Mon, 07/22/2013 - 12:29

Woodbine: Langstaff in good spot in Deputy Minister

Michael Burns
Langstaff (No. 1) won the Bold Ruckus Stakes on June 8 in his stakes debut and is 3 for 4 for his career.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The once-beaten Langstaff gets some class relief Wednesday night at Woodbine in the $125,000 Deputy Minister Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds.

Langstaff graduated from off the pace over five furlongs April 21, then doubled up a month later in a six-furlong allowance, for which he got a 78 Beyer Speed Figure.

Langstaff switched to the turf June 8 in the six-furlong Bold Ruckus Stakes. After lacking room at the back of the pack on the turn, he closed furiously through the long stretch to prevail by a neck over Click.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 22:26

Emerald Downs: Herbie D wins Mt. Rainier Handicap

Reed & Erin Palmer/Emerald Downs Photos
Herbie D won Sunday's Mt. Rainier Handicap by 2 3/4 lengths in a stakes-record 1:40.52.

AUBURN, Wash. – The fastest horse in British Columbia spread a wider web Sunday, as Herbie D dominated the $50,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at Emerald Downs.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 21:52

Del Mar: Pick-six carryover of $238,499 for Wednesday

DEL MAR, Calif. – There is a pick-six carryover of $238,499 for Wednesday’s eight-race program at Del Mar, a carryover created when the stewards disqualified the original winner of Sunday’s ninth race.

Cosmic Heat (6-1) was the first to reach the wire in Sunday’s ninth race but was disqualified and placed third behind Centenario de Oro ($58.40) and Fighting On after the stewards ruled that Fighting On lacked sufficient running room in the final sixteenth.

If Cosmic Heat had won, there would not have been a carryover.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 21:44

Del Mar: Wishing Gate rallies to take San Clemente Handicap

Benoit & Associates
Wishing Gate and jockey Gary Stevens won the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap by 1 3/4 lengths Sunday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Wishing Gate has raced in Illinois, California, and Kentucky and has won in both California and Illinois, but it’s Del Mar where she seems to do best. She won against maidens in her first start on turf last year at age 2, and in her first start here this year, she rallied to win the Grade 2, $151,000 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old turf fillies.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 20:15

Ruidoso Downs: Ms First Prize Rose by a nose in Rainbow Futurity

Trainer Blane Wood swept the first two places in the Grade 1, $1 million Rainbow Futurity for Quarter Horses at Ruidoso Downs on Sunday, when Ms First Prize Rose edged stablemate Belle Helene by a nose. It was a neck back to Potenzza in third.

The Rainbow was the second leg of Ruidoso’s rich series for 2-year-olds that concludes on Labor Day with the $2.6 million All American Futurity.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 20:03

Del Mar: He Be Fire N Ice stays hot on grass in California Dreamin'

Benoit & Associates
He Be Fire N Ice, under Victor Espinoza, won the California Dreamin' Handicap by a head over Rock Me Baby on Sunday.

DEL MAR, Calif. – He Be Fire N Ice has won four consecutive races on turf since early April. The 5-year-old horse may never run on the main track again after winning his first stakes in Sunday’s $150,750 California Dreamin’ Handicap on grass at Del Mar.

Since he returned to racing in February following an 18-month break caused by a tendon injury, He Be Fire N Ice has won 4 of 5 starts, with each win coming on turf. The California Dreamin’ Handicap, restricted to California-breds, was He Be Fire N Ice’s third consecutive win.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 19:07

Del Mar notes: Paynter set for 2013 stakes debut in Grade 2 San Diego

Shigeki Kikkawa
Paynter wins his comeback race last month at Hollywood Park. He worked with stablemate Liaison at Del Mar on Monday.

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DEL MAR, Calif. – Paynter was pronounced fit for his 2013 stakes debut in Saturday’s $200,000 San Diego Handicap by trainer Bob Baffert after working five furlongs in 59.40 seconds at Del Mar on Sunday morning.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 18:51

Arapahoe Park: Lady Jila wins Columbine Stakes by a neck

Coady Photography
Lady Jila (inside) beat Ize in Trouble by a neck in Sunday's $40,000 Columbine Stakes.

Lady Jila came back against the favored Ize in Trouble for a neck win in the $40,000 Columbine Stakes at Arapahoe Park on Sunday. Ize in Trouble held second, 1 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Lady Contender.

Lady Jila ($21.40) set fractions of 23.60 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.14 for the half-mile, and 1:11.26 for six furlongs before being overtaken by Ize in Trouble, who was attempting to give trainer Brian Stivers his third stakes win at the meet. Lady Jila fought back and won the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares in 1:44.06.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 18:27

Monmouth Park: Lopez strikes again with Ju Ju Eyeballs in Just Smashing Stakes

Aubrey Therkelsen/Equi-Photo
Ju Ju Eyeballs, ridden by Paco Lopez, stretched his winning streak to five races with Sunday's victory in the Just Smashing Stakes.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Ju Ju Eyeballs won the $61,200 Just Smashing Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters Sunday to cap a weekend of stakes upsets at Monmouth Park for jockey Paco Lopez.

On Saturday, Lopez guided Hard Enough to a 12-1 score in the Jersey Derby. One day later, Lopez and Ju Ju Eyeballs took the Just Smashing at 6-1, as Blueeyesintherein, the 4-5 favorite, ran fifth.

Sun, 07/21/2013 - 18:19

Saratoga: Wired Bryan takes Sanford to give Dilger first stakes win

Tom Keyser
Wired Bryan, with Shaun Bridgmohan aboard, won the Grade 2 Sanford Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths Sunday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Wired Bryan, the only New York-bred in the field, gave trainer Michael Dilger the first graded stakes winner and the first stakes victory of any kind in his brief career when drawing off to a convincing 5 1/4-length decision over the 22-1 Southern Blessing in Sunday’s $200,000 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga.