Sat, 01/26/2013 - 18:34

Fair Grounds: Delaunay runs away with Gaudin Memorial

Jamie Hernandez/Coady Photography
Delaunay, a 5-year-old son of Smoke Glacken, now has 12 wins from 37 career starts.

Now that he has discovered life in the penthouse, Delaunay appears to have no interest in returning to his former blue-collar existence.

Saturday at Fair Grounds, the reformed claimer won his fourth straight race, all stakes, and his fifth stakes since owner Maggi Moss and trainer Tom Amoss claimed him for $40,000 last May 12 at Churchill Downs. Delaunay blasted out of post 1 and never looked back, capturing the $75,000 F.W. Gaudin Memorial Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths over Gantry.

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 18:27

Gulfstream Park: Itsmyluckyday defeats Shanghai Bobby, sets track record in Holy Bull

Barbara D. Livingston
Itsmyluckyday pulls away from Shanghai Bobby in deep stretch of the Holy Bull.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Itsmyluckyday ran back to his huge performance in the Gulfstream Park Derby on New Year’s Day, and then some, when upsetting reigning Eclipse Award champion Shanghai Bobby and setting a new track record in the process in Saturday’s Grade 3, $400,000 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park.

Itsmyluckyday completed a mile and one-sixteenth in 1:41.81 - slashing .54 seconds off the old mark set by Endorsement one year earlier - en route to his two-length victory over Shanghai Bobby. It was another 11 1/2 lengths further back to the tiring Clearly Now in third.

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 18:17

Oaklawn: Apprehender scores front-running win in King Cotton

Coady Photography
Apprehender, ridden by Alex Birzer, proves uncatchable in the King Cotton.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Apprehender became the first stakes winner for his multiple Grade 1-winning dam, Missy’s Mirage, when he set a pressured pace and prevailed in the $60,000 King Cotton at Oaklawn Park on Saturday. It was a length back in second to Alsvid, who finished 2 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Laurie’s Rocket. 

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 18:17

Santa Anita: Qiaona scores upset over rival fillies in California Breeders’ Champion Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Garrett Gomez guides Qiaona to a victory worth $48.60 to her backers in the fillies division of the California Breeders' Champion Stakes.

ARCADIA, Calif. Qiaona started her career in a $25,000 claimer for maidens at Pleasanton last June, finishing third after a slow start. There were clues that day as to what she would accomplish at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Making her third stakes appearance, Qiaona ($48.60) closed nearly 14 lengths in the final quarter-mile to pull off a surprise win over an unlucky Unusual Way in the $300,700 California Breeders’ Champion Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies going a mile.

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 17:42

Santa Anita: Tiz Flirtatious kicks clear in Valentine Dancer

Benoit & Associates
Heavily favored Tiz Flirtatious, with Rafael Bejarano aboard, wins the Valentine Dancer by 1 3/4 lengths.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Tiz Flirtatious did not need her best effort to win the $100,000 Valentine Dancer Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

On the backstretch of the one-mile turf race for California-bred fillies and mares, Tiz Flirtatious was in fifth place and red-hot jockey Rafael Bejarano was ultra-confident about his mount’s chances.

“I was in the perfect place,” he said. “When I found my position at the three-eighths pole, I knew she’d have a big kick in the stretch.”

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 17:36

Tampa Bay Downs: Smartys Emperoress gets a nose in front to win Lightning City Stakes

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Smartys Emperoress closed like a blur through the late stages of Saturday's $75,000 Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and emerged with a nose upset in the five-furlong turf race in a contest that saw the first seven horses separated by less than two lengths at the finish.

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 17:16

Gulfstream Park: Kauai Katie romps in Forward Gal

Barbara D. Livingston
Kauai Katie has never been beaten in a one-turn race.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Kauai Katie continued her dominance in one-turn races when cruising to an easy 5 ½-length victory over the Grade 1-placed My Happy Face in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 17:10

Santa Anita: Fiftyshadesofhay much the best in Santa Ysabel

Benoit & Associates
Fiftyshadesofhay, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, cruises home 5 3/4 lengths in front in the Santa Ysabel for 3-year-old fillies.

ARCADIA, Calif .- A half-dozen races into her career, Fiftyshadesofhay is showing the promise long expected of the 3-year-old filly.

Saturday at Santa Anita, she won her first stakes in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes, pulling away in the stretch on a wet-fast track to win by 5 3/4 lengths over 2-1 Heir Kitty.

Fiftyshadesofhay ($14.40) stalked pacesetter Escape Act for the first half-mile before taking the lead. Staying near the front on a track that retained moisture after two days of rain was key to victory, trainer Bob Baffert said.

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 17:08

Aqueduct: Twice the Lady survives inquiry to win Affectionately

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Twice the Lady, with Cornelio Velasquez riding, prevails by two lengths over Withgreatpleasure in the Affectionately.

Twice the Lady, who finished second in two prior starts on the inner track, grabbed the brass ring in Saturday’s $75,000 Affectionately Stakes at Aqueduct, but only after surviving a stewards’ inquiry and objections by the jockey and trainer of the runner-up, Withgreatpleasure.

Sat, 01/26/2013 - 16:37

Laurel: No misadventures for Moon Philly in Nellie Morse

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Moon Philly, under Jeremy Rose, cruises to her first career stakes victory in the Nellie Morse.

Moon Philly got involved in all sorts of misadventures three weeks ago in New York that prevented her from winning her first career stakes. It was all smooth sailing, however, when she ran in Saturday’s $75,000 Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel Park.