ELMONT, N.Y. - If Bill Mott had his druthers, he would have run Ron the Greek in Saturday’s $400,000 Kelso Invitational going a mile at Belmont Park rather than the $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles.
Mott had two-time defending Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Flat Out in the race, and with Ron the Greek having lost his last five starts, Mott thought it might be time to try something different with the 6-year-old son of Full Mandate.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Parranda, who usually does her best running from mid-pack or beyond, found herself closer than usual to a snail-like pace and made the most of the golden opportunity, drawing off to a 2 1/4-length victory over Millennia in Saturday’s $100,000 Our Dear Peggy Stakes on the turf at Gulfstream Park. Sola Gratia, the even-money favorite, finished fourth after steadying in traffic on the final turn.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The question regarding Laughing entering Saturday’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park was her ability to get the 1 1/4 miles.
Able to get away with a ridiculous soft early pace - she was loose on the lead through six furlongs in 1:16.02 under Jose Lezcano - Laughing had no trouble with the distance, holding off her stablemate Tannery by one-half length to win the $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational. Both horses are owned by Richard Santulli and trained by Alan Goldberg.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Private Zone, a Canadian-bred who began his career in Panama and set the early pace in the Dubai Golden Shaheen earlier this year, continued his jet-setting ways, winning Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Vosburgh Invitational in stakes-record time off the plane from California.
It didn’t come easily. The Doug O’Neill-trained speedster had to put away Forego winner Strapping Groom down the backstretch and needed to run an opening half-mile in 44.86 seconds to open a clear lead around the turn beneath Martin Pedroza.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Regal Conqueror put away the other speed and kept on going to land her stakes debut Saturday at Woodbine in the $125,000 Victorian Queen.
Regal Conqueror ($4.50) dueled with 45-1 shot Seeking a Glitter through moderate fractions in the six-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 2-year-old fillies. Regal Conqueror opened up a clear lead early in the stretch, and never looked back during a 2 1/2-length tally, in 1:10.51.
Third choice Lexie Lou rallied very wide to beat out second favorite On Rainbow Bridge for second in the seven-horse field.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Graydar returned from a six-month layoff with a solid effort, winning Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Kelso Invitational at Belmont Park. Now, his connections must decide whether it was good enough to take a shot at the Breeders’ Cup Classic next month at Santa Anita.
In his first start since winning the New Orleans Handicap in March, Graydar gutted out a front-running three-quarter-length victory over Brujo de Olleros in Saturday’s Kelso, earning an automatic berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.
ELMONT, N.Y. – The princess has morphed into a queen.
In a finish more surprising for its ease than its result, the 3-year-old Princess of Sylmar glided past two-time champion Royal Delta in midstretch to win Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame Invitational by two lengths at Belmont Park. It was 6 3/4 lengths farther back to Centring in third.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Schoolofhardrocks, considered one of the leading contenders in the Grade 1, $250,000 FrontRunner Stakes for 2-year-olds on Saturday at Santa Anita, was scratched from the race on Saturday morning because he was “a little off behind,” according to his trainer, David Hofmans.
“We scratched, to be cautious,” Hofmans said. “We’re going to do some diagnostic work on him in the next couple of days.”
Hofmans said that, at this point, he could not pinpoint with specificity what was ailing Schoolofhardrocks, hence the need for diagnostic work.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Obviously, who will be heavily favored to win his fourth consecutive stakes in the $150,000 City of Hope Mile on turf next Saturday, worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on the main track on Saturday.
