LOUISVILLE, Ky. – My Baby Baby ended her highly productive 30-race career in successful fashion Saturday, holding off a late surge by Ravi’s Song and giving jockey Manny Cruz his fifth winner of the afternoon in the 35th running of the Grade 3, $113,900 Mint Julep Handicap on the Churchill Downs turf.
My Baby Baby prevailed by a neck in a frantic conclusion to the Mint Julep, a 1 1/16-mile turf fixture. She is in foal to Curlin and almost certainly ran her last race.
Havre de Grace confirmed her status as the solid favorite for next month’s Delaware Handicap with an effortless 2 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3, $168,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaware Park.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Normally, a robbery in Manhattan isn’t major news. The theft that took place in Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park will certainly make headlines – at least in the racing world.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Citius took control from his stablemate Altius in midstretch before holding off two closers to take the $125,000 Bold Ruckus Stakes at Woodbine on Saturday.
Citius ($13.30) saved ground on the turn in fourth in the six-furlong sprint, while Altius set a fast pace over the firm turf. Citius began to make up ground on Altius exiting the turn and then hit the front nearing the eighth pole en route to a three-quarter-length triumph in a time of 1:09.11.
Bold Affair turned the tables on both of the fillies who beat her three weeks earlier in the Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico by scoring a hard-fought victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Jostle Stakes at Parx Racing.
Catlaunch looked beaten in late stretch after opening a big lead in the $50,000 Sydney Gendelman at River Downs on Saturday afternoon, but he dug deep and prevailed by three-quarters of a length to win.
Heavy rain in the area Friday night forced the Gendelman to be taken off the turf and run on the main track.
ALBANY, Calif. – Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer thought enough of 2-year-old filly City Route ($5.40) to try her against males in Saturday’s $50,300 Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
His belief in the filly was validated. City Route broke on top and was never challenged in the Lost in the Fog, winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Sold Short was second, and favored Mighty Monsoon was another three-quarter lengths back in third.
ELMONT, N.Y. – In what trainer Dale Romans was hoping was a preview of coming attractions, C. S. Silk scored a front-running victory at Belmont Park on Saturday in the Grade 1, $400,000 Just A Game Stakes for female turf horses, run less than two hours before Romans was to send out Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford in the Belmont Stakes.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Justin Phillip, a 3-year-old colt ridden by Ramon Dominguez, skated through blazing fractions and had enough in the final furlong to hold off his rapidly closing challengers to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Woody Stephens Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – For the second consecutive year, Acclamation has swept two of Hollywood Park’s leading turf stakes, successfully defending his title in Saturday’s Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Handicap.
Last month, Acclamation won the Grade 2 Jim Murray Handicap by seven lengths, a race he won in 2010, too.
