Mon, 05/28/2012 - 14:26

Belmont: Compliance Officer eyes open company

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Compliance Officer, ridden by Javier Castellano, improves to 6 for 6 against New York-bred competition by taking the Kingston,.

Compliance Officer won the $125,000 Kingston Stakes by three-quarters of a length in his 6-year-old debut on Sunday at Belmont Park.

It was the seventh win from eight starts for Compliance Officer in the last year, or since he was claimed for $25,000 by Thomas La Marca and trainer Bruce Brown.

Brown said Monday that Compliance Officer came out of the race in excellent shape and with the next New York-bred stakes on this circuit not until August at Saratoga, he would look to point Compliance Officer to an open stakes race.

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 13:50

Northlands: Surfin’ Sydney primed to start her year

Surfin’ Sydney could be ready for a big effort when she makes her seasonal debut in a first-level allowance race for fillies and mares that drew six horses and headlines Wednesday’s eight-race card at Northlands Park.

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 13:37

Belmont: Winter Memories shows acceleration in Just a Game prep

Adam Coglianese
Winter Memories wins the Beaugay in her first start since last fall.

ELMONT, N.Y. – Winter Memories will be one of the stars that will be in action on the Belmont Stakes undercard on June 9. On Monday, she prepared for her start in the Grade 1 Just a Game with a sharp five-furlong workout in 1:01.14 over the Belmont Park turf course.

With a triple set of orange cones forcing workers well beyond the center of the Widener turf course, Winter Memories went her first three furlongs in 37.52 seconds and came home in a solid 23.62 under jockey Javier Castellano.

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 13:24

Woodbine: Bantee brings Woodbine Oaks prospects up to eight

Michael Burns
Bantee gets in some exercise over the Woodbine training track.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Bantee has tossed her hat into the ring for the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks to bring the prospective field for Sunday’s headliner to eight.

Owned by Jim and Susan Hill and trained by Reade Baker, Bantee would be making just her fourth career start and her first beyond six furlongs in the 1 1/8-mile Woodbine Oaks for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.

In her only appearance this season, Bantee rallied strongly apparently to win her maiden at six furlongs but was disqualified and placed seventh.

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 13:19

Woodbine: Something Extra proves up to the challenge of Connaught Cup

Michael Burns
Something Extra provides jockey Eurico Da Silva with one of his three wins on Sunday's card in the Connaught Cup.

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.

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 13:05

Woodbine: Niigon's Prince, Forest Maid meet again in allowance feature

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.

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 12:04

Emerald Downs: Exclusive Diva cruises in Seattle Handicap

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.

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 11:14

Remington: Cold Cash 123 punches ticket to Champion of Champions

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.

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 20:33

Ruidoso: Came West runs down favorite in Great Lady

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.

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 20:30

Hollywood Park: Mega Dream earns back her purchase price by winning Great Lady M

Benoit & Associates
The 5-year-old Mega Dream, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, makes her second start on turf a stakes-winning performance in the Great Lady M.

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.