ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Trainer Gail Cox had entered Something Extra in a fourth-level optional $100,000 claiming race here at Woodbine last Sunday. But, when that race failed to fill, Cox exercised her option to enter Something Extra in Sunday’s Connaught Cup.
Something Extra responded by registering by far the most important win of his career in the Grade 2, $154,200 Connaught Cup, a seven-furlong turf race for 4-year-olds and upward which was run over very firm going.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Niigon’s Princess and Forest Maid finished a head apart when they both made their first start of the year earlier this month. They will meet again in the eighth and final race Wednesday night at Woodbine, in another Ontario-sired allowance route for nonwinners of two, set for 1 1/16 miles on Polytrack.
Niigon’s Princess set a moderate pace before tiring late when she ended up a half-length behind victorious Clever Peaks on May 9.
AUBURN, Wash. - A daughter of Bernardini won a stakes race Sunday, which isn’t unusual – but the smashing victory by 3-year-old filly Exclusive Diva occurred at Emerald Downs, where offspring of the influential Darley stallion are seldom seen.
Exclusive Diva, a homebred for Jerre Paxton’s Northwest Farms, toyed with seven rivals in the $50,000 Seattle Handicap. She ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.58, tying the stakes record, and, making her first start since August, finished up like gangbusters to win by 8 1/2 lengths under Juan Gutierrez.
Cold Cash 123, the reigning world champion Quarter Horse, won his fifth straight race Sunday in the Grade 1, $250,000 Remington Park Invitational. He also earned a berth into the Grade 1, $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos in December, a race his connections have said is a goal this year for Cold Cash 123.
Came West picked up the first stakes win of her career on Sunday, when she rallied for a one-length win over favorite She’smylittleman in the $50,000 First Lady Handicap at Ruidoso Downs. The six-furlong race for fillies and mares was the first Thoroughbred stakes of the meet that opened on Friday.
Came West ($11.60) covered the distance on a track rated fast in 1:12.26. Isaias Enriquez was aboard for owner and trainer Karl Pergola. Came West has now won 5 of 23 starts and $169,914.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Mega Dream was purchased for $40,000 at the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale earlier this year. She earned slightly more - $43,530 – by winning her stakes debut in Sunday’s $75,070 Great Lady M Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park.
Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Mega Dream ($28.40) rallied four-wide on the turn to catch 2-5 favorite Mizdirection in the six-furlong turf race for fillies and mares. Mega Dream was timed in 1:08.84.
The Great Lady M Stakes was her second start, and first win, on turf.
Born Force became a stakes winner Sunday at Arapahoe Park, when he overtook pacesetter Tebow Time by 2 1/2 lengths in the $40,000 Inaugural. The six-furlong race for 3-year-olds was the first stakes of the mixed meet that opened Saturday.
Born Force ($5.20) raced in sixth early, as Tebow Time was clear through fractions of 22.44 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.29 for the half-mile. Born Force overtook Tebow Time, who held second, and went on to cover the distance on a track rated fast in 1:12.66.
OCEANPORT, N.J.- Nefertini outgamed Successful Song in the lane to win the $75,000 Monmouth Beach Stakes for fillies and mares on Sunday at Monmouth Park.
The five-horse field raced as a compact group until the stretch, where the top two engaged in a spirited duel to the wire, with Nefertini prevailing by a half-length.
Successful Song was game on the rail, having saved ground after a rapid recovery from a stumble at the break. She hung in, but could not hold off Nefertini.
Diavoletto led from start to finish to win the $50,000 Green Carpet for Ohio-breds at River Downs on Sunday.
Jockey Rafael Hernandez rated the 3-year-old Diavoletto ($14) perfectly and had something left in the stretch, winning but three parts of a length over the lone filly in the race, Agressive Elegance. Eyes Super Freaky was another three-quarters of a length back in third, with License to Bling, part of a three-horse entry, rounding out the superfecta in the field of 12 3-year-old Ohio-bred horses.
Diavoletto ran 1 1/16 miles over a firm turf course in 1.42.39.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Corey Lanerie rode six winners on the 10-race Sunday card at Churchill Downs, marking just the 11th time in track history that a jockey has won six races. The all-time Churchill mark is seven wins, set by Pat Day in June 1984 and tied by Julien Leparoux in November 2008.
