ARCADIA, Calif. – Drill, who had fallen on hard times since being ranked last summer as the best of trainer Bob Baffert’s 2-year-olds, returned to his best form on Sunday with a hard-fought victory in the Grade 2, $147,000 San Vicente Stakes, nosing out American Act, with highly regarded Creative Cause just a length away.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Todd Pletcher didn’t expect to see R. Holiday Mood on the lead in Sunday’s $150,000 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park. What he is beginning to expect is to wind up in the winner’s circle with just about any horse he saddles for the E. Paul Robsham Stables here this winter.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Gleaming picked off the second stakes in Oaklawn Park’s series for female sprinters on Sunday, when she shuttled past the entry of Bent Missile and Awesome Symmetry in the stretch and went on to a one-length win in the $60,000 Spring Fever.
Earlier in the meet, Gleaming accounted for the first race in the series, the $50,000 American Beauty. The third and final leg, the $75,000 Carousel on April 12, will likely be the next start for Gleaming, said her trainer, Bret Calhoun.
Bob Baffert was enjoying an easy Sunday morning, one day after sending out Ellafitz to victory in the Santa Maria Stakes, and both Mamma Kimbo and Paynter to impressive victories in their debuts.
“That was a good day,” Baffert said.
Baffert said Ellafitz would come back in next month’s Santa Margarita, the biggest race of the season for older fillies and mares.
Plans are uncertain for Mamma Kimbo and Paynter, but both won impressively. Mamma Kimbo, a filly, flew six furlongs in 1:07.94 while winning by 5 1/4 lengths. She was awarded a 101 Beyer Speed Figure.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Sabercat, the winner of the Delta Jackpot last fall, is making rapid progress toward his expected 2012 debut in next month’s San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita, and on Sunday morning, he worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 in his third drill here in the past 13 days.
Sabercat had a pair of half-mile works earlier this month, and will have time for two more works before the San Felipe on March 10.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Michael Matz put the finishing touches on Union Rags’s preparations for his 3-year-old debut when he worked the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up four furlongs in 48.64 seconds from the gate Sunday morning at Palm Meadows.
Union Rags was one of three top Kentucky Derby prospects to work at Palm Meadows on an unseasonably warm morning along with trainer Todd Pletcher’s pair of El Padrino and Gemologist.
El Padrino, a powerful, impressive allowance winner at Gulfstream Park last month and one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby, drew post 8 in a field of 11 that was entered on Sunday for Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Risen Star Stakes, the highlight of a stakes-filled Louisiana Derby Preview card at Fair Grounds.
Trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Roman Chapa have been on a stakes tear at Sam Houston Race Park. They have won three stakes at the Houston track over the last three weekends, capped by Color Code’s front-running score in Saturday night’s $100,000 Two Altazano.
The Two Altazano, a one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies, is part of the Texas Stallion Stakes series. The $100,000 Jim’s Orbit for colts and geldings shared a card with the race, with Defiant Flyer running down the field to win, paying $25.20.
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif.- Kobe, a colt who missed most of his 2-year-old season because of a tibia injury, won Saturday’s $200,000 Los Alamitos Winter Derby for his first major stakes win.
Sent off as the second choice, Kobe ($10.60) was bumped twice in the first 100 yards of the 400-yard race but ran a determined race under jockey Cody Jensen to win by a nose over Deniro, the even-money favorite.
ALBANY, Calif -- The aptly named Daddy Nose Best won a stretch-long duel with Lucky Chappy to capture the Grade 3, $201,300 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields by a nose.
The margin of victory was the smallest in 31 runnings of the race and reversed the finish between the two when Lucky Chappy ran fourth and Daddy Nose Best sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.
Daddy Nose Best ($10.20) settled into good position in the middle of the 10-horse field. He had no place to run as he moved up on leaders All Squared Away and favorite Handsome Mike on the turn.
