Sat, 10/06/2012 - 18:16

Santa Anita: Following Conway Victory, Merit Man headed to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint

ARCADIA, Calif. - Merit Man could have won Saturday’s $100,000 Tim Conway Stakes at Santa Anita by more than 5 1/2 lengths if he had paid attention through all of the six furlongs.

“He kind of pulled himself up at bit when he saw a photographer,” winning jockey Patrick Valenzuela said. “He’s a nice horse."

And a horse on his way to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint here on Nov. 2 after winning his stakes debut in the Tim Conway.

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 18:14

Keeneland: Joha's speed holds in Breeders' Futurity victory

LEXINGTON, Ky. -  Capitalizing on his inside post position and utilizing his early speed, Joha spurted to the lead in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland Saturday and gamely repelled all comers to earn a date in the Breeders' Cup.

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 18:07

Hoosier Park: Grace Hall pulls away in Indiana Oaks

Linscott Photography
Grace Hall is an easy winner of the Indiana Oaks under Brian Hernandez Jr.

Grace Hall made it look easy winning the Grade 2, $200,000 Indiana Oaks on Saturday afternoon at Hoosier Park.

Trained by Anthony Dutrow and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Grace Hall was to the outside of pacesetting Eden’s Moon, trained by Bob Baffert, to the far turn in the 1 1/16-mile event. Hernandez asked Grace Hall for run into the stretch, and she responded, drawing off to win by 5 3/4 lengths.

Hernandez was impressed with his mount.

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 17:59

Hoosier Park: Salty Strike takes George Stakes on Indiana Derby undercard

Salty Strike was kept mid-pack early by jockey Victor Lebron before rallying into the stretch and drawing off to win the $105,000 Mari Hulman George Stakes at Hoosier Park on Saturday. The Hillsdale was one of 10 stakes on the best card of the Hoosier meet, which was topped by the  Indiana Derby.

Trained by Ken McPeek, Salty Strike won by a length and a half and ran the mile and a sixteenth in 1.43.14 over a good track. Brushed by a Star was second and Action Lady was third. Salty Strike returned $7.80 to win.

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 17:54

Calder: Musical Romance wins her Breeders' Cup prep

Coady Photography @ Calder Casino & Race Course
Musical Romance, with Juan Leyva aboard, wins the Mike Sherman.

MIAMI - Musical Romance will be on her way to Santa Anita to defend her title in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint after rallying to a popular three-quarter-length decision over pacesetter Golden Mystery in Saturday's $55,000 Mike Sherman Memorial Stakes at Calder.

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 17:52

Santa Anita: Obviously wins Arroyo Seco Mile; Breeders’ Cup Mile may be next

Benoit & Associates
Obviously, with Joe Talamo up, wins the Arroyo Seco Mile by a half-length.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Obviously keeps winning major turf mile stakes in Southern California and keeps getting closer to a start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.

Saturday, the 4-year-old gelding won his second consecutive Grade 2 race for turf milers in the $150,000 Arroyo Seco Mile at Santa Anita, the local prep for the BC Mile.

Ridden by Joe Talamo, Obviously ran a mile in 1:31.95, finishing just .06 of a second slower than Atticus’s 1997 course record of 1:31.89. Obviously paid $4.40.

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 17:48

Keeneland: Wise Dan dominant in Shadwell Turf Mile

Keeneland/Coady Photography
With Jose Lezcano riding, Wise Dan powers home in the Shadwell Turf Mile.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Eliciting superlatives once more, Wise Dan dominated the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile on a sunny day at Keeneland to entrench himself further as quite possibly the best horse in North America this year.

With Jose Lezcano keeping the 5-year-old gelding out of trouble throughout the trip, Wise Dan circled into contention leaving the final turn and powered to a 2 1/4-length triumph in the $750,000 Shadwell, the richest race of the Keeneland fall meet.

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 17:31

Keeneland: Tapitsfly shows new talent winning First Lady

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Tapitsfly, with Jose Lezcano riding, wins the First Lady.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Tapitsfly might have been typecast as a speed horse for much of her career, but her come-from-behind victory in the $350,000 First Lady at Keeneland on Saturday may help to change that.

"This proves she's not one-dimensional," an elated Dale Romans said after watching Tapitsfly wear down Daisy Devine in the 15th running of the Grade 1 turf fixture. "We've always known she's got class. This was a big one for us."

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 17:30

Monmouth Park: Visionary Ruler leads gate to wire in Jersey Juvenile

David Owens/EQUI-PHOTO
Visionary Ruler scores a 1 3/4-length victory in the $63,200 Jersey Juvenile at Monmouth Park.

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Visionary Ruler led all the way Saturday to capture the $63,200 Jersey Juvenile at Monmouth Park.

The six-furlong race for statebred 2-year-olds was the final stakes of the season in New Jersey.

The 7-2 second choice in the wagering, Visionary Ruler posted a second straight win after missing by only a half-length in his debut.

Visionary Ruler had not run since his maiden win here in mid-August. Trainer Bret Calhoun tried to find a race in between. When nothing filled, he opted to train the son of Pollard’s Vision up to the race.

Sat, 10/06/2012 - 17:28

Woodbine: Spring Venture transfers her winning form to Polytrack in Mazarine

Michael Burns
Now a stakes winner on turf and Polytrack, Spring Venture's connections will have to determine which of the 2-year-old filly Breeders' Cup races suit her best.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Strongly-favored Spring Venture remained unbeaten by winning her first start on Polytrack Saturday at Woodbine in the Grade 3, $201,000 Mazarine Stakes.

Shenandoah Lady set a moderate pace in the mile and a sixteenth route for 2-year-old fillies, while Spring Venture had a wide, stalking trip under Patrick Husbands. Spring Venture hit the front at the head of the stretch, and then gradually edged away en route to a 1 1/2-length score, in 1:46.74. Seaneen Girl barely outran the Chicago shipper Every Way for second in the six-horse field.