Suarez said he can be reached at 661-904-8185.

o Jockey Aaron Gryder took off his mounts Wednesday through Friday because of a mild concussion suffered when he was unseated from a horse during training hours, according to his agent, Craig O’Bryan.

Gryder is expected to ride on Saturday, O’Bryan said. Through Monday, Gryder has won 9 races from 91 mounts at this meeting, and was ranked 14th in the standings.