Sat, 06/08/2013 - 20:26

Belmont Stakes: Orb's late run just wasn't there

Tom Keyser
“It looked like turning for home he got a little tired,” jockey Joel Rosario said of Orb’s Belmont.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Five weeks after flying through the final furlong to become a Kentucky Derby winner, Orb floundered in the final three-sixteenths of a mile in Saturday's 145th Belmont Stakes, trudging home a well-beaten third behind Palace Malice in the last leg of the Triple Crown at Belmont Park.

Despite having a strong early pace in which to close, Orb couldn't deliver the same scintillating move he made in the Kentucky Derby, and was unable to pass Oxbow, the Preakness winner who was part of the early pace, for second. Orb was beaten five lengths.

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 20:21

Hollywood Park: Sarach displays new tactics to take Honeymoon Handicap

Benoit & Associates
Sarach, ridden by Martin Garcia, takes the Honeymoon Handicap.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Sarach went to the lead for the first time in her career in Saturday’s $150,750 Honeymoon Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park, a strategy that proved to be the winning move in the Grade 2 race for 3-year-old fillies over 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Sarach ($18) led by as much as a length on the backstretch and maintained that advantage in the stretch to win by a length over Scarlet Strike, the 4-5 favorite. Sarach set a modest pace of 24.09 and 48.28 seconds and finished in 1:48.73.

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 20:08

Colonial: Inti upsets Zeke Ferguson Memorial on opening day

There’s something about racing in June at Colonial Downs that brings out the best in Inti.

An 8-year-old gelding whose first two starts this season were lackluster, Inti regained the good form he showed last June when he won a first-level allowance by upsetting Colonial’s opening-day feature, the Grade 3, $50,000 Zeke Ferguson Memorial Hurdle on Saturday.

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 19:42

Pimlico: Russell, Vazquez finish atop standings

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Juan Vazquez (left) finished as leading trainer and Sheldon Russell topped the jockey standings at Pimlico's 36-day spring meet.

Jockey Sheldon Russell and trainer Juan Vazquez won individual titles at the 36-day Pimlico spring meet that ended Saturday.

Russel, 25, topped the jockey standings for the second time in three years with 28 first-place finishes, two more than both Xavier Perez and apprentice Victor Carrasco.

Vazquez earned his first training title in Maryland by winning 22 races, six more than Scott Lake. Dane Kobiskie (14), King Leatherbury (14), and Hugh McMahon (13) rounded out the top five.

PTK LLC topped the owner standings with 14 victories, three more than the Jim Stable.

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 19:25

Belmont Stakes complete order of finish

2013 Belmont Stakes order of finish
Finish, Horse, Jockey
1. Palace Malice, Mike Smith
2. Oxbow, Gary Stevens
3. Orb, Joel Rosario
4. Incognito, Irad Ortiz Jr.
5. Revolutionary, Javier Castellano
6. Unlimited Budget, Rosie Napravnik
7. Overanalyze, John Velazquez
8. Vyjack, Julien Leparoux
9. Golden Soul, Robby Albarado
10. Will Take Charge, Jon Court
11. Giant Finish, Edgar Prado
12. Midnight Taboo, Garrett Gomez
13. Freedom Child, Luis Saez

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 18:53

Belmont Stakes: Palace Malice puts away Preakness winner Oxbow

ELMONT, N.Y. – It was an illuminating day at Belmont Park. The sun came out, and the light went on.

After a storm pummeled the area Friday, the sun shined bright on the old New York home of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday afternoon. And Palace Malice added to the wattage, the light finally coming on for a colt held in high regard for months by his trainer, Todd Pletcher.

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 18:37

Calder: Black Diamond Cat upsets Ponche; Jackson Bend fifth

Coady Photography
Black Diamond Cat, with Luca Panici aboard, rewards his backers with a $29.20 payoff for winning the Ponche Handicap.

Black Diamond Cat rallied for a 1 3/4-length win Saturday in the $75,000 Ponche Handicap at Calder Race Course, as Jackson Bend, the multiple Grade 1 winner making his first start since coming out of retirement, was fifth. The Ponche was one of four stakes on the card, all designed as preps for the Summit of Speed program that will be run at Calder on July 6. It is expected to produce starters for the Grade 2, $350,000 Smile Sprint Handicap.

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 18:37

Canterbury Park: Signsealndeliver rallies to win Dark Star Cup

Coady Photography
Signsealndeliver, with Ry Eikleberry up, gets through on the inside to win the Dark Star Cup.

SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Midwest Thoroughbreds won their first stakes race of the Canterbury Park meet, with Signsealndeliver taking the inaugural running of the Dark Star Cup for trainer Roger Brueggermann, covering the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.66 under a bold ride from Ry Eikleberry.

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 17:55

Belmont Park: Odds-on Point of Entry shows class winning Manhattan following layoff

Barbara D. Livingston
Point of Entry, with John Velazquez up, wins the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Showing courage under fire despite less than optimal circumstances, Point of Entry fought his way to victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park.

Point of Entry was re-routed to the Manhattan after being scratched from the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs five weeks ago due to soft turf, and was thus making his first start since beating Animal Kingdom four months ago, and his second since finishing an unlucky second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Sat, 06/08/2013 - 17:51

Monmouth: Srumdiddlyumptious stays home to take Fort Monmouth

Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
Scrumdiddlyumptious, ridden by Elvis Trujillo, romps to a front-running victory in the off-the-turf Fort Monmouth Stakes.

Trainer Kelly Breen could have taken his filly Srumdiddlyumptious to run for a $75,000 purse at Delaware Park, but she would have had to stretch out around two turns instead of sprinting. Breen got to stay at home and run Srumdiddlyumptious on the main track when Friday’s heavy rain caused Monmouth Park to switch Saturday’s $61,200 Fort Monmouth from turf to dirt.