Sat, 01/19/2013 - 16:39

Gulfstream Park: Successful Song draws away in Sunshine Millions Distaff

Tom Keyser
Successful Song wins the Sunshine Millions Distaff by 3 1/4 lengths.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – If this was the swan song for Successful Song, she sang.

In what was likely the final start of her career, Successful Song rolled to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff for older females Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

With jockey Joel Rosario aboard, Successful Song ($4.40), the favorite, surged to the lead in the 1 1/8-mile race entering the far turn and drew off to a sizeable advantage. Speak Easy Gal, who was making the final start of her career, rallied for second, with My Pal Chrisy third.

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 16:17

Dominguez continues to show improvement while hospitalized

Barbara D. Livingston
Ramon Dominguez will finish 2012 as the leading rider on the New York Racing Association circuit for the fourth straight year.

Jockey Ramon Dominguez continued to show improvement Sunday while remaining hospitalized with a “slightly displaced skull fracture” sustained in a spill at Aqueduct on Friday.

Dominguez, 36, is in the intensive care unit of Jamaica Medical Center Hospital, a few miles from Aqueduct.

continues to improve as he remains in the intensive care unit at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, according to his agent, Steve Rushing.

“He’s slowly progressing each day,” said Steve Rushing, Dominguez's agent, via text. “He’s talking a little bit more today.”

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 16:09

Gulfstream Park: Regalo Mia rallies to win Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf

Barbara D. Livingston
Regalo Mia (left) rallies in the stretch to win the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf over Hooh Why and Romacaca.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Regalo Mia overcame a wide trip and a relatively paceless race, rallying from last to a three-quarter-length victory over defending champion Hooh Why in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf.

Romacaca, the 4-5 favorite, finished a tiring third.

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 15:24

Gulfstream Park: Golden Mystery goes out a winner in Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint

Barbara D. Livingston
The 7-year-old mare Golden Mystery, ridden by Luis Saez, easily wins the final start of her 37-race career in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Golden Mystery saved the best for last. In the final start of her 37-race career, Golden Mystery crushed her five rivals in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Fillies and Mares Sprint at Gulfstream Park, romping to a 5 1/4-length victory over the sloppy main track.

Golden Mystery ($6), the second choice, was part of a four-horse  battle  for the lead, but put those pace rivals away and never was threatened by favored Emma’s Encore, who rallied for second, a neck better than R Holiday Mood.

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 15:18

Oaklawn: Smarty Jones Stakes chance for Avare to emerge as Kentucky Derby contender

Benoit & Associates
Rafael Bejarano and Avare go wire to wire on a wet-fast track in the Eddie Logan.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – A year ago, Oaklawn Park’s series for 3-year-olds was dominated by Southern California-based horses Bodemeister, Secret Circle, and Castaway. Among them, they split up both divisions of the Southwest and also won the Rebel and Arkansas Derby.

This year, the Southern California train has arrived even earlier in the meet, with Avare shipping to town for the season’s first route stakes for 3-year-olds, the $150,000 Smarty Jones. He goes Monday for trainer Doug O’Neill, who last spring won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with I’ll Have Another.

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 15:09

Gulfstream Park: Majestic Hussar returns in sharp form, may target Fountain of Youth

Barbara D. Livingston
Majestic Hussar defeats Palace Malice in a Gulfstream allowance race Saturday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Eddie Kenneally and his owner Dr. Joseph Witek, said they’re ready to put Majestic Hussar on the Kentucky Derby trail following his impressive victory over odds-on favorite Palace Malice in Saturday’s opening race at Gulfstream Park.

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 15:09

Laurel Park: Eighttofasttocatch seeks big payday in Native Dancer Stakes

Maryland Jockey Club/Jim McCue
Eighttofasttocatch, with Sheldon Russell riding, wins the Harrison E. Johnson Memorial for the second straight year.

As the lone Maryland-bred in the field, morning-line favorite and 124-pound highweight Eighttofasttocatch has a lot riding on the outcome of Monday’s co-featured Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park.

And while his eight opponents will compete for the basic purse of $75,000, the jackpot is worth $125,000 to the connections of Eighttofasttocatch because of a $50,000 bonus from the Maryland breeding fund.

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 14:59

Aqueduct: Clawback sticks to sprinting in Jimmy Winkfield

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Unable to find a suitable two-turn race, Clawback will run in Monday's six-furlong Jimmy Winkfield.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After seriously considering stretching out recent maiden winner Clawback in distance, trainer Rick Violette ultimately opted to keep the 3-year-old sprinting. Thus, Clawback will make his stakes debut in Monday’s six-furlong, $75,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct.

Clawback will take on only four rivals in the Winkfield, including the multiple stakes-winning West Virginia-bred In the Fairway and the stakes-winning New York-bred Meeker Avenue. Multiple winner Rubysandpearls and the Todd Pletcher-trained Winning Cause complete the field.

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 14:57

Santa Anita: Beholder cuts back for Santa Ynez Stakes

Tom Keyser
Beholder's first start since she won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is scheduled for the Jan. 21 Santa Ynez.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder is approaching Monday’s $150,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita in the same condition as she did her last race – a win in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies here last November.

“She couldn’t have been better going into the Breeders’ Cup,” trainer Richard Mandella said last week. “She’s coming back into that same form.”

Sat, 01/19/2013 - 14:07

Santa Anita: Krigger avoids serious injury after going down in spill

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Kevin Krigger was released from a Pasadena hospital Friday evening after being involved in a frightening spill earlier that day in a turf race at Santa Anita.

Krigger was aboard Ricspretentiousgal when the filly clipped heels with Indecise near the eighth pole. Krigger was briefly unconscious, but had regained consciousness before being transported to Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.