Happily Unbridled

Apprentice jockey Anna Roberts recorded her first career riding victory April 29 at Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino when she booted home 3-2 race favorite King of Mardi Gras in the evening’s ninth race.

Acting Lady, Mrs Kipling, Pasar Silbano and Burg Berg, the first four finishers in that order in the Providencia Stakes (gr. IIT) at one mile on the Santa Anita turf April 4, meet again in the $100,000 Senorita Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Park May 3.

Diamond Diva, last seen winning the CashCall Mile (gr. IIT) July 5, returns to the Hollywood Park turf course to defend her crown in the $100,000 Wilshire Handicap (gr. IIIT) on May 2.

Customers of TVG will be able to wager on the Churchill Downs spring meet beginning May 1, it was announced in the early evening of April 30. The limited-term deal also includes wagering on the 2009 Arlington Park meet and Calder Race Course meet through Oct. 31.

Street Sense was the first Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner to win the Ketucky Derby, and the first 2-year old champion to win the Derby since Spectacular Bid.

Trainer Wesley Ward, who had recent success with 2-year-olds at the Keeneland spring meet, continued his hot steak with Aegean and Jealous Again when the fillies ran one-two in the $100,000 Kentucky Juvenile (gr. III) April 30 at Churchill Downs.

While the focus of the racing world is on Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, Belmont Park is offering a program that includes three graded stakes May 2.

There’s a new president in town, and a Congress even more dominated by Democrats, but one of the nation’s top lobbyists for equine interests said April 30 that the horse industry must be ever-diligent about protecting and advancing its positions in Washington, D.C.

After Summer Bird’s solid third-place finish in the April 11 Arkansas Derby (gr. II), his connections decided to enter the colt in the Run for the Roses. His trainer, Tim Ice, just opened his stable last year.

A year and a half after Kentucky Education Television received a $2.25 million endowment to film a documentary called “The Thoroughbred,” the project was in full swing during Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs.