INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Sprague River won a $50,000 claiming race for maiden 2-year-old fillies in Saturday’s first race, but it is doubtful that owner and breeder Carl Asadurian and trainer Scott Hansen will start the filly in another claimer in the near future.
Sprague River won her debut by 7 3/4 lengths, finishing 4 1/2 furlongs in 52.55 seconds.
After the race, Hansen was debating which summertime stakes will best suit Sprague River, a California-bred by Tribal Rule.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Obviously finished third behind 2012 Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita last fall, losing by two lengths. Mike Mitchell, who trains Obviously, wants a rematch.
After watching Obviously win his first stakes of 2013 in Saturday’s $150,250 American Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park, Mitchell said the BC Mile is a long-term goal.
“We’ll take our time with him and aim for the Breeders’ Cup again,” he said.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Up With the Birds became the probable favorite for the July 7 Queen’s Plate with a decisive score Sunday at Woodbine in the $168,900 Marine Stakes, which was won last year by eventual Plate winner Strait of Dover.
The favored Up With the Birds ($4.40) trailed in the field of five 3-year-olds early, then mounted a wide rally on the far turn before drawing away for a 4 3/4-length triumph. His time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.82.
OPELOUSAS, La. – Silent Legacy outdueled the favored Little Polka Dot in a spirited battle to capture the $50,000 Opelousas Stakes by a neck Saturday night at Evangeline Downs.
It was a length farther back to Queenie Vic in third and another length back to fourth-place finisher Paoli in the stakes for fillies and mares over about a mile on turf. Miss Addison, Osi Posse and Patty’s Pride were all late scratches.
ALTOONA, Iowa – Aboard even-money favorite Maude S, jockey Israel Ocampo bided his time behind dawdling fractions set by Lava Girl in Saturday's featured $60,000 Wild Rose, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for fillies and mares. On the far turn, a surge along the rail carried the James DiVito-trained mare from last to first for a 2 3/4-length win.
Down Town Allen remains the queen of Charles Town after running down the 3-year-old filly Jax and Jill in deep stretch of Saturday night’s $51,050 Fancy Buckles Stakes for West Virginia-bred fillies and mares.
The 6-year-old Down Town Allen ($4.20) extended her winning streak over two seasons to six races by stalking and pouncing on the speedy Jax and Jill, who opened up a two-length lead in the 4 1/2-furlong race by running the first quarter-mile in 21.97 seconds.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - There is a pick-six carryover at Betfair Hollywood Park of $113,928 for Sunday’s nine-race program.
The carryover was clinched when Warren’s Parolee (22-1) beat 3-2 favorite Brown Boss in Saturday’s ninth race. Brown Boss was covered on a pick-six ticket.
The pick six on Sunday covers the fourth through ninth races. The pool could exceed $600,000 in new money.
There is a carryover of $22,294 on Sunday’s Super High Five, which is conducted on the day’s final race.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Jockey Joe Rocco Jr.’s first day at Arlington Park nearly turned ugly. Rocco gave General Election a fine ride in the Grade 3, $150,000 Arlington Classic, saving ground the entire trip, and coming up the fence to finish first, but before celebrations could commence, Rocco had to wait out a stewards’ inquiry and multiple objections for deep-stretch interference against fourth-place Gefest. In the end, Rocco’s number stayed up, and General Election had won the first grass start of his career.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - One could curl a couple fingers closed and still count on one hand the number of Illinois Thoroughbred owners who might step up to the plate with an $80,000 claim these days. William Stiritz, the Fairmount Park owner who runs a substantial racing string, is one of them, and when Hogy was dangled for $80,000 in an optional claimer last Nov. 1 at Hawthorne, Stiritz took him.
The investment paid off nicely Saturday at Arlington, where Hogy scored a sharp 1 1/2-length victory over Mister Marti Gras in the Grade 3, $150,000 Hanshin Cup Stakes.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Monmouth Park on Saturday felt more like Aqueduct in March than the unofficial start of the summer season the Jersey Shore.
It was a wet, dreary, cold, windy afternoon with a sloppy track, no turf racing and a slew of scratches.
The conditions helped Big Sur capture his stakes debut, a front-running effort in the $75,000 Majestic Light.
The wet track favored speed all day. Ramon F. Moya put the 5-year-old gelding on the lead for his father, trainer Ramon Moya.
