Sun, 10/21/2012 - 17:39

Woodbine: Sutherland abruptly calls it quits as jockey

Michael Burns
Chantal Sutherland, shown at Woodbine in November 2009, rode for the last time on Sunday in the Bunty Lawless Stakes.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario— Chantal Sutherland, who recorded her first career win at Woodbine on Oct. 9, 2000, was back here Sunday afternoon for what she says will be the final ride of her career.

The 36-year-old Sutherland, born in Winnipeg, guided Crushin Hard to a seventh-place finish in the $125,000 Bunty Lawless Stakes for her father, Hugh Sutherland.

“Woodbine has been an amazing place for me,” said Sutherland. “This is where I learned how to ride, and made me the rider that I am, to be able to go and compete in other places.”

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 13:04

Laurel: Pacific Ocean among top sprinters pointing to Frank De Francis Memorial Dash

Barbara D. Livingston
Pacific Ocean, ridden by Joel Rosario, captures the Grade 3 James Marvin on opening day at Saratoga.

Pacific Ocean, a Grade 3 stakes winner each of the past two seasons, is among the sprinters considered as probable starters for Saturday’s $350,000 Frank De Francis Memorial Dash at Laurel Park.

The De Francis Dash is the feature on a Fall Festival of Racing Card that includes five $150,000 stakes scheduled for turf.

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 08:36

Golden Gate Fields: Halo Dolly much the best in Miss America

William Vassar/Vassar Photography
Halo Dolly, ridden by Russell Baze, collects her third stakes victory in her last four outings in the Miss America.

ALBANY, Calif. – Three weeks after finishing last in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl at Belmont, Halo Dolly  returned to her winning ways with an easy victory in the $64,300 Miss America Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 08:28

Delta Downs: Bern Identity points to Delta Jackpot after sharp Jean Lafitte score

Coady Photography
Bern Identify carries Paco Lopez to a three-length victory in the Jean Lafitte, the prep for next month's Delta Downs Jackpot.

Bern Identity will head to next month’s Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot after he easily won his two-turn debut Saturday night in the $200,000 Jean Lafitte. He was a three-length winner of the one-mile race that served as the local prep for the Jackpot, which is to be run Nov. 17.

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 22:47

Turf Paradise: Lewiston pulls 16-1 surprise in ATBA Fall Sales Stakes for colts and geldings

PHOENIX – Lewiston continued his progress as the 2-year-old son of El Roblar posted a 16-1 upset in Saturday’s $76,851 colts and geldings division of the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association  Fall Sales Stakes at Turf Paradise.

Youbetshewon bounced back from a dull try here a few weeks ago to capture the $91,414 filly division later on the card.

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 22:41

Charles Town: Lucy's Bob Boy whips his elders in West Virginia Breeders' Classic

Mike Montgomery
The 3-year-old filly Rita Haywood gives jockey Matt McGowan the first of his two stakes wins on Saturday night's West Virginia Breeders' Classic card in the West Virginia Division of Tourism.

Neither the lack of experience racing beyond seven furlongs nor post 10 proved to be any real obstacle for the 3-year-old gelding Lucy’s Bob Boy.

Facing older horses for just the second time in his career, Lucy’s Bob Boy ($8.20) reeled off his sixth consecutive victory in the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic, the richest race on Saturday night’s card devoted to West Virginia-breds at Charles Town.

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 20:22

Santa Anita: Broken Dreams scores repeat win in Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Broken Dreams, ridden by Garrett Gomez, uses her late kick to win the Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes for the second time.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Broken Dreams is nearing the end of her career, but she has still got some racing left in her. For the second straight year on Saturday, she captured the Grade 3, $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes at Santa Anita, and earned her second stakes win in her last three starts, all in concert with Garrett Gomez.

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 19:43

Hawthorne: Signsealndeliver completes rich Illinois-bred stakes sweep for connections

Four-Footed Fotos
Signsealndeliver produces the second major stakes win of the day for jockey Florent Geroux , trainer Roger Brueggemann, and owner Midwest Thoroughbreds.

STICKNEY, Ill. – Roger Brueggemann is not the animated type. A stranger watching him trundle away from a television monitor in Hawthorne’s underground paddock wouldn’t have guessed Brueggemann was going to greet Signsealndeliver, who just had given him, owner Midwest Thoroughbreds, and jockey Florent Geroux a sweep of two six-figure Illinois-bred stakes races here Saturday.

“I guess that one didn’t need a prep race, either,” Brueggemann said, about a close to a celebratory statement as the trainer was going to come.

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 18:38

Belmont Park: Lunar Victory outduels Saratoga Snacks to take Empire Classic

Barbara D. Livingston
Lunar Victory and jockey Junior Alvarado get the better of Saratoga Snacks after a prolonged battle in the Empire Classic.

ELMONT, N.Y. - It may not have been as exhilarating as was their win earlier on Saturday at Ascot with the undefeated Frankel, but Juddmonte Farms captured the biggest prize on Belmont Park’s New York Showcase Day program when Lunar Victory pulled away from Saratoga Snacks late to win the $250,000 Empire Classic.

Saratoga Snacks, the Bill Parcells-owned 3-year-old who set a solid early pace, finished second by 6 1/2 lengths over Sailmate.

Sat, 10/20/2012 - 18:34

Belmont Park: Unbridled Command gives Dominguez third stakes win of day in Mohawk

Barbara D. Livingston
Ramon Dominguez rides his third stakes winner of the New York Showcase Day card aborad Unbridled Command in the Mohawk.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Tom Bush said he thought he might have made a mistake by not running Unbridled Command in last week’s Jamaica. But that notion was quickly dismissed after his red hot 3-year-old turf specialist turned in a dominating 6 3/4-length victory over Karakorum Legend and a field of seven other New York-breds in Saturday’s $175,000 Mohawk Stakes at Belmont Park.