ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Signature Red captured the Grade 2, $201,200 Highlander Stakes for the second year in a row on the Queen’s Plate undercard at Woodbine on Sunday.
After a stalking trip under Luis Contreras, Signature Red held off favored Fiddlers Patriot in the final strides to win the six-furlong turf dash by a nose, in a time of 1:09. Heros Reward held on for third, after racing in tight quarters in the stretch under Sheldon Russell.
PLEASANTON, Calif. – Victoryasecret ($6.20), a hard-luck loser in the 2010 running, scored a game victory, winning a three-way photo in the Alameda County Fillies & Mares Stakes on Saturday at the Alameda County Fair.
Victoryasecret set the pace in the 2010 edition, when she was passed in the final 50 yards, losing to Miss Pleasant.
ALTOONA, Iowa – Conducted over a fast surface, despite earlier rain and unseasonably cool temperatures in the high 60s, the concluding night of the Prairie Meadows Iowa Festival of Racing brought forth competitive renewals of the Grade 3, $200,000 Iowa Oaks and Grade 3, $250,000 Iowa Derby.
ALTOONA, Iowa – Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey’s Headache, expertly handled by an energetic Miguel Mena, saved ground from his inside post for six furlongs, moved off the rail on the far turn, and was angled five wide into the stretch to rally for an emphatic 2 1/2-length victory over the game 9-5 favorite Awesome Gem in the Grade 3, $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap on Saturday evening.
Spanky Broussard paid for victory in the $92,350 Springfield Stakes with his blood.
Hydro Power bit Broussard's finger - and didn't want to let go, either - while the veteran trainer was saddling his charge for the Springfield. By the time Broussard got treatment for the wound, he was holding a trophy.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Wando Woman feasted on a fast pace to upset the $50,000 Vancouver Sun for fillies and mares at Hastings Saturday.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Zazu was behind pacesetter Wallstreeter and Kentucky Oaks winner Plum Pretty on the final turn of Saturday's $147,000 Hollywood Oaks when jockey Joel Rosario decided he would stay inside in early stretch.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Buster's Ready dominated the Grade 1, $250,000 Mother Goose for 3-year-old fillies, beating Joyful Victory, the 4-5 favorite, by 4 1/4 lengths on Saturday at Belmont Park.
The race got off to a strange start as the extremely rank Alseera broke on top. Her jockey, Alan Garcia, struggled for control before the filly bolted to the outside fence down the backstretch.
That unexpected event left Salty Strike and Buster's Ready, with John Velazquez aboard, dueling for the lead.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Jockey Alfredo Contreras was transported to Baylor Medical Center at Irving on Saturday after his mount, Tensastrike, reared in the starting gate and threw him prior to the eighth race. Contreras was stable but taken to hospital as a precaution, according to onsite medical personnel at Lone Star.
