SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Assateague showed a new dimension on Saturday and as a result became a stakes winner for the first time, rallying from off the pace to a half-length victory over Ruthenia in the $100,000 De La Rose at Saratoga. Laugh Out Loud, the 7-5 favorite in a field of eight fillies and mares, rallied belatedly to finish third.

Wicked Tune handled the step up to stakes company to record his fourth straight win since February in Saturday’s $60,000 My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Ridden by Elvis Trujillo, the 6-year-old Wicked Tune ($3.80), the favorite among six turf sprinters, broke a bit sluggishly but still had little problem clearing the field while setting modest early fractions of 23.32 and 46.52 seconds. He was two lengths ahead in midstretch and held off a late rally by A P Elvis to prevail by a neck.  Two years ago, Wicked Tune missed by a neck in this same race.

Black Diamond Cat snapped a 19-race losing streak with his victory in the Ponche Handicap on June 8. Eight weeks and two starts later he was back in the winner’s circle after soundly beating a stellar field that included two Grade 1 winners in Saturday’s $100,000 Housebuster at Gulfstream Park.

Black Diamond Cat, a 6-year-old son of Wildcat Heir owned by Bluestone Thoroughbreds, benefitted from a perfectly judged ride by Luca Panici, who is now 2 for 3 aboard Black Diamond Cat since being teamed up with the veteran gelding for the first time by trainer Larry Bates in the Ponche.

Balino dictated the terms throughout to take the $75,000 Naked Greed by six lengths Saturday at Calder Race Course. Statutorial was second in the 7 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds run over yielding turf, while it was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third to Midnight Cello.

Backseat Memories, the favorite off a dead-heat win in the $75,000 Showing Up at Gulfstream Park, was ninth. The Showing Up co-winner, Grand Tito, finished fifth.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At the three-sixteenths pole of Saturday’s 86th Whitney Invitational Handicap, Cross Traffic had turned back Fort Larned and Mucho Macho Man - the 1-2 finishers from last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic - and opened up a two-length lead.

In the middle of the track, however, Successful Dan was continuing a bid that had begun entering the far turn.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Wise Dan has a way of making even the most routine workout look special.

CHESTER, W.Va. – Calvin Borel got a head start on an unforgettable week when he guided Taptowne to a two-length victory Saturday in the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes, the richest undercard event on the all-stakes West Virginia Derby card at Mountaineer Racetrack.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Alpha Bettor won the Grade 3 Seagram Cup Stakes for the second year in a row Saturday at Woodbine, as a 7-2 overlay under Justin Stein.

Alpha Bettor stalked the leaders along the inside in the mile and a sixteenth route, as Ultimate Destiny set moderate fractions while being tracked by Awesome Overture. Alpha Bettor awaited room on the far turn, and then wore down Ultimate Destiny in the final furlong while closing along the rail to prevail by three-quarters of a length, in 1:43.63.

Talk Therapy, claimed as a 6-year-old last summer for $7,500, became a stakes winner Saturday when he drew clear in the stretch and held off a bid by heavily favored Fox Rules to win the $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders’ Handicap for New York-breds at Finger Lakes.

Since he was taken by leading trainer Chris Englehart on behalf of My Purple Haze Stables last Aug. 24, Talk Therapy has 4 wins and 4 seconds in 11 starts. He tuned up for the Genesee Valley by winning an allowance by a neck on July 22.

CHESTER, W.Va. – The hot streak for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and Mike Maker is not limited to Kentucky or New York.

The dominant owners were represented by another winner Saturday when Prissy held off a race-long challenge from Soft Whisper to capture the $100,000 West Virginia Senate President’s Cup, part of an all-stakes, nine-race card at Mountaineer Park.