LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The third of three days of wagering into Pool 1 of the 2012 Kentucky Derby Future Wager will start with the mutuel field as the 6-5 favorite after $273,517 was bet into the win pool Friday and Saturday. Pool 1 closes Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern, and as with any parimutuel wager, odds will change throughout the weekend, with final odds established at closing time.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Left alone on the lead, Slim Shadey proved too tough to catch in Saturday’s $150,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.
In his American stakes debut, Slim Shadey ($25.20) held off a late threat from 13-1 Utopian to win the Grade 2 San Marcos by a head, finishing 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:01.55. The San Marcos was the first stakes win for the 4-year-old Slim Shadey, who races for Phil Cunningham and trainer Simon Callaghan.
Whisked Away looped the field to capture her stakes debut as a 15-1 outsider Saturday in the 22nd running of the $50,000 Likely Exchange Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky. Hot Hot Mama rallied to finish 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner, while La Gran Bailadora, the 1-2 favorite in a field of nine fillies and mares, was another neck back in third.
Twelve Twenty Two ran her Sunland Park record to 6 for 6 on Saturday, when she won the $50,000 El Dario by 4 3/4 lengths over Came West. It was another length and three-quarters back in third to Oflee Wicked.
The El Dario was for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs, and it was the second stakes win at the meet for Twelve Twenty Two. She came into the race off a win in the $50,000 Bold Ego in December. Twelve Twenty Two’s other Sunland wins came last meet, when she won four straight races between January and March 2011, including the $100,000 Harry Henson.
The primary reason trainer Tom Bush took horses to south Florida this winter was to try and win another Grade 1 race with Get Stormy.
Mission accomplished.
Able to get away with slow easy fractions over a turf course that had plenty of give to it, Get Stormy went gate to wire under Ramon Dominguez to win Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap by one-half length over Hollinger.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Amie’s Dini handed Now I Know the first defeat of her career Saturday at Oaklawn Park, when she collared the six-time winner at the quarter pole and went on to a length and three-quarter win in the $75,000 Martha Washington. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third to Lulu Wong.
The Martha Washington was the first stakes in Oaklawn’s series for 3-year-old fillies that continues with the Grade 3, $125,000 Honeybee on March 10 and the Grade 2, $300,000 Fantasy on April 11.
Joyful Victory won her first race since April, turning back a strong bid from Ravi's Song to capture the $75,000 Tiffany Lass Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Ravi's Song, who won this same race last year when it was called the Pelleteri Stakes, rallied from near the back of the field under apprentice rider C.J. McMahon and poked her head in front of Joyful Victory at the stretch call, but Joyful Victory and Robby Albarado fought back in the final half-furlong to prevail by a half-length.
After coming close in several graded stakes races in her career, Snow Top Mountain finally was victorious in one, rallying from well off the pace under Jose Lezcano to take Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes by one-half length over Hit It Rich at Gulfstream Park. It was three-quarters of a length back to Gold d'Oro in third.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Hymn Book appeared destined to be a turf horse early in his career. Now his name will appear on the impressive roster of horses who have won Gulfstream Park’s most prestigious dirt race for older runners after outgaming Mission Impazible by a nose in Saturday’s $500,000 Donn Handicap.
