ALTOONA, Iowa – While registering his sixth lifetime stakes victory at Prairie Meadows, Shadowbdancing eclipsed the $1 million mark in career earnings when taking Saturday’s $100,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap by seven lengths.
She Spirit di Su gave owner Fergus Galvin a quick return on his investment when the 3-year-old Irish-bred filly scored her first stakes victory Saturday in the $55,950 Jack Demeo Horseman of the Year Stakes at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Rail Trip may only have been the fifth choice in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Diego Handicap, but there could not have been a more popular winner on the card at Del Mar on Saturday, because his victory culminated a tumultuous, 24-month odyssey and left his connections positively beaming.
Kyma led a parade of longshots in a blanket finish when he posted a 34-1 upset for his first stakes victory Saturday night in the $200,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup, the highlight of the racing year at Penn National in Grantville, Pa.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Well rested since her last race, Starlight Magic won her first stakes since October in Saturday’s $200,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar.
Starlight Magic ($8.40) won the seven-furlong Fleet Treat by a half-length over 11-1 Warren’s Amber. Willa B Awesome, winner of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in March, could only finish third as the 3-2 favorite.
Willa B Awesome raced alongside Starlight Magic on the turn, but could not keep pace in the final furlong.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. – Hammers Terror had to survive a stewards’ inquiry and an objection from second-place Delegation’s jockey, Jermaine Bridgmohan, to ultimately became the first winner of the $161,250 Mystic Lake Derby in front of 10,127 on Saturday at Canterbury Park.
Candy Coded Kisses and Two T’s at Two B provided the long and the short of things for horseplayers Saturday at Calder, capturing the opening divisions of the 2012 Florida Stallion series, the $75,000 Desert Vixen and Dr. Fager stakes.
Candy Coded Kisses rose up from the claiming ranks to register a $51.40 upset in the Desert Vixen, while the undefeated, odds-on favorite Two T’s at Two B returned just $3.20 for his popular victory in the Dr. Fager. Both races were decided at six furlongs.
OCEANPORT, N.J. – Senator Beck, trapped behind a wall of horses turning for home, was running out of time and luck.
And then Paco Lopez saved the day, wheeling her to the far outside in the $75,200 Desert Vixen Stakes for 3-year-old turf fillies Saturday afternoon at Monmouth Park.
With an electrifying surge, Senator Beck stormed past Peace Preserver to score her first stakes win.
“When she got free, she exploded for me,” Lopez said.
It was a strong rebound performance following a seventh-place finish in the Grade 3 Boiling Springs here last month.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and jockey Ramon Dominguez discussed the strategy they wanted to employ with Alpha in Saturday's Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes, they both concluded they wanted to be forwardly placed.
When Alpha easily glided over the Saratoga slop to an uncontested lead entering the first turn, McLaughlin and Dominguez knew they made the right call.
Alpha used his early tactical advantage to cruise to a two-length victory in Saturday's $600,000 Jim Dandy Stakes and make him one of the favorites for next month's $1 million Travers Stakes.
Picko's Pride was awarded first place through a disqualification and won the $60,000 Stonewall Farm Ocala Hockessin at Delaware Park Saturday afternoon.
Trained by McLean Robertson, Picko's Pride was gaining in late stretch and had to be steadied under jockey Ricardo Santana when Bet The Power shied from the whip in late stretch and bore out. The final margin of victory of Bet The Power, trained by Kenny Smith and ridden by Joe Rocco, was 1 3/4 lengths. For bearing out and interfering late, Bet The Power was disqualified from first and placed second behind Picko's Pride.
