OCEANPORT, N.J. – Jason Servis liked Ribo Bobo so much, he claimed him twice over the winter at Gulfstream Park.
The trainer’s confidence in the 5-year-old gelding was rewarded when Ribo Bobo extended his winning streak to seven with a five-length win over Immortal Eyes in the $72,750 Icecapade Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The Labor Day card closed out the core portion of the Monmouth season. Racing continues on a two day schedule – Saturdays and Sundays – through Oct. 6.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In what should be the twilight years of his career, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas is not going quietly into that good night.
Lukas celebrated his 78th birthday in style Monday, sending out Strong Mandate to a 9 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1, $300,000 Hopeful Stakes on closing day at muddy Saratoga. Casiguapo, a 30-1 shot, finished second by three-quarters of a length over Lunarwarfare.
Derby Kitten rallied to give the powerhouse team of owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Mike Maker yet another victory of note Monday in the $50,000 Cliff Guilliams Handicap, the feature of the closing-day card of the summer meet at Ellis Park in western Kentucky.
Last of six leaving the half-mile pole in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, Derby Kitten launched a sweeping move under jockey Jesus Castanon that carried him to a three-quarter-length score over a late-running Dreaming Blue. Street Serenade, the race-long leader, was another head back in third.
Heiko held off an explosive late run from Backseat Memories to win the $100,000 The Vid by three-quarters of a length Monday at Gulfstream Park. It was the first career stakes win for the horse, whose trainer, Marty Wolfson, also trained the race’s namesake, a multiple graded stakes winner at Gulfstream in 1995 and 1996.
Backseat Memories was a clear second, four lengths clear of third-place finisher Ashtar.
Stormofthecentury pulled a 28-1 upset Monday, driving to victory in the Grade 3, $350,000 Turf Monster at Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia.
Ridden by Stewart Elliott of Smarty Jones fame, Stormofthecentury returned $59.40 in defeating some of the top turf sprinters on the East Coast. Owned by Beechwood Racing Stable and trained by Lou Roberto Jr., the 5-year-old Florida-bred gelding was making just his third start on turf. He finished the five-furlong distance in 57.44 seconds over a course left yielding after heavy rains earlier in the day.
Southwest Lady held off the fast-closing Con Gee and Stormin Wendy to win the $51,225 Irish Sonnet Stakes by a half-length Monday at Delaware Park.
With Daniel Centeno aboard, Southwest Lady was fourth in the field of six juvenile fillies early on, as Witch Alert and Respectful Wishes dueled on the front end, building a four-length lead after a quarter-mile in 23.09 seconds and a half-mile in 46.53. As the two leaders began to tire, Southwest Lady moved into contention.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Christophe Clement had been looking forward to running Mystical Star in Monday’s $150,000 Glens Falls Stakes. But after heavy rain washed the closing-day turf fixture to a muddy main track, Clement withdrew Mystical Star and called upon Lady Cohiba, who led throughout under jockey Junior Alvarado to register a half-length decision over the late-charging White Rose.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Goldstryke Glory won her first stakes in dramatic fashion Monday at Woodbine in the $105,800 Inglorious, a six-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies.
Goldstryke Glory ($4.20) set rapid, wind-aided fractions of 21.22 seconds and 42.94 under Jesse Campbell. She established a 5 1/2-length lead at the quarter pole and then coasted home on top by 7 1/2 lengths in 1:09.18.
Laughing Falcon finished 1 1/4 lengths clear of Cabo Queen in second, while Rootham Triple E’s checked in fourth in a field reduced to seven with the scratch of Pretty Cool.
Jockey Pedro Rodriguez, trainer Anthony Ferraro, and owner Langpap Stables swept the pair of stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds at Finger Lakes on Monday, with Alwaysinstilettos scoring an upset in the $121,275 Lady Finger and Fox Rox delivering as the favorite in the $120,925 Aspirant.
Each horse won for the first time Monday in front-running fashion, with Alwaysinstilettos prevailing by four lengths and Fox Rox by 18 1 /4.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Ethnic Dance and Gabriel Charles, who won divisions of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sunday, are likely to face off in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, their trainers said Monday morning.
