OCEANPORT, N.J. - Closing Range battled back to edge Zucchini Flower by a nose on Sunday in the $60,800 Twin Lights Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf.

Dancing Solo, the 1-2 favorite, was third.

The victory was a happy Monmouth Park homecoming for trainer Phil Oliver, a longtime fixture on this circuit. Now based at Keeneland, Oliver opted to give Closing Range her first stakes experience after the daughter of After Market won two of three starts in the Midwest.

Closing Range made the long journey worthwhile with a game effort.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Big Band Sound kicked in strongly in the stretch from a stalking position under Tyler Pizarro to romp in Sunday’s Grade 2 Play the King Stakes, which is a prep for the $1 million Woodbine Mile.

Big Band Sound ($7.80) prevailed by 2 1/2 lengths over a wide-closing Riding the River. Delegation was another half-length back in third, and Artic Fern wound up fourth after dueling with Stormy Rush through slow fractions. After tracking the leaders, favored Smokey Fire faded to finish a distant trailer. 

In the wake of Tropical Storm Isaac, Fair Grounds in New Orleans has canceled Quarter Horse racing this coming Wednesday through Saturday and called for a mandatory evacuation of its backstretch. Forecasters expect the storm, which could develop into a hurricane, to roll into New Orleans on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. The track expects to make up the lost four days of racing next week, with the races that have been set to be redrawn. Fair Grounds had about 700 horses on its backstretch when it announced the mandatory evacuation on Sunday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Three of the five confirmed starters for this Saturday’s  Grade 1 Woodward  at Saratoga worked within minutes of one another shortly after sunrise on Sunday morning with their works a sharp study in contrast.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - There won’t be a run-off to determine a sole winner of this year’s Travers Stakes, but there could be a rematch between Travers dead-heat winners Alpha and Golden Ticket in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Sept. 22.

Rita Haywood, back in with West Virginia-breds after three consecutive starts against open company, rolled to a 4 1/4-length win in Saturday night’s $51,000 Sylvia Bishop Memorial Stakes for 3-year-old statebred fillies at Charles Town.

Ridden by Matt McGowan, Rita Haywood ($6.40) stalked the pace while three wide, surged to the front approaching the far turn, and drew clear while completing seven furlongs in 1:26.38.

A daughter of Prized trained by Debra Ketterman for owner David Butts, Rita Haywood is now 4 for 14 lifetime.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Sunday’s Pacific Classic program, the richest day of the Del Mar meeting, will start with a rich two-day pick six carryover of $570,012.

A string of beaten favorites on Saturday, and a win by the longshots Hadfulastnight ($58.60) and Appealing Resume ($23.20) in the seventh and ninth races, ensured that the pick six would carry into Sunday’s 11-race program.

The bet was so difficult that the carryover was announced after Saturday’s ninth race, with one race remaining.

EDMONTON, Alberta –  Under a perfectly time ride by Jorge Carreno, Toccetive rallied from well back to edge his front-running stablemate Dougs Buddy by a half-length in a thrilling finish to the Grade 3, $200,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park on Saturday. It was another half-length back to heavily favored Devil in Disguise ,who didn’t appear to have any  noticeable excuses. Toccetive paid $12.70 as the third choice in the wagering

DEL MAR, Calif.- Casino Host won the longest race of his career in Saturday’s $200,000 Del Mar Handicap over 1 3/8 miles on turf.

The race was worth $120,000 to owners Gary and Mary West, but there were added financial benefits.

With the win, Casino Host earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf over 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita on Nov. 3. The typical entry and starter fees for that race are $90,000.

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

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Handle and attendance on Saturday's 11-race Travers card was up significantly from 2011, according to figures released by the New York Racing Association.

Ontrack handle was $8,741,773, up 7 percent from last year's total of $8,172,452. All-sources handle was $36,597,173, up 10.8 percent from last year's total of $33,017,384.

The crowd of 46,528 was an 8.1 increase from the 43,050 in 2011.