LEXINGTON, Ky. – At age 6, at a time many stakes-winning mares are retired and enjoying second careers as broodmares, Never Retreat is seemingly just now reaching her full potential as a racehorse.
On Saturday against a top-class field in the $200,000 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland, she scored the biggest victory of her career, picking up her first Grade 2 victory in the race by handily defeating Fantasia and favored Zagora.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Brilliant Speed, rallying down the center of the track under Joel Rosario, got up in the final stride to edge Twinspired by a nose in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland.
The finish was so tight that it took several minutes for placing judges to determine the order of finish. The winning margin appeared to be an inch or two.
Miss Fleetfoot, claimed for $7,500 in February, delivered the biggest performance of her 26-race career when she turned back a bid from 3-5 favorite Wind Caper to win Saturday’s $53,500 Primonetta Stakes at Pimlico.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Nicole H returned from her winter break as good if not better than she went into it, sailing through the wind and rain at Aqueduct to take Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Distaff Handicap by 2 1/2 lengths.
Wild News, who set the pace under C.C. Lopez after breaking through the starting gate prior to the official start of the race, held second by two lengths over Kid Kate. Spacy Tracy and Qualia completed the order of finish.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Oh Canada became a viable prospect for the June 26 Queen’s Plate with a somewhat surprising score in the 113th running of the $168,800 Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine Saturday.
Oh Canada ($21.30) was making his season debut in the six-furlong sprint, which featured a fast pace set by the dueling duo of Bear Chocolated and Something Extra.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Regally Ready held off a late rally from Camp Victory to win Saturday’s $100,000 San Simeon Handicap at Santa Anita by a nose, but jockey Mike Smith took no chances aboard the winner in the final strides.
“I rode past the wire,” Smith said. “Past the wire, [Camp Victory] got me. But at the wire, I wasn’t sure.”
Regally Ready ($3.80) ran about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course in 1:12.33, winning his third consecutive turf sprint and confirming his status as the division leader of the winter-spring meeting.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Aikenite was terrific in winning a seven-furlong allowance race last fall over the Polytrack at Keeneland, so it was something of déjà vu Saturday when the 4-year-old colt powered to his first stakes victory in the Grade 2, $175,000 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Stratford Hill, a son of A. P. Indy out of Grade 1 Ballerina winner Harmony Lodge, is bred to excel on dirt. It just so happens that turf racing has proven his calling.
In the Grade 3, $100,000 Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday’s Bluegrass Stakes undercard, Stratford Hill won his fourth consecutive turf sprint in as many starts, defeating such standout turf horses as Grand Adventure, Silver Timber, and Breeders’ Cup Turf sprint winner Chamberlain Bridge.
Due to potential damaging winds, heavy rains, and extreme weather conditions forecast for central Pennsylvania, live racing has been canceled at Penn National Race Course for Saturday night. Racing is scheduled to resume on Monday night.
After regaining her confidence by winning the Grade 3 Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct as the 9-5 favorite, the 3-year-old filly Quantum Miss should be even more comfortable racing at her home track in Tuesday’s $75,000 Trevose Stakes at Parx Racing.
Although she trains regularly at Parx, where she is based with trainer Tony Dutrow, Quantum Miss has not raced locally since winning her maiden by 5 1/4 lengths last Oct. 29.
