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.” 

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. 

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.

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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.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Emcee, the authoritative winner of Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Forego Stakes at Saratoga, is more likely to be pointed to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at six furlongs than the Dirt Mile, his connections said Sunday morning.

 Though Emcee was pulling away from the field in winning the seven-furlong Forego by 4 1/2 lengths, the 4-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song has yet to race beyond seven furlongs and has never run around two turns. At Santa Anita, the site of this year’s Breeders’ Cup, the Dirt Mile is run around two turns.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - While no final decision has been made, Charlotte Weber, the owner of Grade 1 Woodward Stakes winner To Honor and Serve, said Sunday morning she prefers the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic to the $1 million Dirt Mile for her multiple Grade 1-winning colt.

“In order of preference, obviously, the Classic comes first, but I wouldn’t be ashamed to win either,” Weber said Sunday morning, after stopping by trainer Bill Mott’s barn.

DEL MAR, Calif. – The pick-six carryovers continue at Del Mar.

After two-day carryovers on Aug. 26 and Friday, there is a one-day carryover of $182,318 for Sunday’s 11-race program.

Considering the size of the fields of Sunday’s pick-six races, the bet may be tough to hit. The pick-six races have fields of 10, 9, 10, 10, 12, and 10. The final four races actually have more entrants, but there are safety limits of 10 or 12 starters, depending on the distances. Late scratches in those races will be announced Sunday morning.

DEL MAR, Calif.- Executiveprivilege was in all the right places in the stretch of Saturday’s $300,000 Del Mar Debutante.

A heavy favorite, Executiveprivilege rallied wide, seemingly the best place to be on Saturday, and caught an unlucky Beholder in the final stride to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante by a nose. The win extended Executiveprivilege’s unbeaten streak to four races, three of which have been in stakes.

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DEL MAR, Calif. - Nearly three years to the day after his first stakes win, John Scott added win in a six-figure race on his favorite track in Saturday's $106,460 Harry Brubaker Stakes at Del Mar.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, John Scott, 5, held off a late threat from an unlucky Kettle Corn to win the one-mile race by a neck in 1:36.52. Holladay Road finished third in the field of six.

John Scott ($6) raced wide through much of the race. He led by a length with a furlong remaining and was fully extended to win.

Trainer Dale Saunders had a banner day at Northlands Park on Saturday with wins by Ready Racer in the Sun Sprint Handicap for 3-year-olds and up and Hollywood Drama in the Birdcatcher Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings.