Sun, 08/04/2013 - 14:51

Woodbine: Youcan’tcatchme lives up to name in Etobicoke Stakes

Michael Burns
Youcan'tcatchme, ridden by Justin Stein, wired Sunday's Etobicoke Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Youcan’tcatchme, living up to her name, bounced out of the gate from her outside post and led her six rivals in a merry chase in Sunday’s $100,600 Etobicoke Stakes.

Trained by Sam DiPasquale and making her first start since Nov. 16, she was ridden for the first time by Justin Stein. Youcan’tcatchme prevailed by 2 1/4 lengths and stopped the clock in 1:09.28 in the six-furlong race for fillies and mares.

“I’d seen her race and worked in company with her,” Stein said. “She’s a beautiful filly. Sam just said, ‘Put her in the race,’ which is what I did.”

Sun, 08/04/2013 - 13:56

Woodbine: Steward stands by decision in Seagram Cup

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Alpha Bettor won the Grade 3 Seagram Cup for the second straight time here Saturday. But the story of the race was Ultimate Destiny, owned and trained by Alec Fehr, who finished second but was declared a non-starter when the stewards ruled that his gate had opened prematurely, creating  an unfair advantage.

All wagers were refunded, and Fehr was out $36,000 as a result of the decision.

Sun, 08/04/2013 - 13:39

Saratoga: Woodward likely to draw top horses from Whitney

Barbara D. Livingston
Cross Traffic scores a front-running Whitney win under John Velazquez.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Ian Wilkes, the trainer of beaten Whitney Invitational favorite Fort Larned, believes that if you ran the same horses back a month from now, there would be a different winner.

His theory may very well be put to the test in the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward on Aug. 31.

Sun, 08/04/2013 - 10:26

Prairie Meadows: Cainam reels in Ice Hockey to win Ralph Hayes

ALTOONA, Iowa – Cainam turned backed the clock when using a prolonged closing bid from the back of the pack to reel in the determined pacesetter Ice Hockey and take the $95,200 Ralph Hayes on Iowa Classic night Saturday.

Under jockey Terry Thompson, the 6-year-old Jon Arnett-trained Cainam ($15.80), who had won the 2011 Ralph Hayes, bided his time before circling six of his seven rivals around the far turn and taking aim at Ice Hockey as he reached the eighth pole. Ice Hockey proved a stubborn foe, as Cainam only managed to wear him down by a half-length in the last 40 yards.

Sun, 08/04/2013 - 09:57

Charles Town: Hidden Canyon wins Leavitt Memorial

Coady Photography
Hidden Canyon, ridden by J.D. Acosta, wins the $51,000 Robert G. Leavitt Memorial Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths Saturday night.

Hidden Canyon, gunned from the gate by J.D. Acosta, got the jump on fellow speedster In the Fairway and rode the rail on a sealed, sloppy track to a 1 1/2-length victory in Saturday night’s $51,000 Robert G. Leavitt Memorial Stakes for 3-year-old West Virginia-breds at Charles Town.

With In the Fairway chasing from the two path, Hidden Canyon clicked off fractions of 23.19 seconds, 46.83, and 1:11.08 en route to completing the seven furlongs in 1:24.60.

Sat, 08/03/2013 - 22:19

Del Mar: Pick six hit for $407,550

DEL MAR, Calif. - After a two-day carryover created massive interest, the pick six at Del Mar was hit by five ticketholders for $407,550 on Saturday.

The winners of Saturday’s pick six races were You Know I Know ($23), English Crossing ($18.20), Sunday Rules ($12.40), Lady of Fifty ($23.20), Chibita ($19), and Ethnic Dance ($5.80).

Ethnic Dance was the only winning favorite in the sequence.

[DEL MAR 2013: Complete meet coverage, schedule, race replays]

Sat, 08/03/2013 - 21:49

Del Mar: Lady of Fifty takes wide path to win Clement Hirsch

Benoit & Associates
Lady of Fifty, under Corey Nakatani, connects at 10-1 in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch.

DEL MAR, Calif. – A jockey who prefers to ride the rail aboard closers chose the path of least resistance aboard Lady of Fifty in Saturday’s $301,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar.

Corey Nakatani urged Lady of Fifty into contention with a six-wide rally on the turn en route to an upset win in the Grade 1 Hirsch for fillies and mares. Nakatani said the wide trip suited Lady of Fifty, who had ample momentum in the final three furlongs.

“I usually try to save ground, but she was traveling great for me,” Nakatani said.

Sat, 08/03/2013 - 21:36

Santa Rosa: Outside Nashville handles turf, two turns in Robert Dupret Derby

Vassar Photography
Outside Nashville, ridden by Russell Baze, draws clear in the stretch of the Robert Dupret Derby.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- Outside Nashville, making his first start on turf and around two turns, was content to sit back and accelerated in the stretch to win the $57,600 Roger Dupret Derby at the Sonoma County Fair.

Outside Nashville, a 3-year-old Broken Vow colt, won the Golden Nugget as a 2-year-old and was coming off a second-place finish in the Livermore Valley Wines, He went off the co-favorite in the 1 1/16-mile turf race with Miceli, who had four turf wins to his credit but had never placed in a stakes.

Sat, 08/03/2013 - 19:38

Canterbury: Dorsett gives Stidham second straight win in Mystic Lake Derby

Coady Photography
Jockey Lori Keith wins the Mystic Lake Derby for the second straight year by guiding favored Dorsett to victory on Saturday.

SHAKOPEE, Minn.  – Heading into the second running $200,000 Mystic Lake Derby at Canterbury Park, trainer Michael Stidham said he felt he had a pretty good chance to repeat the victory Hammer’s Terror gave him last year with  3-year old colt Dorsett.

“We were coming out of the best races and he got in a lot of trouble in the American Derby last out, so we felt good about it, but you never know,” Stidham said.

Sat, 08/03/2013 - 19:22

Louisiana Downs: Holiday Mischief springs Prelude surprise to earn Super Derby berth

Hodge Photography/Lou Hodges Jr.
Holiday Mischief pays $35.40 to win after holding off heavy favorite Sunbean by a head in the Prelude.

Holiday Mischief caught 1-2 favorite Sunbean on the wire to win the $100,000 Prelude at Louisiana Downs on Saturday, and earn a fees-paid berth into next month’s Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby. Holiday Mischief won by a head, while Sunbean finished 6 3/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Runaway Stephen. 

The Prelude was the richest of four stakes worth a cumulative $250,000 on the program. All of the races were preps for stakes on Super Derby Day, which is Sept. 7.