Mon, 02/18/2013 - 12:44

Santa Anita: Baffert runners have winning family outing

Shigeki Kikkawa
Govenor Charlie, by Minight Lute out of a daughter of Silverbulletday, won his maiden race on the same day Shakin It Up, also with those bloodlines, won the San Vicente.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Bob Baffert kept it all in the family on Sunday at Santa Anita. The Hall of Fame trainer won the San Vicente Stakes with Shakin It Up, and a maiden race with Govenor Charlie, both of whom are closely related, being by champion Midnight Lute out of daughters of his two-time champion Silverbulletday.

Both of Sunday's winners were bred by Mike Pegram, who owned Silverbulletday. Pegram owns Shakin It Up in partnership, as he did with Midnight Lute.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 19:34

Santa Anita: Shakin It Up passes first test by taking San Vicente

Benoit & Associates
After winning the seven-furlong San Vicente under jockey David Flores, Shakin It Up will likely be asked to try two turns in his next start.

ARCADIA, Calif. – In his first start since November and likely his last one before being asked to stretch out around two turns, Shakin It Up proved best in a thrilling stretch drive to capture the Grade 2, $150,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds on Sunday at Santa Anita.

Shakin It Up ($6.40) rated behind the early pace of Belvin and Caballo Del Cielo, then knifed between horses during a furious stretch drive that at one point saw all six runners abreast. He proved best by one length over Treasury Bill, with Caballo Del Cielo another three-quarters of a length back in third.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 19:03

Oaklawn: Seeking Ms Shelley closes career by winning Spring Fever

Coady Photography
Seeking Ms Shelley, ridden by Robby Albarado, pays $38.20 for her upset in the Spring Fever.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Seeking Ms Shelley forged past Lulu Wong to win what may have been the final start of her career in the $60,000 Spring Fever for fillies and mares at Oaklawn Park on Sunday. She won by a half-length, while Lulu Wong held second by a half-length over third-place finisher and 4-5 favorite Lady Diva Ga Ga.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 18:50

Hialeah: California rider Luna guides longshot Habits Secret to win South Florida Quarter Horse Derby

Jockey Alejandro Luna must have sensed that it was worthwhile to travel all the way from Southern California to ride longshot Habits Secret in the $208,090 South Florida Quarter Horse Derby on Sunday at Hialeah Park.

Although the California-bred Habits Secret had not finished better than third in three previous outings during Hialeah’s Quarter Horse meet, including a last-place finish in the finals of the Hialeah Laddie Futurity, the colt had finished first in a pair of six-figure stakes in Indiana as a 2-year-old.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 18:33

Gulfstream Park: Royal Delta gets season off to good start with easy win in Sabin

Tom Keyser
After her six-length win in Sunday's Sabin under Mike Smith, Royal Delta will be pointed to the $10 million Dubai World Cup.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -   Royal Delta put an exclamation point on a memorable weekend for her trainer, Bill Mott, when she cruised to an easy six-length victory over a game but overmatched All for Thee in Sunday’s $100,000 Sabin Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Royal Delta will now head back to Dubai, where she is scheduled to make her next start in the $10 million World Cup on March 30. 

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 18:15

Aqueduct: Presidents Day crowd can shoot for $109,674 pick six carryover

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Elghayoor, who came into the Dearly Precious as a maiden, earns her first career victory under jockey Eddie Castro.

There will be a pick six carryover of $109,674 entering Monday’s Presidents Day program at Aqueduct as the wager went unhit Sunday for the second consecutive card.

 The pick six will begin with race 5 as there will be 10 races on the card.

 With longshot Saturday Appeal ($34), File Gumbo ($14.60), and firster Discreet Force ($15.40) winning the first three legs, most tickets were dead by the time Elghayoor won the $75,000 Dearly Precious Stakes as the 5-2 second choice.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 17:36

Los Alamitos: Remembering Spence's nose hits wire first in Los Alamitos Winter Derby

Remembering Spence justified his role as fastest qualifier and favorite for Saturday’s $231,650 Los Alamitos Winter Derby with a nose win over stablemate Perrys Affair in the 400-yard race at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Francisco Rubio, Remembering Spence ($4) broke from the inside in a field of nine. He trailed Perrys Affair by three-quarters of a length midway through the race, but caught the leader in the final strides, finishing in 19.58 seconds.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 12:40

Turf Paradise: 2012 Phoenix Gold Cup winner Derive euthanized after breaking down

Coady Photography
Derive was in top form when he won the Phoenix Gold Cup and Coyote (above) last spring. He enters Saturday's running of the Phoenix Gold Cup off two losses.

Derive, Turf Paradise horse of the meet for the 2011-2012 season after winning six straight at the Phoenix track, including the 2012 Phoenix Gold Cup, broke down while defending his title Saturday and had to be euthanized.

Track veterinarian Dr. Jack Muller confirmed that the 7-year-old Derive tore suspensory ligaments and fractured both sesamoids in his left front ankle.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 11:53

Gulfstream Park: Fountain of Youth favorite Violence turns in five-furlong bullet

Tom Keyser
Violence, working outside stablemate Palace Malice, was among several high-profile Kentucky Derby prospects for Todd Pletcher to breeze Sunday morning at Palm Meadows.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -  Six potential starters for Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park turned in their final preps Sunday morning at a frigid Palm Meadows. The group ncluded likely favorite Violence, who went five furlongs in 1:00.36 in company with stablemate Palace Malice.

Sun, 02/17/2013 - 11:22

Sam Houston: Makeshift, Worldventurer win divisions of Texas Stallion Stakes

Coady Photography
Makeshift, ridden by Roman Chapa, scores by 2 1/2 lengths in the fillies division of the Texas Stallion Stakes.

Makeshift became a stakes winner Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park, when she darted to a 2 1/2-length win over Tastefullyxcessive in the $75,000 fillies division of the Texas Stallion Stakes.

The race was one of two stakes on the program. In the $75,000 colts and geldings division of the Texas Stallion Stakes, Worldventurer picked off his third career stakes win, winning by a length over Memo Jo.