Take Me Away Today, who began her career in the claiming ranks, become a stakes winner Sunday, when she closed fast in the $50,000 El Paso Times at Sunland Park. She won by 2 1/2 lengths over Brooks Beach, while it was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Angry Bird.
The El Paso Times was a 6 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Gleaming uncorked a powerful bid through the stretch to run down Sassy City for a 1 3/4-length win in the $50,000 American Beauty at Oaklawn Park on Sunday. It was another 3 3/4 lengths back in third to Rattlin Gyspy.
A dense fog had gripped Oaklawn for much of the afternoon, but the low cloud cover lifted in time for the American Beauty.
ARCADIA, Calif. – It took two tries, but the multiple stakes winner Ultimate Eagle finally completed a workout over the weekend.
Last Friday, Ultimate Eagle was about a half-mile into a workout at Hollywood Park when an iron broke, forcing an exercise rider to pull up the 4-year-old, trainer Mike Pender said. On Sunday, Ultimate Eagle worked five furlongs in 1:00.60.
“You add those two together, and he’s worked about nine-eighths,” Pender said.
Santa Anita and the HRTV racing network are conducting a documentary contest on Santa Anita racing this spring open to film students and filmmakers.
The program submissions must be five minutes or less and based on Santa Anita. Entitled “A Day at the Races,” the competition offers prizes of $10,000, $5,000, and $3,000 for the first three entries selected by a panel of racing and entertainment judges. A $10,000 first prize will be awarded to the winner of an online poll.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Amazombie’s absence from the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita last Saturday will postpone his 2012 debut until the $200,000 San Carlos Stakes on Feb. 25, trainer Bill Spawr said Sunday.
The champion sprinter of 2011, Amazombie was withdrawn from the Palos Verdes because of wet track conditions, a decision that Spawr said he did not regret Sunday. The Palos Verdes was won by the ex-claimer Frumious, who set a quick pace while leading throughout. He finished six furlongs in 1:07.28.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Midnight Transfer weaved his way from last to first to win his stakes debut in Sunday’s $82,500 San Pedro Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters at Santa Anita.
Midnight Transfer ($6.40) was last on the rail on the turn and closed well late to win by a head over pacesetter Got Even. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Midnight Transfer ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.25.
The successful run on the turn and through the stretch was a relief to Rosario.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dayatthespa finished full of run off a lively pace under leading rider Javier Castellano to launch her 3-year-old campaign with an impressive 1 3/4-length victory over Wholelottashakin in Sunday’s $100,000 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park.
Compromised by a slow pace in each of his last two starts, Inherit the Gold got a better setup Sunday and rolled to a 6 1/4-length victory in the $75,000 Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct.
Socialsaul, who got pressured up front by Uncle T Seven, outlasted that rival by a half-length for second. Spa City Fever, who leapt at the start costing him all chance, finished fourth. Beautyinthepulpit was last in the stakes restricted to New York-breds.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Eclipse Award winners Musical Romance and Awesome Feather will be among the headliners on Saturday’s $1.3 million Florida Sunshine Millions program at Gulfstream Park.
The six-race Florida Sunshine Millions is restricted to Florida-breds and replaces the old Sunshine Millions format that consisted of eight races, four each at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, pitting Florida-breds and California-breds.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Four graded stakes winners, including the multiple stakes winners Caracortado, Compari, and Unzip Me, are among the entrants for Saturday’s three California-bred stakes in the Sunshine Millions races at Santa Anita.
Caracortado and Compari lead a field of eight in the $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, the day’s fourth race and the first of three consecutive stakes in the Sunshine Millions series.
