Mon, 10/10/2011 - 18:27

Belmont: Elusive Pearl dominant in Pebbles

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Elusive Pearl, with Ramon Dominguez aboard, wins the Pebbles.

Elusive Pearl, who won the Riskaverse Stakes at Saratoga in her turf debut, shipped back from Fair Hill, Md., to win Monday's 19th running of the $100,000 Pebbles Stakes as much the best at Belmont Park.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 18:06

Santa Anita: Secret Circle makes it 2 for 2 with Jack Goodman win

Benoit & Associates
Secret Circle, with Rafael Bejarano riding, wins the Jack Goodman.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Secret Circle remained unbeaten after two starts, and earned a trip to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint at Churchill Downs next month, with an emphatic victory in Monday's $71,340 Jack Goodman Stakes at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Secret Circle stalked pacesetters Sweep Swap and A Toe by Three for the first half-mile, took the lead in early stretch and won by a comfortable 5 1/4 lengths. Secret Circle ran six furlongs in 1:08.27.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 17:55

Keeneland: Stephanie’s Kitten, Alcibiades winner, unlikely to try dirt next

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Stephanie's Kittten, with John Velazquez up, wins the Darley Alcibiades.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - By winning the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades on Friday's opening-day card at Keneland, Stephanie’s Kitten earned an automatic berth into the BC Juvenile Fillies, but owner Ken Ramsey and trainer Wayne Catalano said they are more likely to keep the filly on a familiar surface and run her instead in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf on the same Nov. 4 card.

BREEDERS' CUP CHALLENGE: Racing schedule, replays, and past winners »

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 17:36

Keeneland: Gio Ponti proves quite special

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Gio Ponti (left), with Ramon Dominguez riding, earns a repeat victor in the Shadwell Turf Mile.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Gio Ponti, whose rallying triumph in the Shadwell Turf Mile on Saturday at Keeneland was a high point of an incredibly eventful opening FallStars weekend here, returned Sunday evening to Belmont Park in New York, where he will begin preparations later this week for his final career start in the Nov. 5 BC Mile at Churchill Downs.

Owner Shane Ryan of Castleton Lyons and trainer Christophe Clement took part in an emotional celebration as Gio Ponti returned to the winner’s circle afterward, fully aware of the import of the moment.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 17:06

Woodbine: Jenna's Wabbit flies home in Bull Page

Michael Burns
The 2-year-old Jenna's Wabbit completes six furlong in a swift 1:09.91 to win the Bull Page at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario—Jenna’s Wabbit ran a hole in the wind on the front end in Monday’s $125,400 Bull Page Stakes, covering six furlongs in 1:09.91 in the race for Ontario-sired 2-year-olds at Woodbine.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 16:53

Keeneland: Leparoux exits spill apparently with only minor injuries

Keeneland/Coady Photography
Julien Leparoux is thrown from Here Comes Frazier in Sunday's Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland after the 2-year-old ducked from the whip.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Julien Leparoux had his run of good luck extended Sunday, even without winning a race. Leparoux already had enjoyed a sensational first two days of the Keeneland fall meet by riding four winners Friday and another four Saturday, but it was a crashing defeat in the Bourbon Stakes on Sunday that might have yielded the most fortunate result of his entire weekend.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 16:29

Los Alamitos: Jess You and I ends long drought in Los Alamitos Championship

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - The 7-year-old Quarter Horse gelding Jess You and I won the seventh Grade 1 race of his 34-race career in Sunday’s $150,000 Los Alamitos Championship, earning a berth to the $750,000 Champion of Champions on Dec. 10.

Owned by the List family’s Double Bar S Ranch and trained by Paul Jones, Jess You and I won the 2008 Champion of Champions, the year he was named champion aged gelding and overall champion aged horse.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 15:55

Hawthorne: Headache likely headed to Breeders' Cup Classic

Four Footed Fotos
Headache outfinishes Where’s Sterling and Cease to win the Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup.

STICKNEY, Ill. – Watching three horses – Headache, Where’s Sterling, and Cease – with no Grade 1 credentials slog through the Hawthorne Race Course homestretch in Saturday’s Hawthorne Gold Cup hardly put one in a Breeders’ Cup state of mind. But despite appearances, the Gold Cup, it turns out, could produce several Breeders’ Cup starters.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 15:39

Remington: Prayer for Relief gets green light for Oklahoma Derby

Prayer for Relief breezed Monday at Santa Anita and later the same morning trainer Bob Baffert said the horse will target the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby. Prayer for Relief will be part of a coast-to-coast cast for Sunday’s 1 1/8-mile race at Remington Park, as a Monday flight that originated in New York and swept through Kentucky has brought in Infrattini, Malibu Glow, Meistersinger, Populist Politics, Redeemed, and Socialsaul.

Mon, 10/10/2011 - 15:39

Keeneland: Atlantic Bull gives turf a try in allowance

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Trainer Juan Arias believes Atlantic Bull has the pedigree to successfully stretch out on the Keeneland turf Wednesday, but he laughs when relating a cautionary tale.

“I’m bred to be a millionaire, but I’m poor,” he said.