George Weaver

4th-Gulfstream, $38,000, Msw, 5-3, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:11.86, ft. COMPETITIVE SAINT (g, 3, Competitive Edge--W W Old School, by Royal Academy) was sent off at 6-1 in this unveiling. The bay gelding pressed the pace through an opening quarter in :22.33 and powered to a clear advantage through a half in :45.77. He drifted out slightly down the lane, but maintained a 1 1/2-length advantage to the wire. Getthe Muny Bernie (Munnings) was second. A $60,000 KEENOV weanling, Competitive Saint was purchased by SGV Thoroughbreds for $90,000 at the 2018 Fasig...

The pickings are reasonably slim during this period of virus-restricted racing, but horses carrying the silks of Aron Wellman's Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners have prospered in recent weeks at Oaklawn Park, with placings in some of the tracks major stakes events. The suddenly fragmented Racing Festival of the South kicked off Apr. 18 with the running of the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H., won for the third time by Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), and the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 18. Eclipse's Point of Honor (Curlin), wide-trip winner of the GII Black-Eyed...

10th-Gulfstream, $46,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($25,000), 4-5, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:11.37, ft. UP IN SMOKE (f, 3, The Big Beast--Therese, by Exchange Rate) came from off the pace in her debut to score against fellow Florida breds Feb. 8 before adding another to the win column as the 4-5 choice in an optional claimer at the Hallandale oval Mar. 5. Sent off the even-money choice to remain undefeated here, she was unhurried early as Midtown Rose (Gary D) carved out opening fractions of :22.48 and :45.54. Asked for more by...

Sixteen prominent Thoroughbred trainers have expressed their support for the Horseracing Integrity Act via an open letter "to the Thoroughbred Community" sent out Friday. The trainers who signed on are: Tom Albertrani, Christophe Clement, Ben Colebrook, Gary Contessa, Arnaud Delacour, Janet Elliott, Mark Hennig, Kiaran McLaughlin, Shug McGaughey, Ken McPeek, Tom Morley, Graham Motion, Todd Pletcher, John Sadler, George Weaver and Nick Zito. The letter reads: "Horse racing is at a pivotal moment in its long history in the United States. The past six months presented a string of events...