Sat, 02/23/2013 - 16:25

Laurel: Moon Philly much the best in Maryland Racing Media

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Moon Philly, ridden by Jeremy Rose, collects her second straight stakes victory in the Maryland Racing Media.

What looked like two favorites who were hard to separate became a clear-cut choice when trainer Tony Dutrow scratched his New York-based mare Twice the Lady from Saturday’s $75,000 Maryland Racing Media Stakes at Laurel Park.

As a result, Moon Philly obviously was the best horse on paper. Bet down to 1-5 odds, she proceeded to turn the 1 1/8-mile stakes for fillies and mares into a paid workout. The 4-year-old Moon Philly, prompting a slow pace set by Touch the Birds, took command approaching the top of the stretch and cruised to her second straight stakes victory in Maryland.

Sat, 02/23/2013 - 16:25

Fair Grounds: Snuggs and Kisses turns back Daisy Devine in off-the-turf Bayou Handicap

Lou Hodges Jr.
Snuggs and Kisses (right) holds off Daisy Devine (center) while receiving a 12-pound weight concession.

NEW ORLEANS – Heavily favored Daisy Devine, racing on dirt for the first time since October 2011, could not overcome a massive weight concession and a stubborn foe as Snuggs and Kisses upset the $72,750 Bayou Handicap on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

Sat, 02/23/2013 - 15:44

Fair Grounds: Sunbean, scratched from Risen Star, clearly best against statebreds in Gentilly

Lou Hodges Jr.
Sunbean cruises to victory in the Gentilly under a confident ride by Colby Hernandez.

NEW ORLEANS – Scratched from the Risen Star, Sunbean dominated fellow 3-year-old Louisiana-breds in a 4 3/4-length romp in the Gentilly Stakes on Saturday at the Fair Grounds.

Ridden by Colby Hernandez for trainer Al Stall Jr. and Maurice and Evelyn Benoit’s Brittlyn Stable, Sunbean rated in mid-pack off a fast pace set by Skip the Pinot, who ran the first half-mile while pressed by Heitai in 46.76 seconds. In the stretch, Sunbean swept around rivals and pulled away.

Sat, 02/23/2013 - 14:47

Gulfstream Park: Mucho Macho Man works without blinkers for Gulfstream Handicap

Barbara D. Livingston
Mucho Macho Man's workout on Monday was his first since he was eased to the finish line as the heavy favorite in the Sunshine Millions Classic on Jan. 19.

Mucho Macho Man moved one step closer to a possible rematch with Fort Larned in the Grade  2 Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 9 by working a very easy five furlongs in 1:02.08 under jockey Edgar Prado after the renovation break on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Mucho Macho Man, with Prado keeping him under a tight rein all the way, posted splits of 12.82, 25.02, and 36.96 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.96.

The work was the third for Mucho Macho Man this month with Prado aboard for each of those breezes.

Sat, 02/23/2013 - 14:27

Gulfstream Park: Itsmyluckyday gets back to work; Florida Derby is next up

Tom Keyser
Holy Bull winner Itsmyluckyday, ridden by Isidorio Ramos, breezes a half-mile in 48.77 seconds Saturday at Calder.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Itsmyluckyday turned in his first workout since upsetting Eclipse Award champion Shanghai Bobby in the Grade 3 Holy Bull when he breezed an easy half-mile in 48.77 seconds at Calder on Saturday morning.

Itsmyluckyday, a son of Lawyer Ron trained by Eddie Plesa Jr. rallied from just off the pace to a two-length victory over Shanghai Bobby in the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull on Jan. 26. The win was the second of the meet for Itsmyluckyday, who also captured the Gulfstream Park Derby by nearly seven lengths on New Year’s Day.

Sat, 02/23/2013 - 14:08

Santa Anita: Guilt Trip should like Big Cap distance

Shigeki Kikkawa
Guilt Trip wins the 1 1/8-mile Strub under jockey Joe Talamo.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Guilt Trip left jockey Joe Talamo eager to see more after the colt’s win in the Grade 2 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 2.

The opportunity will come in a race at the highest level – Saturday’s $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap. The Big Cap will be Guilt Trip’s first start over 1 1/4 miles and first stakes against older horses this year.

The distance is not a concern for Talamo.

“I think the more, the merrier,” Talamo said. “The way he ran the other day, he impressed me.”

Sat, 02/23/2013 - 12:30

Charles Town: Stakes winners return from layoffs in Violet Handicap

Mike Montgomery
Bayonne, ridden by Erick Ramirez, surges past Withgreatpleasure to win the Pink Ribbon for fillies and mares.

Made to Love Her, winner of a $100,000 stakes in Southern California as a 2-year-old, and Bayonne, who captured the Pink Ribbon Stakes last fall, head a group of seven fillies and mares in Tuesday night’s $35,000 Violet Handicap at Charles Town.

Both the 4-year-old Made to Love Her, now based at Penn National with trainer Chuck Simon, and the locally based 5-year-old Bayonne come into Tuesday’s seven-furlong feature following layoffs.

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 18:13

Gulfstream Park: Rainbow 6 hit for $3.5 million

HALLANDALE BEACH Fla. - The Rainbow 6 jackpot, which has grown on a daily basis since Dec. 28, was finally hit on Friday when one ticket holder correctly picked all six winners to take down a prize worth $3,591,245 for a 10-cent wager. The payoff is the largest on a single wager in the history of Gulfstream Park. 

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 18:03

Santa Anita pick six hit with unusual ticket

ARCADIA, Calif. - A winning pick six ticket worth $125,783 at Santa Anita on Thursday was purchased for $3,960 and used all of the runners in the last two races, according to documents provided by the California Horse Racing Board.

The ticket was one of four winning tickets on a day when interest was heightened by a carryover of $113,777 from the Monday, Feb. 18 program.

Bettors added $719,486 on Thursday.

Fri, 02/22/2013 - 17:24

Sunland Park: Countess Curlin already tested at Island Fashion distance

No horse in the $50,000 Island Fashion at Sunland Park on Sunday can boast a better record at the race’s one-mile distance than Countess Curlin. She is 2 for 2 at the trip and should start as the favorite with Southern California-based entrant Branding expected to remain home for an allowance at Santa Anita.

The Island Fashion serves as the local prep for the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks on March  24. The field of eight 3-year-old fillies includes Fraudulentfootnote, runner-up in the $50,000 El Paso Times at Sunland, and Lady of Luck, who last raced at Churchill.