Sat, 11/12/2011 - 17:41

Churchill: Marketing Mix much the best in Mrs. Revere

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Marketing Mix, under Julien Leparoux, scores as the favorite in the Mrs. Revere

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tom Proctor tried to put a reverse  jinx on himself this week when talking about how fillies who run well in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland sometimes tend to regress in the Mrs. Revere Stakes at Churchill Downs. Marketing Mix, a terrific second in the QE II last month for Proctor and owner Glen Hill Farm, was the favorite for the 21st Mrs. Revere on Saturday.

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 17:20

Woodbine: Straight Story connects at 38-1 in Autumn

Michael Burns
Straight Story, under Jesse Campbell, leads wire to wire to upset the Autumn, paying $78.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Straight Story, a 38-1 turf specialist from the United States, got the job done in his first start on synthetics Saturday at Woodbine in the $161,600 Autumn Stakes.

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 17:14

Beulah Park: Catlaunch drifts out but is still best in Ruff/Kirchberg

GROVE CITY, Ohio - Catlaunch did not disappoint his backers as the 1-5 favorite in the $50,000 Ruff Kirchberg Memorial Handicap Saturday at Beulah Park.

Trained by Ivan Vazquez, the 10-year-old was kept off the blazing early pace by jockey Luis Gonzalez as 50-1 longshot Key Low set the early fractions. Entering the far turn Gonzalez shook the reins at Catlaunch and he took over, drawing clear by four lengths in upper stretch. Catlaunch drifted out through the stretch - as he has in his last several races - but held on to win by 2 1/2 lengths over a late-closing Raise the Reward. 

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 17:05

Laurel: Art of the Hunt finds room to take Squan Song

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Luis Garcia guides Art of the Hunt to a half-length win over Lily Quatorze in the Squan Song.

Art of the Hunt, fifth at the top of the stretch, rallied to overtake Lily Quatorze by a half-length in Saturday’s $60,000 Squan Song Stakes for Maryland-bred fillies and mares at Laurel Park.

An improving 3-year filly trained by Frannie Campitelli for Rosalee Davison, Art of the Hunt ($9.60) was cutting back slightly in distance for the seven-furlong Squan Song after a fourth in the Maryland Million Oaks and a runner-up finish in the Twixt, both at one mile.

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 17:04

Aqueduct: Hit it Rich takes Long Island to give McGaughey a sweep

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Hit It Rich wins the Long Island Handicap under Javier Castellano.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Hit It Rich stalked the early pace, wrested command on the third and final turn, and drove clear to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Long Island Handicap, completing a sweep of Aqueduct’s graded turf stakes for Shug McGaughey.

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 16:35

Calder: BC Filly and Mare Sprint champ Musical Romance will race in 2012

Tom Keyser
The Calder-based Musical Romance comes up the rail under Juan Leyva to upset the Filly and Mare Sprint.

Breeders’ Cup winner Musical Romance is also done for the year. Trainer Bill Kaplan said Musical Romance, who skimmed the rail under jockey Juan Leyva to upset the Filly and Mare Sprint, came out of the race perfectly and is already back to the track galloping regularly over her home course at Calder.

“She’s glad to be back home and in her old stall,” said Kaplan.

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 16:09

Calder: My Pal Chrisy upsets Sweet Repent in Huebeck Distaff

Jim Lisa
My Pal Chrisy wins her second straight two-turn stakes in the Huebeck Distaff.

MIAMI – My Pal Chrisy remained undefeated around two turns while handing Sweet Repent a rare setback over her home course when rallying to a decisive 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap at Calder. The Heubeck was one of eight stakes races on the Florida Million Day program.

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 14:49

Mountaineer: Sophomore Sprint's prime contenders seek form reversals

Patrick Lang/Lang Photography
Two starts ago, Matthewsburg captured the Grade 3 Kentucky Cup Sprint on Polytrack.

Despite ugly looking running lines in their most recent races, Matthewsburg, Doinmysongndance, and Pass the Crown may still be the prime contenders in Tuesday night’s $75,000 Sophomore Sprint at Mountaineer Racetrack.

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 13:44

Calder: Ritvo avoids temptation to run Mucho Macho Man in Cigar Mile

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Mucho Macho Man wins his comeback race Wednesday at Aqueduct. He is going to skip the Cigar Mile and be pointed to races at Gulfstream Park in early 2012.

MIAMI – Mucho Macho Man’s 3-year-old campaign is over.

Despite the temptation to keep Mucho Macho Man in New York a little longer to try the Grade 1 Cigar Mile later this month at Aqueduct, trainer Kathy Ritvo has opted to bring the third-place finisher in this year’s Kentucky Derby back to his native Florida to prepare for his 4-year-old season. Mucho Macho Man was scheduled to board a van on Sunday and arrive at his winter home at Gulfstream Park the following day.

Sat, 11/12/2011 - 12:41

Churchill Downs: Sheppard unleashes promising 2-year-old

Reed Palmer Photography
Julien Leparoux is simply along for the ride as Ever So Lucky wins his career debut at Churchill Downs on Friday.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – What has it been about this Churchill Downs fall meet? Why is it that, nearly every day, some 2-year-old runs off the television screen to elicit premonitions of what might be happening here next spring in the Kentucky Derby or Oaks?