They turned the clocks back two weeks ago but Hall of Fame trainer Chuck Sylvester turned back the hands of time for his fabulous career on Saturday night at the Meadowlands. He sent out both winners of the two Valley Victory eliminations for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on a night that also featured eliminations for the Governor’s Cup for freshman pacing colts.
Star Student made his stakes debut in Saturday’s $50,715 Oakland Stakes at Golden Gate Fields and, in the words of announcer Michael Wrona “passed with flying colors.”
Toews On Ice had won his two prior starts in easy fashion, but when tested on Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,500 Bob Hope Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar, he showed the grit and determination of his namesake, three-time Stanley Cup champ Jonathan Toews, and re-rallied for the victory, his third straight.
Absolutely Cool had always shown flashes of brilliance, including winning Turf Paradise’s marquee event, the $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup, last winter, but the 8-year-old has apparently learned a new trick – consistency – at this age as he rattled off a third straight big effort, rallying to win Saturday’s $35,000 Luke Kruytbosch Stakes.
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Trifecta bettors wouldn’t normally expect a very big payoff when the respective 1-2-3 finishers are trained by Todd Pletcher, Graham Motion, and Christophe Clement. But given the wide-open nature of the Grade 2, $200,000 Mrs. Revere Stakes on Saturday, the whopping $9,514.60 payoff on a winning $1 tri combination came richly deserved.
Winners are always happy and losers are generally sad, but emotions were higher than usual after the $350,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park on Saturday when Trouble Kid was disqualified from first to second and Gentlemen's Bet was awarded the win.
Trini Brewnette ($17.30) took the long way home to notch her first stakes win in the $125,400 South Ocean at Woodbine on Saturday.
Stepping up into a stakes race for the first time, Mr Maybe ran by the leaders in the stretch like they were standing still to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct by better than four lengths under confident handling from Irad Ortiz Jr.
The Washington Horse Racing Commission on Friday approved a 70-day racing season for 2016 at Emerald Downs. The meet will run from April 9-Sept. 11.
El Kabeir turned in a gutsy effort to win a three-horse photo in the $100,000 City of Laurel Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday. The City of Laurel was one of five stakes on the undercard of the $350,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash.
