Martha's Music ($6.60), trained by John Servis and ridden by Harry Vega, cruised to a 10 1/2-length victory in the $145,500 Martha Washington Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park.
The 1 1/16-mile race, timed in 1:45.50, was left with just four 3-year-old fillies when it was moved from the turf course to the main track.
Docent ($5.60) overtook Sumset just before the wire to score a neck victory in the $50,000 Iroquois Handicap for Pennsylvania-breds at Philadelphia Park.
A 4-year-old colt trained by Tim Ritchey and ridden by Oliver Castillo, Docent had not won a race since taking the Maryland Million Sweepstakes at Pimlico last October. He covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jerry Bailey Bobble Head Doll Day came early as Tates Creek, with Bailey up, won a head bob over Voodoo Dancer to take the $500,000 Diana Handicap by a nose. It was one length back to Snow Dance in third.
"I won it by the bobble of a head," joked Bailey, whose likeness was to be the subject of a bobble head doll giveaway here on Sunday.
Tommy Meyers, the 56-year old dean of the Ohio riding colony, has been red hot over the past five days at Thistledown. Meyers has won with six of his last seven mounts and has displayed the ability that enabled him to win over 150 Stakes in Ohio when in the 12 year span between 1967 and 1981 we he rode first call for trainer Jim Morgan. Meyers came to Thistledown in 1967 following a 21 month tour of duty in the U. S. Army. Since then he has ridden 13,624 horses and has a 2,259-1977-1732 record while his mounts have earned $11,624,157.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Kirtle nearly pulled an upset in her first start in the United States in the Flawlessly Stakes at Hollywood Park on July 5. Sent off at 29-1, she fought through traffic to finish third, losing by 11/4 lengths to Super High.
In Monday's fourth, Kirtle returns in a $57,000 allowance race for 3-year-old fillies over 11/16 miles on turf at Del Mar that could be a prep for a stakes. But trainer Bob Hess Jr. is hesitant to look past Monday's race, where Kirtle will have eight opponents.
Trainer Thomas Amoss is based in the Midwest, so when he takes the trouble and expense to ship a horse to the East Coast for a stakes, it's safe to assume he has a live runner.
That certainly seems to be the case with Peace River Lady, a 3-year-old filly who appears ideally suited for Monday's $55,000 Count Turf Stakes at Delaware Park.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - It's 10:30 a.m., more than two hours before the first post, and already race fans have filled the park stage area just outside the Sonoma County Fair racetrack.
It's not a day at the races for them if it doesn't start with the daily handicapping seminar.
"It's part of what you do if you come to the races here," said track announcer Vic Stauffer, who co-hosts the seminars with local handicapper Danny Holmes.
FORT ERIE, Ontario - Trainer Mike DePaulo feels he has found the perfect spot for his crack sprinter, Krz Ruckus, in Tuesday's inaugural running of the $55,000-added Blazing Seven Stakes at Fort Erie.
The six-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up drew just four runners - probably because of the heavy hitters among the 34 nominations, which included Canadian champion Rare Friends. The other three runners entered are Golden Returns, Dreams Go Bye, and Deputy Chris C.
DEL MAR, Calif. - War Emblem, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner, rejoined the field for the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Sunday, less a week after he was declared from the race following the death of owner Ahmed bin Salman.
Trainer Bob Baffert informed Monmouth Park officials on Saturday that War Emblem was a candidate. Earlier in the week, Baffert declared War Emblem from the Haskell after Salman's death and Baffert's unhappiness with the 124-pound weight assignment.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Beat Hollow may have one chink in his armor, but it is not likely to show Sunday when he starts as the dominant favorite in the Grade 1, $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar.
Back-to-back Grade 1 wins this spring have earned Beat Hollow the reputation as the nation's top turf horse, a consensus trainer Bobby Frankel does not dispute. "Up to a certain distance, he probably is the best. Right now, a mile and an eighth, to a mile and quarter, is probably his best distance."