Sat, 09/01/2012 - 17:17

Saratoga: Dominus takes to turf in Bernard Baruch

Barbara D. Livingston
Dominus glides home to take the Bernard Baruch under Julien Leparoux.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Dominus, a graded stakes winner on dirt, made a smart-looking turf debut Saturday at Saratoga, leading every step of the way to take the Grade 2, $250,000 Bernard Baruch Handicap by 1 1/4 lengths over even-money favorite Data Link.

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 17:14

Suffolk: Jackie Davis not badly injured in spill

Jockey Jackie Davis fell when her mount Gato Bait clipped heels in the fifth race at Suffolk Downs Saturday, but was expected to return to action Monday after getting checked out at an area hospital.

According to agent Max Hall, Davis had no broken bones and was expecting to be released Saturday afternoon from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 17:06

Calder: Cash Rules wins tight finish in Darn That Alarm

Coady Photography
Cash Rules and Luis Saez hold off Liberty Cap to their inside and Flatter This to their outside to win the Darn That Alarm.

Cash Rules came through as the 2-5 favorite in the $75,000 Darn That Alarm on Saturday at Calder, but it wasn't easy.

Cash Rules held off Liberty Cap by a head in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, but an argument can be made that Liberty Cap ran the better race.

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 16:53

Parx Racing: Cactus Charlie gives sprinting another try in Tuesday feature

Cactus Charlie hasn’t had any luck chasing stakes horses such as Rule, Pants On Fire, and Hymn Book in route races. So trainer John Tammaro will change things up by shipping the 5-year-old Cactus Charlie from Monmouth Park to the site of his last victory, Parx Racing, and asking him to shorten to six furlongs for Tuesday’s $50,000 feature.

Winless in nine starts dating to May 2011, Cactus Charlie will try to end his drought when he breaks from the rail in a field of seven entered for a third-level optional $40,000 claimer.

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 16:33

Saratoga: Repole on verge of third straight owners' title

Barbara D. Livingston
Mike Repole, following an 0 for 36 drought at Saratoga, is closing in on his third straight title as leading owner at Saratoga's summer meet.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though he has won some of the sport’s biggest prizes the last three years, owner Mike Repole still has a hard time letting go of the summer of 2009.

That year, at Saratoga, Repole went winless with all 36 of his starters. It drove him nuts.

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Sat, 09/01/2012 - 16:15

Parx Racing: Chamberlain Bridge back for another Turf Monster run

David Owens/Equi-Photo
Chamberlain Bridge, with Paco Lopez riding, wins the My Frenchman at Monmouth Park.

Trainer Bret Calhoun returns Chamberlain Bridge to the Grade 3, $350,000 Turf Monster on Monday at Parx Racing with renewed confidence.

After a disappointing stretch in which Chamberlain Bridge appeared to have lost a step, the 8-year-old gelding snapped back with a pair of strong efforts. He was a sharp closing second in the Arlington Sprint before rallying to win the My Frenchman Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 16:12

Del Mar notes: Fed Biz sets sights on late-season derbies

Benoit & Associates
Fed Biz (foreground) comes back to defeat Jimmy Creed in Friday’s $100,000 El Cajon Stakes.

DEL MAR, Calif. – Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s record-setting 100th career stakes win at Del Mar was accomplished Friday with a 3-year-old colt who may have a major role in lucrative late-season derbies.

Fed Biz won a thrilling running of the $100,000 El Cajon Stakes for 3-year-olds over a mile, fighting back through the stretch to catch Jimmy Creed in the final strides.

Saturday, Baffert said he would consider Fed Biz for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 22 or the $500,000 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park on Oct. 6.

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 15:59

Monmouth Park: Successful Song brings her strong form to Lady’s Secret

OCEANPORT, N.J. – Any trainer would love to have a barnful of overachievers like Successful Song.

A 5-year-old career winner of $332,038, Successful Song makes her fourth start of the meet Monday in the $75,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes for fillies and mares at Monmouth Park.

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 15:58

Saratoga: Attfield back with Kissable in Glens Falls

Barbara D. Livingston
Kissable, with John Velazquez riding, wins the Waya.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Roger Attfield doesn’t venture down to Saratoga from his summer base at Woodbine too often. But when he does, the recently elected Hall of Famer usually shows up holding a live hand.

Sat, 09/01/2012 - 15:49

Saratoga: Hopeful pits Pletcher vs. Godolphin

Barbara D. Livingston
Shanghai Bobby (right) works in company with stablemate Drum Roll in August at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Two of the biggest storylines of the 144th Saratoga meet seek a proper conclusion Monday when trainer Todd Pletcher takes on Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing in the Grade 2, $300,000 Hopeful Stakes on closing day.

Entering Saturday, Pletcher had won 21 races for juveniles at the meet, including 20 maiden races, and was the leading trainer in races and purse money won. Prior to Emcee running in Saturday’s Grade 1 Forego, Godolphin Racing had won four graded stakes – including the Alabama and Travers – and was the leading owner in purse money won.