Tue, 10/09/2012 - 14:33

Woodbine: Foreign arrivals still to assemble for Canadian International Day

Michael Burns
Joshua Tree canters around the track at Woodbine at sunrise on Tuesday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – With the French contingent having been due to arrive late Tuesday afternoon and the Irish to follow on Wednesday, all the pieces of the puzzle have yet to fall into place for Sunday’s Canadian International Day program.

Three Grade 1 turf stakes will be on tap, with the 1 1/2-mile Canadian International, the 1 1/4-mile E.P. Taylor, and the six-furlong Nearctic all part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program.

[BREEDERS' CUP 2012: DRF top 10 lists, video replays, latest news]

Tue, 10/09/2012 - 12:34

Santa Anita: All-sources handle up 1%; attendance, ontrack handle decline

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita has shown an increase in all-sources handle and a decline in ontrack attendance and handle through the first eight days of the autumn meeting.

Through Monday, the meeting showed an increase in all-sources handle of 1 percent, with much of the growth coming through account wagering, according to the track’s president, George Haines. Account wagering handle has increased 30 percent, he said.

Ontrack attendance is down 5 percent for the meeting, while ontrack handle is down 10 percent.

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 21:23

Hastings: Commander handles the pressure in Premiers; Breeders’ Cup Marathon up next

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – In what turned into a match race at the quarter pole, Commander  held off Jebrica to win the Grade 3, $100,000 B.C. Premiers at Hastings on Monday. Commander, who was winning his sixth straight stakes, was sent off as the overwhelming favorite and paid $2.90.

With Mario Gutierrez aboard, Commander was under pressure from Northern Causeway while posting sprint-like fractional times of 23.84 seconds, 46.50, and 1:11.53 in the 1 3/8-mile feature for 3-year-olds and up. After disposing of Northern Causeway following a mile in 1:37.35,

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 21:08

Santa Anita: Flashy Ways gets perfect trip in Surfer Girl Stakes

Benoit & Associates
Flashy Ways, with Joe Talamo up, wins the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Joe Talamo’s list of Breeders’ Cup turf mounts is growing rapidly.

Saturday, he won the Arroyo Seco Mile at Santa Anita on BC Mile candidate Obviously. Monday, he won the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes with Flashy Ways, who may start in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf on this course Nov. 2.

Flashy Ways, who began her career with a win in a $50,000 claimer for maidens at Del Mar on Aug. 16, had a perfect trip to win the one-mile Flashy Girl by 2 1/2 lengths over Wishing Gate, the 2-1 favorite.

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 19:50

Northlands Park: Risky Call takes Canadian Juvenile easily

Risky Call broke sharply and after dueling with Tony the Tank through quick fractions went on to win the $50,000 Canadian Juvenile by an easy 5 1/2 lengths over Just Gone at Northlands Park on Monday. He paid $6.40 as the slight favorite in the one-mile race for 2-year-olds.

Risky Call disposed of Tony the Tank after six furlongs and held a 6 1/2-length lead at the top of the stretch. With apprentice jockey Rafael Zenteno Jr. aboard, Risky Call was never threatened while easily holding off Just Gone who rallied from off the pace. Rockport Street finished third.

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 19:13

Hastings: Class Included eyes Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic after Ballerina win

VANCOUVER, British Columbia  – Russell Baze guided Class Included to an impressive win over Evelyn’s Dancer in the Grade 3, $100,000 Ballerina at Hastings on Monday. She paid $3.20 as the clear choice over Evelyn’s Dancer in the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares.

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 18:17

Belmont Park: Peace Preserver caps big weekend for Pletcher with easy win in Pebbles

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Peace Preserver and John Velazquez win the $150,000 Pebbles on Monday by 6 1/2 lengths.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Peace Preserver rallied four wide in the stretch under John Velazquez and galloped to a 6 1/2-length victory in Monday’s $150,000 Pebbles Stakes at Belmont Park, capping a fabulous Columbus Day weekend for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Channel Lady, the 3-2 favorite, also trained by Pletcher, finished second by a neck over the ambitious pacesetter Assateague in the one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies.

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 18:15

Chantal Sutherland suspended after failing breathalyzer at Woodbine

Barbara D. Livingston
Chantal Sutherland will ride Kevlar Kid in Saturday's San Diego.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jockey Chantal Sutherland was given a five-day suspension by Woodbine stewards over the weekend for failing a breath analysis test, according to a ruling issued at Woodbine on Saturday.

The suspension began on Sunday and runs five calendar days, through Thursday. Sutherland, who was at Woodbine to ride in stakes races, was fined $300 Canadian and suspended “for providing a breath analysis reading in excess of the allowable limit on Oct. 6,” the ruling stated. Sutherland was taken off her mounts at Woodbine on Saturday's card after failing the test.

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 18:01

Santa Anita: Gervinho overcomes slip to win Zuma Beach

ARCADIA, Calif. - Gervinho overcame a brief loss of footing on the turn to win his stakes debut in Monday’s $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds at Santa Anita.

Mon, 10/08/2012 - 17:47

Belmont Park: Watsdachances gives Chad Brown another Breeders' Cup starter with Miss Grillo win

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Watsdachances and Javier Castellano pull away in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo on Monday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Chad Brown’s Breeders’ Cup contingent keeps getting larger.

About 90 minutes after Noble Tune earned his way into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Watsdachances earned a spot in the $1 million Juvenile Fillies Turf with a 2 1/4-length victory in Monday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Miss Grillo Stakes at Belmont Park.

[Breeders’ Cup Challenge 2012: Replays of all the Win and You’re In races]