In seven starts in Europe prior to coming to North America, Button Down was a maiden and not a very good one at that. But on this continent, she has developed into a higher class of filly – a fact on display Saturday when she took the Grade 3 Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs to score her first graded stakes victory.
The racing brothers Keith and Kent Desormeaux have a knack for winning big races together, such as last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with Texas Red. Saturday, the men returned to their home state of Louisiana and took down one of its biggest prizes in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot with Exaggerator.
Jet Black Magic pulled a significant upset on Saturday, when she powered to a 4 1/4-length win over 1-5 favorite La Appassionata in the Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Downs Princess.
The brilliant Ami’s Mesa kept her unbeaten record intact with an impressive score over a top-notch field Saturday in the $144,900 Glorious Song Stakes at Woodbine.
Cougar Ridge held off surging favorite Departing by three-quarters of a length to win his fourth straight race Saturday in the $250,000 Delta Downs Mile.
Benefiting from a perfectly timed ride by Joel Rosario, Sky Flight ($12.20) was up in the final strides to catch Aztec Brave in Saturday’s $100,000 Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct.
Rain or shine, there’s no stopping Lochte at the present time. The red-hot turf specialist posted his third consecutive stakes victory and his first graded win of the year Saturday, drawing off to a convincing four-length victory over Flashlight in the Grade 3 Tropical Park Turf at rainy Gulfstream Park West.
Justalittlesmoke, sent off as the 1-9 favorite, had to work harder than expected to put away previously unbeaten Lady Buckeye in Saturday’s $75,000 First Lady Stakes for Ohio-bred 3-year-old fillies at Mahoning Valley Race Course.
Lady Lara parlayed a perfect trip under jockey Jose Lezcano into a popular 1 1/4-length victory over Hope Cross and Sandiva in Saturday’s $100,000 My Charmer Handicap at Gulfstream Park West.
There were no surprises Saturday the $100,000 Notebook Stakes at Aqueduct as Sudden Surprise got the best of an early pace battle with Love That Jazz and drove clear to win the six-furlong race for 2-year-old New York-breds.
