Trainer Steve Henson said Square Dancer came out of his dramatic win in the $100,000 Redekop Classic last Monday in excellent shape, but he wasn’t sure where he would make his next start. With Scott Williams aboard, Square Dancer rallied from well back to nip Modern by a nose in the 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.
Zig Zag not only improved her Beyer Speed Figure a full 50 points when she stretched out to a route for her season debut, but the 83 she earned for her maiden victory is by far the best two-turn figure among eight Pennsylvania-bred 3-year-old fillies Sunday in the $75,000 Malvern Rose Stakes at Presque Isle Downs.
Jazil’s Dream was one of three 4-year-old fillies scratched from the Soaring Softly – a two-turn turf race on the Florida Sire Stakes undercard Saturday at Gulfstream Park – to wait some 24 hours for the only allowance on an 11-race Sunday program, a $44,000 turf mile that drew a field of 10.
All-sources handle at Gulfstream Park continues to show steady gains as the evolution of the south Florida racing circuit shifts into greater permanence. Daily handle for July at Gulfstream averaged more than $5.7 million, an increase of 10 percent from the comparable period in 2014.
Trainer Tim Hamm is trying to turn back the clock with his 7-year-old mare Startin Something. A consistent performer throughout her 50-race career, with 12 victories, 37 top-three finishes, and a bankroll of $535,145, Startin Something is mired in a 22-race losing streak since her last victory in September 2013.
Veteran jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who has not ridden in any capacity since January 2014, can return to the saddle soon as an exercise rider.
Shoot Craps and Montauk Cove, winners of fast maiden races, figure to take the bulk of the betting action Sunday in the $60,000 Tyro Stakes for 2-year-olds sprinting five furlongs on turf at Monmouth Park.
Breeze Figs Quick-Pix for Saturday, August 8, 2015.
After the early scratch of the hopeless Croninthebarbarian, Chad Brown is down to a mere four entrants in Friday’s featured Grade 2 Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga, including the morning-line favorite (Night Prowler), the 5-1 third choice (Takeover Target), and the 6-1 fourth choice (Startup Nation). His fourth entrant, Winter Springs, is listed at 15-1, but the French colt adding Lasix for his U.S. debut could be better than all of them. If the four were coupled as an entry, it would be odds-on. Since they’re all separate betting interests, handicappers have a much tougher job.
Trainer O.J. Jauregui saddles Natalie Paige (#7, ML 8-1) in Friday's second race at Del Mar, a one-mile claimer on dirt. Since Jan., 1, 2014, Jauregui is winning at a 30 percent clip in dirt races, for a return on investment of $4.96. Check out the Positive ROI report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
