Avanzare returned from a layoff of nearly seven months to win his second consecutive Grade 2 stakes in Sunday’s $201,250 Del Mar Mile. The win left jockey Gary Stevens thinking he has found a mount for the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Oct. 31.
A pick six carryover of $418,098 will spice up what is an otherwise nondescript nine-race Monday card at Saratoga.
With Salutos Amigos in the barn awaiting the Forego, the David Jacobson owned and trained Stallwalkin’ Dude put in an extremely game performance outfinishing the favored Fast Anna and Scarly Charly to win Sunday’s $100,000 Tale of the Cat Stakes by a nose at Saratoga.
Even-money favorite Middleburg topped a Bert and Diana Firestone-owned and -bred exacta Sunday in the Grade 3 Cliff Hanger Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Flutterby, runner-up in last month’s Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes, cruised to a 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Gold Mover Stakes for fillies and mares at Gulfstream Park.
Maryland Jockey Club officials have deemed the first Laurel Park summer meet in a decade a success and are convinced Laurel “needs to run a portion of the summer” in upcoming years, according to Sal Sinatra, general manager of the MJC.
Reporting Star rallied stoutly along the inside to edge out a charging Tower of Texas to capture Sunday’s Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, a prep for next month’s Grade 1 Woodbine Mile.
Here’s how I’ll play Monday’s races, as always focusing on the overlays relative to my personal betting line.
If the $150,000 Roll With Joe on Sunday at Tioga was a fight, they would have stopped it. State Treasurer laid down the gauntlet early in the mile and romped to an easy 1:47 2/5 track record score, capping a big day for trainer Dr. Ian Moore and driver David Miller.
Billy’s Star ($7.60) notched his first stakes from off the pace Sunday in the $140,100 Victoria Park at Woodbine.
