Jeff Runco, perennial leading trainer at Charles Town, is among eight new members who will join Charles Town’s Hall of Fame on Dec. 15..
The Hall of Fame is made up of individuals and horses with ties to Charles Town who have displayed superior performance or achievement in their careers in racing. Candidates are voted on and inducted in one of four categories: distinguished achievement, horse, industry, and jockey.
Jockey Antonio Lopez, trainer James W. Casey, and owner Taylor Mountain Farm swept both divisions of Saturday night’s West Virginia Futurity at Charles Town, winning with 3-2 second choice Cinderella’spalace in the colts and geldings division and 9-1 outsider Queen’o’daball in the fillies division.
Both races for West Virginia-bred 2-year-olds were worth $62,862 and were contested at seven furlongs.
ALBANY, Calif. – Marks Mine turned the tables on odds-on favorite Ciao Bella Luna as she scored a 11/4-length victory in the $60,550 Golden Gate Debutante at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
Marks Mine ($12.20) was run down by Ciao Bella Luna and defeated by two lengths in an Oct. 25 prep race, but proved superior in the rematch.
Ol Winedrinker Who returned to racing with 3-year-olds Saturday in the $150,000 Zia Park Derby and pulled a mild upset in the race when he darted clear by 3 3/4 lengths over Master Rick.
Following the race, Master Rick’s camp lodged a claim of foul against the winner for interference in the stretch, but the order of finish was allowed to stand.
Alsvid set the pace and finished third as the 4-5 favorite, a half-length behind Master Rick.
STICKNEY, Ill. – Provided she could handle dirt, My Option’s synthetic and turf performances gave her the look of a likely winner in the Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante Stakes on Saturday at Hawthorne. She did, and she was. My Option ran away with the $116,525 Whitworth, drawing clear in the stretch to win the main-track route race for Illinois-bred 2-year-old fillies by 4 1/2 lengths under Eddie Perez.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Mike Maker and his principal owners, Ken and Sarah Ramsey, capped off a memorable afternoon when Parent’s Honor rallied from near the rear of the field to capture the $200,000 Jewel for their fourth Claiming Crown victory on Saturday’s opening day program at Gulfstream Park. The Claiming Crown was held at Gulfstream for the first time this year.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Mike Smith paid attention. Whether it was stated or inferred, there was no doubt that the reason he had received the mount on Game On Dude for the Grade 3, $242,500 Native Diver Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park on Saturday was because of dissatisfaction with the way Game On Dude was ridden in recent starts.
So when Game On Dude broke a half-step slowly, from the rail, Smith knew what he had to do. He gunned Game On Dude to the lead, despite the aggressive early tactics from Nonios and his jockey, Martin Pedroza.
Slim Shady’s Lady pulled a 36-1 stunner Saturday when she held off favored Queen’s Award to win the $50,000 Holiday Inaugural, the first stakes of the holiday meet at Turfway Park.
Always on the lead with Ben Creed aboard, Slim Shady’s Lady shook off Lou’s Angel with a quarter-mile to go in the six-furlong Polytrack race, opened a sizable margin passing the eighth pole, and then had just enough to prevail by a neck over Queen’s Award, the 5-2 choice in a field of 12 fillies and mares. The winner returned $74 after finishing in 1:11.11.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Nikki’s Sandcastle, a hard-luck second on several occasions this year, proved he can indeed win the close ones by outgaming Major Marvel following a thrilling stretch run to capture Saturday’s Claiming Crown Emerald at Gulfstream Park.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Avie’s Quality beat a quality field of 2-year-olds Saturday at Woodbine in the $150,800 Display Stakes, in a rapid time of 1:43.25 for the mile and a sixteenth.
Clearly Now set lively fractions of 24.13 and 48.10 seconds, with longshot Hey You Pick Me in close proximity. Avie’s Quality raced in mid-pack on the backstretch, and then rallied two-wide into contention on the far turn en route to a length and a quarter tally over a determined My Name Is Michael.
