Up Jumps a Monster remained undefeated in four starts with an impressive win in the $50,000 Ky Alta for 3-yesar-olds at Northlands Park Saturday.
Stretching out to a middle distance for the first time, Up Jumps a Monster overcame a wide trip to win the one-mile race by 1 1/4 lengths over Toccetive. Clear the Runway opened up a clear lead at the top of the stretch before tiring to finish third. Even-money favorite Dougs Buddy finished fourth after setting the early pace.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Rahystrada winning the Grade 3, $200,000 Arlington Handicap on Saturday wasn't especially surprising. The horse had won the race in 2010 and went off at 4-1 after a good third behind Turbo Compressor in the Colonial Turf Cup. That he won the Arlington Handicap leading from start to finish - that was surprising.
Rahystrada hadn't been a first-call leader since an allowance race at Turfway Park in December 2008, but his connections sensed a lack of pace in the Arlington Handicap and advised jockey Joel Rosario accordingly.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Ben Perkins Jr. won the inaugural running of the Jersey Shore Stakes in 1992 with Surely Six, when the race was contested at Atlantic City Race Course.
It’s taken a long time, but Perkins finally scored again in the Jersey Shore for 3-year-old sprinters as Well Spelled rallied from last Saturday to beat Cape Cod Canal by 1 1/2 lengths at Monmouth Park.
Rallying widest of all, Well Spelled got his third win in nine starts. The time was 1:11.17 for the six furlongs in the Grade 3, $100,000 stakes. He paid $13.20 to win.
Grace Hall, the 2-5 favorite, drew off to a 3 3/4-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2, $400,000 Delaware Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.
The outcome was never in doubt.
Grace Hall and jockey Javier Castellano sat a golden trip, running fourth as Wicked Mizz, Amie’s Dini, and Aubby K set the pace in a tight pack.
Grace Hall picked up the tempo on the final turn, stacking four wide. She took charge in the upper stretch and easily held off a late run from Via Villaggio.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Heavily favored Bridge Jumper paid $3.10 for his front-running win in the $50,000 New Westminster Stakes for 2-year-olds at Hastings on Saturday.
Breaking alertly with Fernando Perez aboard, Bridge Jumper set moderate fractions of 23.25 and 47.22 seconds while being chased by Gambino in the six-furlong sprint. He held a 1 1/2-length advantage at the top of the stretch and widened his margin at the wire to 2 3/4 lengths. Gambino held on to finish second followed by Prohibiting. Lord Harlow finished last in the four-horse field.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Silver Max might be the best 3-year-old turf horse in the country right now, but trainer Dale Romans didn’t need him to win the American Derby on Saturday at Arlington. Romans-trained Cozzetti, who Silver Max beat by almost seven lengths when they met June 13 at Indiana Downs, slipped through a tight spot on the rail in deep stretch and edged pacesetting All Stormy in the Grade 3, $200,000 American Derby.
MIAMI - What looked like a two-horse race on paper turned into a one-horse race on the track after Angelica Zapata powered away to an easy nine-length victory over Canadian Mistress in Saturday’s $75,000 Nancy’s Glitter Handicap at Calder. The two fillies went off co-favored at even money.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Executiveprivilege is an undefeated stakes winner after two starts following her victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Landaluce Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Equally as important, Executiveprivilege is a patient filly.
In the Landaluce Stakes over six furlongs for 2-year-old fillies, Executiveprivilege raced on the inside throughout, waited behind the leaders on the turn, and took control when space developed in the stretch, drawing off to win by 3 1/4 lengths.
The win left jockey Rafael Bejarano impressed with her progress this summer.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Point of Entry continued his ascension through the male turf division with a good-looking, 3 1/2-length victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $600,000 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park.
After stalking Center Divider through pedestrian fractions, Point of Entry, under Jose Lezcano, took over at the eighth pole and bounded clear for a relatively easy score.
Center Divider held second by one length over Tahoe Lake. Newsdad was fourth, followed by 4-5 favorite Treasure Beach, Hudson Steele, and Game Ball. Philly Ace scratched.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Romacaca, in her previous incarnation, could never have won a race like the Grade 3 Modesty Handicap over 1 3/16 miles. Romacaca had talent, but she used it on the front end, firing out to the lead, running fast, and hoping to hold on. Such tactics were effective at distances up to a mile and a sixteenth or so, but anything farther would be asking too much.
But Romacaca is 6 now, and she’s a changed horse.
