BALTIMORE – Il Villano kept his perfect record at six furlongs intact with a dominant 4 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes for 3-year-olds at Pimlico.
Laurie’s Rocket caught favored Innocent Man by a head for second. It was 3 3/4 lengths back to Trippi’s Secret, who was followed in the order of finish by Scaramagna, He Can Run, and Mandorla. Lemon Juice scratched.
OPELOUSAS, La. – Southern Style rallied strongly from off the pace Friday night to successfully defend his title in the $50,000 Need for Speed Stakes at Evangeline Downs. Royal Production proved stubborn in the late going after forcing the early pace and reported home second, just a half-length back. Even-money favorite Sweetsouthernmoon turned in a belated rally to finish third, followed by 5-2 second choice Solar Charge.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The victory by Quiet Oasis in the Grade 3 Wilshire Handicap at Betfair Hollywood Park on April 29 was her first in a stakes, a minor surprise, and has led to high expectations for the summer.
The filly was 15-1 in a field of eight and rallied through the stretch to win by a half-length in her first start of 2012. The experience has given trainer Ben Cecil confidence that Quiet Oasis can be competitive in the $250,000 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles on turf May 28.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The three-horse entry of Castinette Dancer, Dashing Daisy and Caged Mistress will certainly be favored in the $50,000 Brighouse Belles for fillies and mares at Hastings Monday. After all, they are trained by leading trainer Troy Taylor, are proven stakes winners, and on their own merits would receive plenty of support.
Nonetheless, contention runs deep in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, which drew eight horses, and it might be worth trying to beat them. The holiday card begins at 1:50 p.m. Pacific.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Gypsy Ring, a Sovereign Award finalist for Canadian champion sprinter last year, will clash with rival Paso Doble on Victoria Day holiday Monday in the $125,000 New Providence Stakes.
Gypsy Ring has been among the more consistent sprinters at Woodbine. He would have won more than seven races had he not had hanging tendencies, which is something that jockey Justin Stein has had to deal with.
Up Jumps a Monster will try to keep his perfect record intact when he runs in a second-level allowance race at Northlands Park Monday. The six furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up drew 10 horses and goes as race 8 on the nine-race card, which begins at 1 p.m. Mountain.
Up Jumps a Monster won his 2-year-old debut going 5 1/2 furlongs in a maiden special weight race at Northlands last Aug. 10. He didn’t resurface until Feb. 25 when he came from a stalking position to win a $75,000 optional claiming race at Tampa Bay, again at 5 1/2 furlongs.
BALTIMORE – For a moment there, it looked as if Zagora might be victimized by pace again. But with a calculated ride and smooth trip under Javier Castellano, the standout mare came through as the favorite Saturday in the 61st running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Gallorette Handicap, the first stakes on the Preakness card at Pimlico.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Jesus Castanon, injured when unseated at the start of Friday’s 10th race at Churchill Downs, is believed to have a broken bone in his left hand, agent Dennis Cooper said Saturday.
He is off his mounts this weekend at Churchill Downs, and Cooper said he will not accept any calls for Castanon until after the rider visits a bone specialist Monday. Due to the timing of entries, this means the earliest he could resume riding would be next Saturday. Cooper called that scenario “best case.”
BALTIMORE – Bodemeister was the 7-5 favorite in early wagering for the 137th Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico Race Course, with Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another the 7-2 second choice.
As of 6:50 p.m. Eastern, and with $126,488 in the win pool, next in line in the advance wagering were Went the Day (9-2), Creative Cause (6-1), and Daddy Nose Best (13-1). A field of 11 3-year-olds is expected to start.
BALTIMORE - Trainer Graham Motion entered three fillies in the Friday finale at Pimlico, the $100,000 Hilltop Stakes, but scratched two of them. Turns out, he only needed one anyway: Coup, who capped a big day for jockey John Velazquez by drawing clear to win the 1 1/16-mile turf race by a length.
Bred and owned by the Augustin Stable of George Strawbridge Jr., Coup finished in 1:42.71 over a firm course and returned $5 as favorite in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies. An Empire Maker filly, she was coming off a maiden victory at Gulfstream Park.
