ELMONT, N.Y. - The last time trainer Christophe Clement won the Hill Prince Stakes, that horse went on to win 10 graded stakes, three Eclipse Awards and $6.1 million in purse money.
While it's too early to say Summer Front is the next Gio Ponti, there were times during the running of Saturday's Hill Prince at Belmont Park where Clement's thoughts harkened back to Gio Ponti.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Amarish has had no competition in his first two starts.
After beating maidens by 7 3/4 lengths on May 26, Amarish won his stakes debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Willard Proctor Memorial Stakes for 2-year-olds by 4 1/2 lengths at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Amarish ($3.40) was not seriously urged by jockey Edwin Maldonado, finishing 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.55.
“Every time he hooks up with someone, he hammers them,” trainer Jeff Bonde said. “He’s a good-minded horse.”
NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Multiple Ohio champion Pay the Man returned to her winning ways under jockey Ricardo Feliciano as she led every step of the way, turned back a strong inside bid from Muir Woods at the top of the stretch as she drifted out a bit, and prevailed by one length in the $50,000, 1 1/16-mile J. William Petro Memorial Handicap at Thistledown on Saturday afternoon. It was 3 1/4 lengths further back to The War Department in third.
Trainer Todd Pletcher has saddled three of the last six winners of the Delaware Handicap and figures to have another prominent contender for this year’s running of Delaware Park’s most prestigious race after his filly Love and Pride scored a front-running victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Obeah Stakes.
The Grade 3 Obeah, contested at 1 1/8 miles, was the local prep for the Grade 2, $750,000 Del Cap on July 21. Pletcher won back-to-back Delaware Handicaps in 2006 with Fleet Indian and 2007 with Unbridled Belle, and then took the 2010 running with Life At Ten.
ELMONT, N.Y. - From the same connections that brought you 2011 female turf champion Stacelita and the multiple graded stakes winner Zagora, comes their latest European import - Dealbata.
In her first start for owner Martin Schwartz and trainer Chad Brown, Dealbata split horses in midstretch and powered home a one-length winner of Saturday’s $90,000 Mohegan Sky Stakes at Belmont Park. Bubbly Jane, making her first start since September finished second by one-half length over Federation.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Ray’s Away put away 1-10 favorite Allaboutcaroline in the stretch en route to a comfortable score in Saturday’s $156,000 Victoria, the first stakes for 2-year-olds of the Woodbine meet.
Ray’s Away and Allaboutcaroline, a filly from Kentucky, dueled around the turn through a quarter in 22.37 seconds. Ray’s Away began to draw off at the eighth pole, and won by 2 1/4 lengths over Honorable Guest, in 58.28. Allaboutcaroline faded to third under Kent Desormeaux, and Dan the Tin Man trailed in a field reduced to four with the scratch of Thats Our Princess.
[bc_video_id:254937:]It will be the classic turtle and the hare scenario when It’s Me Mom and Sally Sally square off in the $100,000 Satin and Lace Stakes at Presque Isle Downs on Tuesday evening.
It’s Me Mom has led at the first call in all of her starts dating back to 2010. The Lynne Scace trainee has won 10 of her 17 lifetime.
Sally Sally has come from behind in all 13 of her races, winning 7 of them for trainer Ryan Walsh.
Both horses have been successful over synthetic surfaces, with It’s Me Mom winning 5 of 8 and Sally Sally winning 6 of 7.
Key to the Venture and Indy’s Ransom might still be maidens, but they bring arguably the best credentials into the $75,000 Totah at SunRay Park in Farmington, N.M., on Tuesday. The 4 1/2-furlong race drew a field of six, and is restricted to 2-year-old colts and geldings bred in New Mexico. First post is 3 p.m. Mountain.
Key to the Venture and Indy’s Ransom exit the $120,000 Copper Top Futurity at Sunland Park on April 14. They finished a respective second and third in the 4 1/2-furlong race, with Key to the Venture finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Indy’s Ransom.
Ruidoso Downs plans to move the date of the Grade 1, $700,000 Rainbow Futurity for Quarter Horses to Sunday, July 22, pending approval by the New Mexico Racing Commission at its meeting Thursday.
The 400-yard finale had been scheduled for Saturday, July 21. Trials for the Rainbow Futurity are July 3.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The Bob Baffert stable suffered a setback when the multiple stakes winner Ellafitz was withdrawn from Saturday’s Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park because of an illness.
“She was getting sick,” he said. “She had a throat issue. It’s a bummer.”
It was a bummer for Hollywood Park officials, too.
