Gimme Da Lute held his advantage to win the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles by a nose over a fast-closing Prospect Park. Kentuckian could only manage third as the 2-5 favorite.
Wildwood Kantharos made an easy lead under Chris Emigh and never was threatened, beating Lovely Island by 1 1/2 lengths in the one-mile Purple Violet Stakes for Illinois-bred 3-year-olds at Arlington.
Diabolical Dame darted to a 2 1/2-length win over Back Seat Roll on Saturday in the $45,000 Russell and Helen Foutz Distaff Handicap at SunRay Park in Farmington, N.M
Lady Eli was the best horse among the 14 3-year-old fillies entered to run in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational, and trainer Chad Brown thought all she needed was a clear trip to prove it.
Private Zone overpowered his four rivals in the $400,000 Belmont Sprint Championship on Saturday, going right to the front and winning by 3 1/4 lengths under his regular rider Martin Pedroza.
In a thrilling edition of the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park on Saturday, Effinex defeated 2-5 favorite Tonalist by a head following a ferocious stretch duel that also included the front-running Coach Inge.
Kharafa, with nowhere to run in midstretch, came between horses under Paco Lopez to score by a head in the Elkhorn Stakes on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
Though he had won the Grade 3 Penn Mile by only a head, it was the way Force the Pass did it that convinced owner Richard Santulli that his 3-year-old could get 1 1/4 miles. Santulli’s confidence was rewarded as Force the Pass, making a move to the lead under Joel Rosario at the three-eighths pole, kept on going and galloped to a 3 3/4-length victory over European shipper Canndal in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1.25 million Belmont Derby Invitational at Belmont Park. It was 2 1/2 lengths farther back to Startup Nation, who nosed out Closing Bell for third.
Reigning Canadian champion male sprinter Calgary Cat made amends for a rare poor showing May 17 in the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes by capturing Saturday’s $150,000 Achievement Stakes at Woodbine.
It isn’t often when the winners and losers of a Grade 2, $500,000 stakes are equally happy. But that seemed to be the case following Saturday’s Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park, where Speightster remained undefeated by beating Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red by 2 1/2 lengths.
