Mon, 06/25/2012 - 13:41

Northlands Park: La Pinot gets blinkers for second start back

Trainer Robertino Diodoro is hoping the addition of blinkers will help La Pinot show more focus when she runs Wednesday evening in a first-level allowance race for fillies and mares at Northlands Park. The six-furlong sprint goes as the seventh race, and any of the five horses entered could win it.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 12:41

Woodbine: Strait of Dover uncertain for second leg of Canadian Triple Crown

Michael Burns
Strait of Dover leads from gate to wire while setting a track record in Sunday’s $1 million Queen’s Plate.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Strait of Dover became the first British Columbia-bred winner of the Queen’s Plate on Sunday, registering an impressive wire-to-wire victory under regular rider Justin Stein.

But will Strait of Dover even attempt to become the second British Columbia-bred winner of the Prince of Wales, following in the long-ago footsteps of Rushton’s Corsair in 1974?

The Prince of Wales, the 1 3/16-mile race that is the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, will be run over Fort Erie’s dirt surface July 15.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 11:37

Ruidoso: Jockey Isaias Enriquez posts 1,000th victory

Jockey Isaias Enriquez won the 1,000th Thoroughbred race of his career Sunday at Ruidoso Downs, when he guided Sarah M. ($7.60) to a wire-to-wire win in a maiden special weight. Enriquez is the current leading Thoroughbred rider at Ruidoso, with 15 wins from 69 mounts at the New Mexico track, which also races Quarter Horses.

Enriquez, 38, won the first race of his career at Turf Paradise, on Nov. 24, 1990. He has had 12,146 mounts and his career mount earnings stand at $24,170,235.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 09:11

Emerald Downs: Wenzel sweeps stakes with Makors Finale and Exclusive Diva

AUBURN, Wash. - Trainer Tom Wenzel won both halves of a stakes double-header for 3-year-olds Sunday at Emerald Downs. Makors Finale took the $50,000 Coca-Cola Handicap for colts and geldings, and Exclusive Diva captured the $50,000 Irish Day Handicap for fillies.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 09:03

Pleasanton: Reconstruction holds off Longview Drive to win Livermore Valley Wine Stakes

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s powerful duo of Reconstruction and Longview Drive ran one-two in the $54,900 Livermore Valley Wine Stakes at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton on Sunday.

The one-two finish capped a big Sunday for Hollendorfer, who saw Capital Plan win the Grade 3 Beverly Hills Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park earlier that day.

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 20:21

Hollywood Park: Rosario goes out a winner in Beverly Hills Handicap

INGLEWOOD, Calif.- Jockey Joel Rosario is leaving California a winner.

Sunday, in his final day of riding at Betfair Hollywood Park before relocating to New York for the rest of the summer, Rosario rode Capital Plan to a nose victory in the $100,000 Beverly Hills Handicap.

The style of the win was different than Rosario envisioned – he was forced to move early and sustain a lengthy bid – but the result was what bettors expected. Sent off favored, Capital Plan ($3.80) held her advantage through the stretch over Cambina, the winner of the Grade 1 American Oaks in 2011.

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 18:49

Northlands: Rubyintheruff heads one-two finish for stable in Wild Rose Handicap

Lightly raced Rubyintheruff easily held off her stablemate Alywyn  to win the $50,000 Wild Rose Handicap for fillies and mares at Northlands Park on Sunday.  She paid $6.10 as the second choice in the wagering.

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 18:26

Belmont: Willy Beamin's win in Mike Lee soothes sting of favorite's failure for Dutrow

Trevor Miles
Mike Luzzi guides Willy Beamin, coming back just four days after winning an allowance, to victory in the Mike Lee for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.’s fortunes changed in about 30 minutes Sunday at Belmont Park when it came to the two stakes restricted to New York-breds.

After watching his 3-5 favorite Sacred Success fade badly in the stretch of the $125,000 Bouwerie Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, Dutrow’s horse Willy Beamin upset the heavily favored Brigand to win the $125,000 Mike Lee Stakes for 3-year-old males.

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 18:08

Woodbine: Queen's Plate goes to front-running Strait of Dover

Michael Burns
Strait of Dover sets a Woodbine track record for 1 1/4 miles by winning the Queen's Plate in 2:01.99.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario—Strait of Dover went right to the front under Justin Stein and never looked back to win a rapid renewal of the $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine on Sunday.

Strait of Dover lowered the 1 1/4-mile Polytrack record by .19 of a second to 2:01.99 in the 153rd running of the Canadian classic. Trained by Danny Vella, Strait of Dover returned $9.60 as the second betting choice, and earned $600,000 for owner Canyon Farm.

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 18:03

Hollywood Park: Camp Victory gets green light for Triple Bend

Shigeki Kikkawa
Camp Victory is looking to use Monday's Morvich Stakes as a springboard to the Breeders' Cup.

Trainer Mike Mitchell will start the former claimer Camp Victory in Saturday’s $250,000 Triple Bend Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park.

The Grade 1 Triple Bend, run over seven furlongs, will be Camp Victory’s first start in a race at that level since a second to The Factor in the Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar last summer. Camp Victory, 5, was second in the 2011 Triple Bend to Smiling Tiger.

Both The Factor and Smiling Tiger are part of the expected field for the Triple Bend.