HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mike Maker, who has won more Claiming Crown races than any other trainer in the history of the event, added to his record total and did so with a flourish after sending out Special Ops and Bingo Kitten to finish first and second, respectively, in Saturday’s $125,000 Claiming Crown Emerald at Gulfstream Park. Special Ops’ 1 3/4-length victory over his uncoupled stablemate helped ease the disappointment for Maker after dropping a heartbreaking nose decision with Peru 30 minutes earlier in the Claiming Crown Tiara. Maker achieved a milestone when registering the 2,000th victory of his training career earlier in the week at Turfway Park. Julien Leparoux guided Special Ops to victory. He returned $16.20 and was timed in 1:50.41 for 1 1/16 miles over firm turf. Special Ops has won three of five starts since claimed by Maker for $50,000 in the interests of Skychai Racing LLC late this spring at Churchill Downs. The win was Maker’s 16th since the inception of the Claiming Crown in 1999.                                                                   When asked if Special Ops’ victory eased the disappointment of Peru’s narrow setback 30 minutes earlier in the Tiara, Maker replied, “I don’t know yet. I really thought we had won that race too. Julien did, too.” Pay Any Price holds on in Claiming Crown Canterbury Pay Any Price, forced to miss a potential start in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint due to nagging foot issues over the summer, made a triumphant return to the races on Saturday, leading throughout before narrowly outlasting longshot Oak Bluffs to capture the $110,000 Claiming Crown Canterbury. Pay Any Price, who set a world record of 53.61 seconds for five furlongs on the turf winning the Silks Run Stakes here earlier in the year, had not started since posting a similarly easy victory in the Turf Sprint Stakes on July 1. A 7-year-old son of Wildcat Heir, Pay Any Price is trained by Ralph Ziadie and was steered to victory by his regular rider Edgard Zayas. He paid $3.00 after completing five furlongs in 56.49 over a firm course. “Physically he’s 100 percent healthy, but fitness wise, he was probably about 75 percent today,” said Richard Averill, who owns Pay the Price in partnership with Matties Racing. “There was no doubt in my mind he’d be in front coming down the stretch. He held on. He’s got heart. He’s an awesome horse. We wanted to go to the Breeders’ Cup but we did right by the horse and gave him time.” :: Get extended Cyber Monday discounts on PPs, digital subscriptions, and more! Martini Glass takes to turf in Claiming Crown Tiara Turf or dirt, it doesn’t seem to matter to Martini Glass, who narrowly held off a late surge from Peru to register a nose decision in the $125,000 Claiming Crown Tiara. Starship Jubilee, the 8-5 favorite, tired late and finished a length farther back in third. Martini Glass finished second behind Romantic Vision over a sloppy track in the Grade 1 Spinster in her previous start and was also runner-up behind Songbird on a fast main track in the Delaware Handicap earlier in the season. She had won just once in six previous starts on grass. Martini Glass, a 4-year-old daughter of Kitalpha owned by the partnership of Vince Campanella and Nation's Racing, was claimed for $16,000 out of her career debut at Tampa Bay Downs in February of 2016. She ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.65 and paid $6.00. “I thought we lost,” said her trainer, Keith Nations. “Me and my wife, Cheryl, were just standing there. We didn’t know whether to go to where they unsaddle or go to the winner’s circle. We got caught in between and all of a sudden I looked up and saw the No. 4 up there and I was shocked. It looked like we ran second, but she got her nose down in time. We always thought she would be better on turf. She’s probably not. We don’t even know what her best distance is. It’s crazy.” Cautious Giant edges away in Claiming Crown Rapid Transit Cautious Giant circled horses on the turn before wearing down Manhattan Mischief and edging away to a one-length victory in the $110,000 Claiming Crown Rapid Transit. Defending champion Shaft of Light had an eventful trip and was never a serious factor, finishing 10th in a full field of 14 as the 7-5 favorite. Cautious Giant, claimed by trainer Victor Barboza Jr. for owner Mark Moshe for $16,000 here in late September, covered seven furlongs in 1:22.78 and paid $11.40.