SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Two-time Eclipse Award winner Royal Delta left little doubt that she is indeed still the queen of her division and erased the memory of one of the few blemishes on her outstanding résume’, cruising to a 4 1/2-length victory over Authenticity in Sunday’s $600,000 Personal Ensign. Royal Delta finished second as the odds-on favorite in the 2012 Personal Ensign.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Summer Front, the even-money favorite, uncorked an explosive stretch rally to win the Grade 3, $101,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes on the turf at Monmouth Park on Sunday.
Joe Bravo was aboard for his fourth win of the day and a sweep of the day’s two stakes. He earlier captured the $72,750 Lady’s Secret aboard Summer Applause.
Summer Front, a 4-year-old trained by Christophe Clement, got his seventh win in 13 starts. As usual, he was well off the early pace set by Tune Me In, the winner of last year’s Cliff Hanger.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Dimension, a 10-1 outsider from Kentucky, put away the other speed and kept on going to take Sunday’s Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, the local prep for next month’s $1 million Woodbine Mile.
Dimension dueled with Danger Bay and Excaper through honest fractions in the seven-furlong turf sprint while saving ground under jockey David Moran. Dimension opened up a clear lead in midstretch, then edged away to prevail by 2 1/4 lengths in a quick 1:19.89 over a very firm course.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Ramon Dominguez, who retired earlier this year because of a brain injury suffered in a spill at Aqueduct on Jan. 18, was honored here Sunday in an emotional ceremony held in the winner’s circle following the afternoon’s fourth race.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Vagabond Shoes earned a fees-paid berth to the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 with a win in Saturday’s $200,250 Del Mar Handicap.
DEL MAR, Calif. – She’s a Tiger will wear blinkers in a race for the first time in Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar Debutante.
Trainer Jeff Bonde said Sunday that She’s a Tiger was comfortable with the additional equipment when she worked six furlongs in 1:12 last Friday, the fastest of 10 works at the distance.
“She responded well with them,” he said. “It was her best work.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Cross Traffic and Mucho Macho Man, the first- and third-place finishers in the Grade 1 Whitney here Aug. 3, turned in their final workouts Sunday for their scheduled rematch in Saturday’s Grade 1 Woodward.
Daddy Nose Best ran down pacesetter Dakota Gypsy for a one-length win in Saturday night’s $75,000 DeBartolo Memorial Handicap at Remington Park. Dakota Gypsy held second by a head over third-place finisher Ol Winedrinker Who in the 1 1/8-mile turf race.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Will Take Charge and Moreno, separated by a nose in Saturday’s $1 million Travers Stakes, are likely to meet again in next month’s Pennsylvania Derby, while Kentucky Derby winner Orb and Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice appear headed for the Jockey Club Gold Cup as the race for the 3-year-old championship heads into the fall.
Jax and Jill reaffirmed her status as the top West Virginia-bred 3-year-old filly on the grounds at Charles Town by cruising to a six-length victory in Saturday night’s $50,750 Sylvia Bishop Memorial Stakes.
In winning for the eighth time in 11 lifetime starts, Jax and Jill ($2.20) led wire to wire while completing seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:25.98 under jockey Gerald Almodovar. A daughter of Yes It’s True trained by Scott Lake for owner Robert Cole Jr., Jax and Jill has now earned $230,125.
