MIAMI - Trainer Padarath Lutchman had the choice of running My Pal Chrisy in either the $75,000 Stage Door Betty or the $55,000 Dolly Jo Stakes on Saturday at Calder, having cross entered his 3-year-old filly in both races. And in the end, Lutchman made the right choice.
Lutchman opted to keep My Pal Chrisy in the Stage Door Betty and was rewarded when the former claimer rallied from last under jockey Luca Panici to register a half-length victory over Successful Song in the 1 1/16-mile race.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Hunt Crossing and My Due Process won divisions of the National Association of Two-Year-Old Consignors Futurity on Saturday at muddy Monmouth Park.
The NATC Futurities are six-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds cataloged to sell this year whose connections paid an advertising fund fee and made sustaining payments.
FLORENCE, Ky. – Trainer Mike Maker didn’t give Victor Lebron any instructions in the paddock before Lebron rode Matthewsburg in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,0000 Speightstown Kentucky Cup Sprint at Turfway Park. Maker was occupied at the time, watching his trainee Derby Kitten on television win the Ontario Derby at Woodbine.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Derby Kitten mowed down the leaders in deep stretch to take the $158,400 Ontario Derby under Mike Smith at Woodbine on Saturday.
I’m Steppin’ It Up scored a front-running victory in the Grade 3, $265,350 Kent Stakes to give Anthony Pecoraro his 1,000 training win.
FLORENCE, Ky. – The Kentucky Cup Juvenile built a proud history during its first 15 runnings at Turfway Park when it was won by such standouts as Boston Harbor, Point Given, and Vindication. And when the $100,000 Juvenile was run Saturday for the first time since 2008, the winner looked like he just might be capable of upholding that tradition.
FLORENCE, Ky. - Charming Vixen entered Saturday's $100,000 Tiznow Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies at Turfway Park as a maiden. More importantly, she left it as a stakes winner.
Always prominent under Calvin Borel, Charming Vixen surged to a clear lead entering the stretch and pulled clear to 3 1/2-length victory over longshot Heated Debate.
"I was very impressed," said Borel of the filly, who picked her first victory in four starts. "The main thing was trying to get her to relax."
Ahvee’s Destiny returns to Presque Isle Downs in her final season of racing Tuesday to face eight other older fillies and mares in a $54,000 allowance at five furlongs over the Tapeta surface.
Trained by Linda Rice, the 7-year-old Ahvee’s Destiny has run twice locally. In 2010, she won the Satin and Lace going 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta surface. This season, Ahvee’s Destiny finished sixth on May 17 in an allowance event going five furlongs on Tapeta.
With Aqueduct’s casino expected to open in approximately five weeks, the New York Racing Association announced Saturday that purses for the 2012 Aqueduct winter and spring meets will increase by $8.6 million, or 36 percent, over 2011.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, daily average purses will increase to approximately $375,000 a day, or $100,000 more than what was distributed in 2011, according to a NYRA press release.
The unbeaten Weemissfrankie is ready for her start in the $250,000 Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita next weekend after her final workout over the track on Saturday, trainer Peter Eurton said.
Weemissfrankie worked five furlongs in 1:00 under exercise rider and former jockey Paul Toscano, the filly’s second workout since a convincing win in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante over seven furlongs on Sept. 3.
