Mon, 09/03/2012 - 14:05

Del Mar: My Best Brother, Potesta likely to get Breeders' Cup shots

Shigeki Kikkawa
My Best Brother wins the Del Mar Derby. He may try to give trainer Julio Canani his third Breeders' Ciup Mile win.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Trainer Julio Canani has won the Breeders’ Cup Mile twice, and he may take aim at the race again on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita with My Best Brother, who gave Canani a record fifth win in the Del Mar Derby on Sunday.

Canani’s previous Del Mar Derby winners were Blackdoun (2004), Val Royal (1999), Ladies Din (1998), and Silver Circus (1988). Val Royal won the BC Mile in 2001 at Belmont Park. Canani also won the BC Mile with Silic in 1999 at Gulfstream.

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 22:13

Del Mar: My Best Brother uncatchable in Del Mar Derby

Benoit & Associates
My Best Brother, under Martin Garcia, gives trainer Julio Canani his fifth Del Mar Derby win.

DEL MAR, Calif. – He’s as goofy as ever, with his fractured English, cheeky jokes, and oftentimes indecipherable accent, but Julio Canani can still flat-out train. He won the Del Mar Derby for the fifth time on Sunday as My Best Brother led from start to finish in the Grade 2, $300,000 turf event, erasing a bitter setback last time out in the La Jolla Handicap.

“The jockey fall asleep the other day,” Canani said, referring to jockey Martin Garcia.

[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 20:28

Ruidoso: All American Derby win propels Ochoa to top of all-time money list

The 3-year-old Ochoa has now won $2.5 million after taking the All American Derby.

Ochoa became Quarter Horse racing’s all-time leading earner Sunday at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, when he cruised to a 1 1/4-length win in the Grade 1, $2,234,539 All American Derby. He has now earned $2,584,243 to surpass the $2.2 million record that had been held by Stolis Winner.

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 20:11

Canterbury: Robertson, Riggs combine to sweep Minnesota Classic stakes

Coady Photography
Sugar Business, ridden by Derek Bell, sets a stakes record for the Northern Lights Futurity by covering six furlongs in 1:10.32.

SHAKOPEE, Minn.– A record Festival Day crowd of 17,053 witnessed Minnesota’s championship day of racing at Canterbury Park.  The previous record of 11,214 was shattered on a gorgeous late summer afternoon.

The large crowd saw trainer Mac Robertson and jockey Tanner Riggs sweep the two Minnesota Classics.

In the $50,000 Minnesota Classic, Coconino Slim took command early in the 1 1/16-mile race and never looked back, turning back a late run by Samendra while drawing off to win by 2 1/4 lengths as the even-money favorite paying $4.20. The time of the race was 1:44.28.

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 19:24

Saratoga: Dominguez caps off six-win day aboard 10-1 shot in Saranac

Barbara D. Livingston
Ramon Dominguez collects his sixth win of the day and meet-record 66th winner aboard Unbridled Command in the Grade 3 Saranac.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jockey Ramon Dominguez tied one record and broke another Sunday at Saratoga.

Dominguez rode six winners on Sunday’s card at Saratoga, equaling the one-day record - which he first equaled six weeks earlier - while setting a single Saratoga meet record with 66 victories. Dominguez, who will win his second Saratoga riding title, can add to the record on Monday, closing day, when he’s scheduled to ride all 11 races.

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 19:02

Saratoga: So Many Ways gives Tony Dutrow second straight Spinaway win

Tom Keyser
So Many Ways, ridden by Javier Castellano, capitalizes on a contested pace to capture the Spinaway for 2-year-old fillies.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y .-  For the second year in a row, trainer Tony Dutrow won the Grade 1 Spinaway and for the second year in a row he did so at the direct expense of a filly trained by Wesley Ward after So Many Ways parlayed a perfect trip into a 2 1/2-length victory over the 22-1 Sweet Shirley Mae on Sunday in Saratoga’s most prestigious race for 2-year-old fillies. Teen Pauline, who set a track record in her debut, finished  third as the 3-5 favorite.

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 17:46

Monmouth: Brave Dave overcomes stumble to win Sapling

Bill Denver/Equiphoto
Paco Lopez guides Brave Dave to a front-running victory in the Sapling.

Brave Dave overcame a poor start to score a wire-to-wire win in Sunday’s Grade 3, $101,000 Sapling Stakes for 2-year-olds at Monmouth Park.

Sent off as the 7-5 favorite after flashing high speed and fading late in the Grade 2 Sanford at Saratoga, Brave Dave ($5.40) stumbled badly when the starting gate opened, bumping Coach A.J., but recovered and was quickly sent to the front by jockey Paco Lopez.

“He took a really bad stumble out of the gate, but I know this horse and how fast he is,” Lopez said.  “He rebounded pretty quickly and was in front quickly.” 

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 17:18

Woodbine: Seen It All Before parlays perfect trip into Vice Regent victory

Michael Burns
Luis Contreras collects one of his three wins on the card aboard Seen It All Before in the Vice Regent.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario—The flashy chestnut Seen It All Before  captured  his first stakes after a perfect stalking trip Sunday at Woodbine in the $125,000 Vice Regent.

With Luis Contreras aboard, Seen It All Before saved ground in a stalking position in the one-mile turf route, while Jenna’s Wabbit set slow fractions as the 4-5 favorite. Contreras angled Seen It All Before wide early in the stretch, and he went by Jenna’s Wabbit and Ultimate Destiny with an eighth of a mile remaining en route to a 1 1/2-length tally, in 1:35.17. 

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 16:02

Del Mar: John Scott vs. Kettle Corn rivalry may resume in Awesome Again

Benoit & Associates
Kettle Corn (left) and John Scott could meet for the third time this season in the Awesome Again at Santa Anita.

The 5-year-olds John Scott and Kettle Corn are becoming a buddy act.

After finishing second and third in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 28, they were one-two in the Harry Brubaker Stakes over a mile on Saturday. They are both being pointed for the $250,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 29, a race formerly known as the Goodwood Stakes.

[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]

Sun, 09/02/2012 - 15:40

Del Mar: Executiveprivilege will stretch out to prepare for Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies

Shigeki Kikkawa
Executiveprivilege will make her first start around two turns in the Chandelier at Santa Anita.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The undefeated 2-year-old star Executiveprivilege has seen the last of sprints for a while after her fourth career win in Saturday’s Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante.

At Santa Anita this fall, Executiveprivilege will have a campaign geared toward securing the 2-year-old filly championship.

[Complete coverage of racing at Del Mar: News, PPs, and video]