Sun, 04/21/2013 - 10:32

Evangeline: Jossy Do It springs upset in Hallowed Dreams

Breaking alertly under Eddie Martin, Jr., Jossy Do It controlled the pace throughout and coasted home 5 3/4 lengths in front in Saturday night’s $50,000 Hallowed Dreams Stakes at Evangeline Downs.

Ada Mae outfinished 5-2 favorite My Lady Lauren for second. The final time of the 5 1/2-furlong dash was 1:03.92 over a fast track.

Sun, 04/21/2013 - 08:46

Kentucky Derby: Pletcher will wait and see whether to run Lexington winner Winning Cause

Barbara D. Livingston
If Winning Cause enters the Kentucky Derby, it would give trrainer Todd Pletcher a record six horses in the race.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning at Churchill Downs that no decision will be made until as late as next weekend as to whether Winning Cause will run in the 139th Kentucky Derby.

Winning Cause became eligible for the May 4 Derby by earning 20 points with his 6-1 victory Saturday under Julien Leparoux in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland.

Sat, 04/20/2013 - 23:41

Charles Town Classic: Game On Dude refuses to lose

Coady Photography
Despite having trouble getting a good grip of the track, Game On Dude, under Mike Smith, manages to hold off Clubhouse Ride by a half-length in the Charles Town Classic.

CHARLES TOWN, W. Va. - Mike Smith wasn’t concerned when longshot Percussion outbroke him and Game On Dude in Saturday night’s $1.5 million Charles Town Classic.

 He had other concerns.

“My main concern was he was slipping a lot,” Smith said. “I slipped leaving there. I slipped in the first turn. I slipped in the middle of the turn, but he just wouldn’t stop.”

Sat, 04/20/2013 - 22:27

Charles Town: Dance to Bristol dazzling in Sugar Maple

Coady Photography
Dance to Bristol, under Xavier Perez, coasts to a nine-length victory in the $200,000 Sugar Maple.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - In a dominating performance that may have been a career best, Dance to Bristol romped to a nine-length victory in Saturday night’s $200,000 Sugar Maple Stakes at Charles Town.

Holiday Soiree finished second, 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Bayonne. Kalambaka Queen, Katie Get Excited, and Dangerous Vixen completed the order of finish.

 The complexion of the Sugar Maple changed when Book Review, the even-money morning-line favorite, was scratched after getting a temperature upon her arrival from Southern California.

Sat, 04/20/2013 - 22:11

Beulah: Candy Bites tops $906 exacta in Howard Noonan Stakes

Candy Bites stalked a tepid early pace and rallied into the stretch to win the $50,000 Howard Noonan Stakes at Beulah Park on Saturday afternoon.

Trained by Jeff Engler and ridden by Yuri Yaranga, Candy Bites ($17) was to the outside of pacesetting Quasi Folle and Blazing Bling for the first half-mile. Yaranga went to work in the stretch and Candy Bites held on for a half-length victory. Plain Ol' Willard was a hard-charging second and Blazing Bling, the only filly in the race of 3-year-old Ohio bred horses, held on for third.

Sat, 04/20/2013 - 19:49

Santa Anita: Chips All In wins San Simeon Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Chips All In wins the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes by a half-length over Obviously.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Chips All In won the first graded stakes of his career in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 San Simeon Stakes at Santa Anita, the beneficiary of an ideal ride from jockey Tyler Baze.

Chips All In was third on the hillside portion of the turf course, stalking even-money favorite Obviously for the first six furlongs. Chips All In was within 1 1/2 lengths of the leader with a furlong remaining and wore down Obviously to win by a half-length.

“It was a perfect trip,” Baze said.

Sat, 04/20/2013 - 19:28

Illinois Derby: Departing delivers despite wide trip

Four Footed Fotos
Departing, under Brian Hernandez Jr., wins the Grade 3 Illinois Derby by 3 1/4 lengths.

STICKNEY, Ill. – Departing will not run in the Kentucky Derby, but his win Saturday at Hawthorne in the Illinois Derby suggested he is among the elite members of this year’s 3-year-old crop.

Breaking from post 13 and racing wide around both turns, Departing powered to the lead at the top of the long Hawthorne stretch and scored an impressive 3 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3, $750,000 Illinois Derby.

Sat, 04/20/2013 - 19:14

Charles Town: Lucy's Bob Boy much the best in Confucius Say

Coady Photography
The West Virginia-bred Lucy's Bob Boy will be pointed to the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap on the Preakness undercard.

CHARLES TOWN, W. Va. - Lucy’s Bob Boy skipped the big money to go for the easy money.

Eschewing a start in the $1.5 million Charles Town Classic, the connections of Lucy’s Bob Boy were satisfied to let their 4-year-old gelding continue his domination of West Virginia-breds with a front-running, five-length victory in Saturday’s $50,000 Confucius Say Stakes on the Classic undercard.

 Rummy’s Command got up for second with Fred High third.

Sat, 04/20/2013 - 18:30

Lexington Stakes: Winning Cause enters Kentucky Derby picture

Barbara D. Livingston
Winning Cause (center) wins the Lexington Stakes by a length to give trainer Todd Pletcher a potential sixth starter in the May 4 Kentucky Derby.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s always a case of the rich getting richer when Todd Pletcher sends out a winner, but the results of the Coolmore Lexington Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland provided an interesting twist to that familiar scenario.

Sat, 04/20/2013 - 18:19

Hawthorne: Disposablepleasure gives Pletcher another Sixty Sails

Four Footed Fotos
Disposablepleasure wins the Grade 3 Sixty Sails by 3 1/2 lengths under Javier Castellano.

STICKNEY, Ill. – Considering how little his day-to-day has to do with Chicago racing, Todd Pletcher has carved quite a niche in the Grade 3 Sixty Sails Handicap. Pletcher won his fourth Sixty Sails on Saturday with Disposablepleasure, who, like his previous race winners, Fleet Indian and Life At Ten, looked like a very progressive horse winning here at Hawthorne.