ELMONT, N.Y. - After Nahrain finished second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Churchill Downs, her European-based connections were hopeful of returning to the U.S. for another try at that race this year.

But Nahrain hadn’t run a race worthy of Breeders’ Cup consideration. Until Saturday, that is.

Energized by a horse to her outside in the stretch, Nahrain, under John Velazquez, battled all the way to the wire and outfinished Zagora to win the Grade 1, $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational by one-half length over a yielding Belmont Park turf course.

MIAMI - Brave Dave returned to the scene of his maiden win earlier this summer and made it look even easier the second time around, cruising to a 4 3/4-length victory over Sr. Quisqueyano in Saturday’s $100,000 Birdonthewire Stakes for 2-year-olds at Calder.

Also on the Saturday card, Dreaming of Sophia won the $100,000 Cassidy for 2-year-old fillies.

West Hills Giant, whose only two previous career races were turf routes, successfully handled the transition to a dirt sprint to capture Saturday’s $247,338 New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Crysta’s Court, a 44-1 maiden, graduated in style at Woodbine Saturday in the $125,000 Victorian Queen Stakes, handing Cryptic Message her first loss in the process.

Cryptic Message, the 1-2 favorite, set honest fractions of 22.42 and 45.51 in the six-furlong dash for Ontario-sired 2-year-old fillies. Crysta’s Court broke inward and gave the field a headstart before closing strongly on the outside through the stretch to prevail by a length in 1:10.64.

Cryptic Message finished 2 1/4 lengths clear of the third horse, Strut the Course.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Chalk players were more lucky than good in Saturday’s Grade 1 Vosburgh Invitational at Belmont Park as The Lumber Guy ($6.20) returned from a layoff to win decisively, while more highly-regarded entrymate Sean Avery finished off the board.

Martha’s Moon, stretching out from five furlongs to a mile and 70 yards while making her first start since she was privately purchased in Florida, cruised to an easy wire-to-wire victory in Saturday’s $75,000 Blue Hen Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Delaware Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Before entries closed Wednesday morning, trainer Barclay Tagg said he was going to run Jersey Town in Saturday’s Grade 1 Vosburgh at six furlongs because he thought the Grade 2 Kelso at a mile was a tougher race.
After further thought - and after talking to Jersey Town's owner Charles Fipke - Tagg reversed course and entered the horse in the Kelso.

“I like distance races better than sprints," Tagg said. "I feel like I’m more comfortable with that."

ARCADIA, Calif. - Zenyatta is back at Santa Anita - or at least a life-size bronze statue of the 2010 Horse of the Year.

Saturday at Santa Anita, a statue of Zenyatta was unveiled before an enthusiastic crowd of her supporters in the track’s picturesque paddock garden.

Owners Jerry and Ann Moss were on hand to see the unveiling of the work of noted sculptress Nina Kaiser.

“It’s beautiful,” Jerry Moss said. “Nina did an outstanding job.”

Ann Moss described the statue as “such an honor. She looks fabulous. She deserves it.”

ELMONT, N.Y. - A few days after Royal Delta won the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at Churchill Downs, Benjamin Leon spent $8.5 million to buy the filly at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Part of it was as a future broodmare prospect. Part of it was for the kind of breathtaking performance Royal Delta is capable of giving, one that she gave winning Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Beldame Invitational at Belmont Park.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Unbridled’s Note joined the list of contenders for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 3 with a sharp win in his turf debut in Friday’s $100,000 Eddie D Stakes.

Unbridled’s Note had no difficulty handling the surface or the unique layout of the hillside turf course at Santa Anita, winning the about 6 1/2-furlong race by 1 1/4 lengths over Chosen Miracle. The importance of the win was not lost on Scott Blasi, trainer Steve Asmussen’s assistant.