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.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Gypsy Robin must have a thing for the Polytrack surface at Keeneland. The filly absolutely ran her competition off their feet Saturday when dominating the 14th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Raven Run, running her career record here to 3 for 3.
Stephanoatsee remained perfect in two starts at Delaware Park when he came from off the pace to collect his first stakes victory in the $100,000 Barbaro Stakes for 3-year-olds.
The Barbaro, contested at 1 1/16 miles on the main track, was the richest of five stakes on the Owners Day program.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Matchmadeinheaven, who began her career with two stakes victories at Finger Lakes, unleashed a big stretch run on the far outside to win the Joseph A. Gimma Stakes and remain unbeaten for trainer Chris Englehart.
Far back early in the field of 12 juvenile New York-bred fillies, Matchmadeinheaven circled widest into the lane and sustained a long run to wear down the leaders by three-quarters of a length under Jose Lezcano, who earlier in the day took the Bertram F. Bongard with a rail-skimming ride on Weekend Hideaway.
FAR HILLS, N.J. – Fluke? No. Pierrot Lunaire repeated his winning effort at Belmont Park last month to win the $250,000 Grand National hurdle stakes at the Far Hills Races on Saturday.
Trained by Blythe Miller Davies, Pierrot Lunaire went after pacesetter Divine Fortune exiting the final turn, flew the last fence, and rallied through the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length in 5:40 for 2 5/8 miles over soft turf. Royal Bonsai stayed on for third. Slip Away and Spy In the Sky were late scratches.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Star Contender won his first stakes in his turf debut under Patrick Husbands on Saturday in the $250,400 Cup and Saucer at Woodbine.
Star Contender collared the front-running Tex inside the eighth pole before drawing clear to prevail by 3 1/4 lengths in the mile and a sixteenth route. Tormenta Fiera checked in third in the nine-horse field of Canadian-bred 2-year-olds.
The rider of Tormenta Fiera claimed foul on the top two finishers for interference at the quarter pole. After a long inquiry, Tex was placed behind Tormenta Fiera in third.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The seventh and final meeting in the year-long rivalry between Hessonite and Gitchee Goomie went the same way as the first.
Hessonite, under a supremely confident Ramon Dominguez, split horses in mid-stretch and drew clear to a 3 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $175,000 Ticonderoga Stakes at Belmont Park. Shakeira outfinished Gitchee Goomie by a neck for second.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Mine Over Matter had proven no match for the red-hot Saginaw in two previous encounters but turned the tables in Saturday’s New York Showcase card at Belmont Park when he rallied to a one-length victory over the odds-on favorite in the $150,000 Hudson Stakes.
The decision to switch Saturday’s $75,000 First Responder Stakes at Parx Racing from turf to the main track folowing heavy rains on Friday turned Rush Now from a huge question mark into a solid favorite.
The 4-year-old Rush Now ($3.60), who has never run on grass in his 18-race career, ran down pacesetter Ponzi scheme and scored a one-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile First Responder. It was the third straight win for the Tony Dutrow-trained Rush Now, who last year won the Spend a Buck at Monmouth and was second in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Weekend Hideaway got the Showcase Day pick six off to a formful start, handling an off track and 13 rivals in the $125,000 Bertram F. Bongard for 2-year-old New York-breds.
Weekend Hidaway ($4.10) raced in closest attendance to Saint Arthur through opening fractions of 22.41 and 46.12 seconds, and moved through inside that rival to take the lead approaching the five-sixteenths marker. Despite drifting out late beneath Jose Lezcano, the Speightstown colt remained clear to score by 2 1/2 lengths.
