Plum Pretty was a 25-length winner of the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks on Sunday. She was with the pace throughout the 1 1/16-mile stakes and covered the distance on a fast track in 1:43.18.
Martin Garcia rode the winner for Peachtree Stable and trainer Bob Baffert.
It was Baffert’s third win in the Sunland Park Oaks, behind Gabby’s Golden Gal in 2009 and Tough Tiz’s Sis in 2007.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Church Camp won her first stakes in Sunday’s $82,020 Santa Lucia Stakes at Santa Anita, her first win around two turns. The victory led trainer Brian Koriner to consider graded stakes at longer distances for the former maiden-claimer in coming months.
“She could get better with a route under her belt,” he said. “We know she can do it.”
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – All Due Respect made her south Florida debut a winning one Sunday, rallying to a popular 1 1/2-length decision over Sweet N Sour Nina in the $60,000 Ocala Stakes for Florida-bred fillies and mares.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Zardana, best known for upsetting 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the New Orleans Ladies Classic in March 2010, has been retired and will be bred in Kentucky this spring, owner Arnold Zetcher said Sunday.
In her final career start, Zardana finished second in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 12, losing by a neck to Vision in Gold. A 7-year-old Brazilian-bred mare by Crimson Tide, Zardana won 8 of 24 starts and $512,276.
FLORENCE, Ky. – The first two finishers in the Grade 3 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes will both race next in the 137th Kentucky Derby, their respective connections said Sunday, the day after the annual Turfway Park showcase was run amid unseasonably cold weather.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita has cancelled racing on the final three Wednesdays of the winter-spring meeting, beginning this week, citing a shortage of available horses.
The decision was announced early Sunday after discussions by track officials late Saturday, according to track president George Haines. Earlier on Saturday, racing officials attempted unsuccessfully to draw an eight-race program for Wednesday.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Sunday’s pick six at Santa Anita begins with a carryover of $101,743, but the absence of turf racing caused by overnight rain has reduced the field of some pick-six races.
Three of the pick-six races were scheduled for the hillside turf course, which features a crossing on to the main track before the race joins the main portion of the turf course. In the event of rain, such races are often moved to the main track because of concern over footing on the crossing.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Three of the top contenders for this year’s Kentucky Derby worked at the Palm Meadows training center Sunday morning, including division leader Uncle Mo who had his first breeze since launching his 3-year-old campaign with an easy victory in Gulfstream Park’s Timely Writer Stakes 15 days earlier.
NEW ORLEANS – Both Pants On Fire, the upset winner of the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on Saturday, and Mucho Macho Man, who finished a close third despite losing his right front shoe at the start of the race, were reported in good condition Sunday morning by their trainers.
Pants On Fire and stablemate Nacho Business, who finished eighth, were on a van early Sunday morning, bound for the Palm Meadows training center in Florida.
Rule by Force took his turn in the revolving door that is the sprint division at Turf Paradise, capturing Saturday’s $25,000 Coyote Handicap.
Owned by the Sandra Hall Trust and trained by Lyman Rollins, the 6-year-old gelding followed Chaplin, Point Attended, and Wiredfortwotwenty as sprint stakes winners this meet as he bided his time toward the back of the 6 1/2-furlong event before commencing a long, steady run under Vince Guerra that eventually carried him past his rivals for a half-length victory.
