Sun, 01/22/2012 - 16:31

Santa Anita: Caracortado, Compari to face off in Sensational Star Stakes on Sunshine Millions card

Benoit & Associates
Caracortado, ridden for the first time by Rafael Bejarano, makes up a six-length deficit in the final furlong to win the Daytona.

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.

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 14:41

Oaklawn Park: Arienza, Quest from Success scratched from American Beauty Stakes

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Arienza, daughter of 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri who was to make her first start of the year in the $50,000 American Beauty at Oaklawn Park on Sunday, has been scratched from the race. She is entered in a $40,000 optional claiming allowance Thursday.

Quest for Success, who also is entered for Thursday, was another scratch from the American Beauty.

Arienza was to make her first start since November in the American Beauty. Last season at Oaklawn, she won her maiden, an allowance and finished second in the Grade 2 Fantasy.

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:37

Sam Houston: Coyote Legend cruises in Star of Texas

Jack Coady/Coady Photography
Coyote Legend wins the Star of Texas Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths.

The owner-trainer-jockey team of Clarence Scharbauer Jr., Bret Calhoun, and Cliff Berry teamed to win two of the four stakes on Saturday night’s Texas Champions program at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston. They accounted for the richest race on the card with Coyote Legend in the $100,000 Star of Texas and the featured race for 3-year-olds, the $50,000 Groovy with Sword Trick.

The four stakes on the opening Saturday card were all restricted to horses bred in Texas.

Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:24

Gulfstream Park: Hansen puts in final work for Holy Bull

Tom Keyser
Hansen is expected to make his 3-year-old debut in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Eclipse Award winner Hansen led a parade of notable horses to work over both the main and turf courses on a gorgeous Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 20:46

Golden Gate Fields: Lady of Fifty completes sweep with California Oaks victory

Vassar Photography
Lady of Fifty and Russell Baze are all alone at the finish of the California Oaks.

ALBANY, Calif. - Favored Lady of Fifty completed a sweep of the Golden Gate Fields series of races for 3-year-old fillies with her third straight wire-to-wire win as she won the $100,260 California Oaks on Saturday.

Lady of Fifty rated nicely under Russell Baze and pulled clear in the lane as she defeated stablemate Sweet Nothings by 3 1/4 lengths while winning the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies in 1:46.04. 

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 19:36

Santa Anita: Making up for lost time, Frumious wins first stakes in Palos Verdes

Benoit Photo
Palos Verdes winner Frumious is in the best form of his career at age 6.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Frumious, a 6-year-old who suffered a suspensory injury earlier in this career, was later gelded, and ran for a $40,000 claiming race as recently as last month, pulled an upset in Saturday’s $150,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita.

Frumious ($14.60) set a fast pace, through rapid fractions of 21.06 and 43.77 seconds, and proved impossible to catch, finishing six furlongs on a wet-fast track in a rapid 1:07.28. Ridden by Antonio Castanon, Frumious won by 5 3/4 lengths over 12-1 Galientos.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 19:29

Fair Grounds: Jones gang pulls off Lecomte, Silverbulletday double

Hodges Photography / Lynn Roberts
Mr. Bowling holds off Z Dager (center) and Shared Property (outside) to win the Lecomte.

NEW ORLEANS – No one could keep up with the Joneses on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

A couple hours after Believe You Can, bred and owned by a Jones (Brereton) and trained by a Jones (Larry) won the Silverbulletday Stakes, Mr. Bowling marched to victory in the Grade 3, $175,000 Lecomte Stakes for the same Joneses, beating back late runs from Z Dager and Shared Property and putting himself on the path to the $1 million Louisiana Derby.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 18:54

Sunland Park: That's Who by three in Pepsi-Cola

Lisa Dominguez/Coady Photography
That's Who, with Ry Eikleberry riding, wins the Pepsi-Cola.

That's Who won the third stakes race of his career Saturday at Sunland Park, when he darted home by three lengths in the $110,000 Pepsi-Cola for 3-year-olds bred in New Mexico. Grey Bird finished second, a half-length in front of third-place finisher May Weather.

That's Who ($4.60) was turning back to six furlongs from a win in the $110,000 Red Hedeman Mile at Sunland in December. He covered the distance in a sharp 1:10.45, with Ry Eikleberry aboard for trainer Joel Marr.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 18:30

Oaklawn Park: Absinthe Minded comes again to take Pippin

Coady Photography / Oaklawn Park
Absinthe Minded refuses to lose as she re-rallies to beat Tiz Miz Sue in the Pippin.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Absinthe Minded came back against Tiz Miz Sue in the stretch to win the $75,000 Pippin Stakes by a neck Saturday at Oaklawn Park. It was another seven lengths back in third to She’s All In, who was chasing her fifth consecutive win.

Absinthe Minded ($6.40) moved to the lead soon after the start of the Pippin, and led the field through an opening quarter in 24.12 seconds while pushed along by Le Mi Geaux. The eventual winner shook that rival through a half-mile in 48.72, and continued to show the way through six furlongs in 1:13.91.

Sat, 01/21/2012 - 18:20

Fair Grounds: Inspired scores upset in Pan Zareta

Lou Hodges Jr.
Inspired (right), with John Velazquez riding, wins the Pan Zareta.

Inspired shot to the lead from her outside post before proceeding to turn back favored Wild About Marie in a front-running upset Saturday in the 47th running of the $75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Inspired and her jockey, John Velazquez, both were in from south Florida, where winning trainer Allen Iwinski is currently based. She returned $32.80 to win after finishing 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.47 over a turf course rated good.