Sun, 03/06/2011 - 19:19

Former Santa Anita Handicap winner Misremembered takes Santana Mile in comeback

Benoit & Associates
Misremembered could be headed to the Dubai World Cup after winning his comeback in Sunday's Santana Mile.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Misremembered, the 2010 Santa Anita Handicap winner, returned from a one-year layoff to win Sunday’s $80,200 Santana Mile at Santa Anita in near track-record time.

Ridden by Martin Garcia, Misremembered ran a mile on the main track in 1:33.50, just missing Ruhlmann’s 1989 record of 1:33.40. It is possible that Misremembered broke the mark. In 1989, Santa Anita timed raced in fifths of a second; currently, races are timed to the hundredths of a second.

Sun, 03/06/2011 - 16:52

Chantal Sutherland's historic Santa Anita Handicap win unspoiled by boos

Benoit & Associates
Chantal Sutherland, after winning the Santa Anita Handicap earlier this month, will not return to Woodbine this spring as she has done in the past.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Between a television appearance and riding workouts, jockey Chantal Sutherland was on the move at Santa Anita all morning on Sunday, a day after her milestone, and controversial, win in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on the longshot Game On Dude.

“I’m having such a good time,” she said, zooming through Clocker’s Corner, the patio adjacent to the racetrack that is a morning hangout for horsemen and racing fans.

Sun, 03/06/2011 - 15:25

Kentucky Derby prospect Dialed In second-best in allowance prep for Florida Derby

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Equestrio defeats his younger stablemate Dialed In during a nine-furlong allowance race that Dialed In was using as a prep for the Florida Derby.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla . -   Dialed In lost a battle Sunday at Gulfstream Park, one his trainer Nick Zito hopes will help him win the ultimate war, the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7.

Dialed In finished second, a half-length behind his uncoupled, 4-year-old stablemate Equestrio in Sunday’s fourth race at Gulfstream Park. It was a race Zito desperately wanted as a prep for his next major goal with Dialed In, the $1 million Florida Derby, on April 3.

Sun, 03/06/2011 - 14:27

Oaklawn's Rebel Stakes new target for The Factor

Shigeki Kikkawa
The Factor is going back to California after winning the Rebel, but is likely to return to Oaklawn Park for the Arkansas Derby.

ARCADIA, Calif.- The Factor, who has won two starts at Santa Anita in electrifying fashion this winter, is being pointed for the $300,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 19, trainer Bob Baffert said on Sunday.

The Factor won the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Feb. 20. Following that race, Baffert mentioned the $800,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park in New Mexico on March 27 as a possibility, but was leaning toward a trip to Oaklawn Park on Sunday.

Sun, 03/06/2011 - 14:14

Uncle Mo tunes up for either Timely Writer or Tampa Derby

Barbara D. Livingston
Trainer Todd Pletcher would prefer to run Uncle Mo in the Timeley Writer at Gulfstream, but if the stakes does not fill, Plan B may be the Tampa Bay Derby.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. -  Uncle Mo turned in his final work in preparation for his much anticipated 3-year-old debut by  breezing an easy half-mile in 48.82 seconds under jockey John Velazquez early Sunday morning at Palm Meadows. The question now remains where Uncle Mo will run, not whe.

KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail

Sun, 03/06/2011 - 13:40

Florida Derby likely next for Stay Thirsty

David Alcosser
Stay Thirsty will return to Florida, where Gulfstream Park's Florida Derby is his most likely next-race option.

Stay Thirsty came out of his 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in good order and is  tentatively scheduled to return to south Florida on Tuesday for his next probable start in the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on April 3, his connections said Sunday.

KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail

Sun, 03/06/2011 - 12:15

Z Humor proves uncatchable in Sam Houston's Maxxam Gold Cup

Jack Coady/Coady Photography
Z Humor earns his fourth career stakes victory in the Maxxam Gold Cup.

Z Humor pushed his career earnings to $970,163 on Saturday night, when he cruised wire to wire in the $150,000 Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston Race Park. It was the fourth career stakes win for Z Humor, a 6-year-old who in 2007 dead-heated for the win in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot.

The Maxxam was the richest dirt race for older horses at the Sam Houston meet that will close on Monday. Stachys finished 2 ¼ lengths back in second. It was another neck back in third to Join in the Dance.

Sun, 03/06/2011 - 12:02

Rebel Stakes prospects Archarcharch, Elite Alex breeze at Oaklawn

Coady Photography
Archarcharch, winner of the Southwest Stakes, is likely to be close to 10-1 in Saturday's Rebel Stakes.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Archarcharch was one of a handful of Rebel Stakes probables who hit the track for workouts on a chilly Sunday morning at Oaklawn Park. He breezed six furlongs in 1:13.40 in his first drill since winning the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 21.

The Rebel, a Grade 2, $300,000 race on March 19, is a local stepping-stone to the Arkansas Derby.

KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail

Sat, 03/05/2011 - 22:05

Turfway: Positive Response dominates Battaglia

Patrick Lang/Lang Photography
Northern California shipper Positive Response cruises to victory in the John Battaglia.

Positive Response, a Northern California invader sent away the 2-1 choice, dominated from the outset while the rest of the favorites largely disappointed Saturday night in the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park.

With Julien Couton riding for trainer Bill Morey, Positive Response seized the lead heading into the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile Polytrack race, then dictated the running before shaking off a pair of longshots turning for home and prevailing by seven lengths.

Sat, 03/05/2011 - 21:39

Santa Anita Handicap: Game On Dude avoids DQ while nosing out Setsuko

Benoit & Associates
Game On Dude (inside) enables Chantal Sutherland to become the first female jockey to win the Santa Anita Handicap by barely overtaking Setsuko.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Game On Dude won a controversial running of the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday, giving jockey Chantal Sutherland the distinction of being the first woman rider to win the historic race – and the first woman rider to be booed as she rode into the winner’s circle.

Game On Dude survived a 12-minute inquiry by track stewards into a bumping incident in early stretch involving the 14-1 winner, runner-up Setsuko, and 1-2 favorite Twirling Candy.