Needmore Flattery made it a perfect 2 for 2 lifetime when defeating a field of 2-year-old Ohio-breds in the $50,000 Hoover Stakes at Beulah Park on Sunday.
One of only two fillies in the seven-horse field, both trained by Tim Hamm, Needmore Flattery came from just off the pace to win by 3 1/2 lengths going away.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Apprentice jockey Skye Chernetz celebrated the first stakes win of her career here Sunday when guiding On Rainbow Bridge to a 1 1/2-length victory in the $150,800 Shady Well Stakes.
The Shady Well, a 5 1/2-furlong race for Ontario-foaled 2-year-old fillies, attracted a field of 10, and On Rainbow Bridge was the 5-1 second choice.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Having secured her second Grade 1 victory of the year in Saturday’s $350,000 American Oaks at Betfair Hollywood Park, Emollient will now focus on some more Grade 1 opportunities this fall, trainer Bill Mott said Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Palace Malice moved to the forefront of the 3-year-old division with his victory in the Belmont Stakes and gave every indication that he may be even better during the second half of the season after working a very impressive five furlongs in 1:00.32 on Sunday at Saratoga.
Palace Malice was one of 33 horses trainer Todd Pletcher worked over Saratoga’s main track Sunday. The group also included such notables as Princess of Sylmar, Kauai Katie, Authenticity, Overanalyze, Cross Traffic, and Unlimited Budget.
Prominent throughout, Fjr Bread N Butter held off a late charge from the favored Jls Go Big Daddy to win the $564,895 Lee Berwick Futurity at Delta Downs on Saturday night.
Only a neck separated the top two at the finish, and it was another neck back to Jess Good Lookin, who could not match strides with the winner in the late going after dueling with that foe early.
BOSSIER CITY, La. – Taking control from the start under Carlos Marquez, Smoke It Right cruised through the stretch to capture Saturday night’s $50,000 Oak Hall Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths at Evangeline Downs.
The favored Go Tiger Jack rallied from well back to finish second in the seven-furlong headliner, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of third-place runner Sweetsouthernmoon, with Brethren a neck farther back in fourth.
Sister Kate, one of four Jerry Hollendorfer-trained runners in a field of five fillies and mares, took the lead shortly after the break and was never headed in the $75,250 California Governor’s Cup Handicap on Saturday at the California State Fair in Sacramento.
Ruby Pumps, the lone non-Hollendorfer runner in the race, broke sharply and took the early lead, but Sister Kate ($8.40), under William Angongeorgi III, moved to the front before going past the finish line the first time in the 1 1/16-mile race.
Raise the Reward, who finished ahead of only two horses in a 10-horse field as the 7-5 favorite in last month’s Gendelman at Beulah Park, reversed his form Saturday when he scored by 1 1/2 lengths over last season’s top female Ohio handicap runner Startin Something in the $50,000 George Lewis Memorial Stakes for Ohio-accredited horses at Thistledown.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The spring-summer meeting at Betfair Hollywood Park will close Sunday with massive interest in the track’s pick six.
The final day of the season will have a pick-six carryover of $127,566 from Saturday’s program. The pool of new money Sunday easily could reach $750,000. The pool must be distributed Sunday, meaning that if no one hits the pick six, consolation tickets with five of six winners will be highly lucrative.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – After leaving the winner’s circle following Saturday’s $350,750 American Oaks at Betfair Hollywood Park, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith took a moment to congratulate himself on his ride.
He had the right.
Riding Emollient, Smith made a decision on the backstretch to move the 6-5 favorite three wide and engage a slow pace set by Sarach. It turned out to be a vital move. Emollient ($4.40) had a clean trip through the final five furlongs and won the Grade 1 American Oaks by a half-length over a determined Emotional Kitten.
