ARCADIA, Calif. - After Saturday’s $150,000 San Luis Obispo Stakes at Santa Anita, it’s safe to say there is a tie at the top of the California turf marathon division.
Champ Pegasus and Bourbon Bay met for the third time in their careers, and after splitting the first two decisions they were separated by only a nose at the wire of the Grade 2 San Luis Obispo Stakes over about 1 1/2 miles on turf.
OLDSMAR, Fla. – Bridgetown, after sizzling through an opening quarter-mile of 20.93 seconds to gain the lead, carried a clear advantage into the final furlong, and then had just enough left to prevail by a neck over Great Attack in the $75,000 Turf Dash on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
Kathmanblu proved a worthy favorite when rallying from mid-pack to notch her third straight stakes victory Saturday by capturing the Grade 3, $150,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
With Julien Leparoux aboard for trainer Ken McPeek, Kathmanblu finished the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:45.13 over a fast track. She paid $3.20 as the heavy choice in a field of six 3-year-old fillies. Inglorious rallied belatedly to finish second as the 4-1 second choice, about 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner and just ahead of front-running Gran Lioness.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Howie Tesher is hoping history might repeat itself when he starts Racing Aptitude in Saturday’s Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Eighteen years ago, Tesher sent out the 35-1 Bull Inthe Heather to finish second in the Fountain of Youth as a prelude to his 29-1 shocker in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Racing Aptitude figures to be a similar longshot here Saturday.
KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail
Lori Z’s Punch has a fondness for ultra-short sprints at Charles Town and has been facing tougher competition than most of her nine opponents in Tuesday night’s featured $35,000 overnight handicap. But will those factors be sufficient for her to snap a nine-race losing streak that began 11 months ago?
The 5-year-old Lori Z’s Punch must outrun two extremely sharp female sprinters in Fancy Up and Chase Em to win Tuesday’s 4 1/2-furlong feature, which goes as the eighth race on a nine-race card that begins at 7:15 p.m. Eastern.
Beautician asserted her class Saturday when she rallied from last to capture the $58,800 Pan Zareta Stakes on the Louisiana Derby Preview undercard at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
Turning back in distance while making her first start in nearly four months, Beautician won for the third time in 16 starts. Julien Leparoux was aboard for owner Peter Callahan and trainer Ken McPeek. The winner paid $6.60 as second choice after finishing six furlongs in 1:09.76 over a fast track.
On paper, the John B. Campbell Handicap was a two-horse race between Arson Squad and Alma d’Oro. When Arson Squad scratched, presumably due to a foot infection, the Campbell became a one-horse race both on paper and on the track.
Under Cornelio Velasquez, Alma d’Oro took over from the pacesetting Philly Bound leaving the three-furlong pole and cruised to 4 1/4-length victory in the $75,000 Campbell at Laurel Park. Fonda Ronda Won got second by a head over Auctoritas.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Jockey Eibar Coa underwent surgery to stabilize his fractured C-4 vertebra at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., his agent Tito Fuentes reported shortly before 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Coa, 40, fractured the C-4 vertebra in his neck in a Friday spill at Gulfstream that occurred after the horses had crossed the finish line.
Fuentes said Coa’s wife Rebeca told him that the surgeons said her husband had some movement in his hands, an excellent sign, but that it was too early to predict whether he would regain movement in his legs as well.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – It’s time to start sorting out the 3-year-olds at Oaklawn, which has been the prepping ground for the winners of nine Triple Crown races since 2004.
J P’s Gusto is the resident measuring stick in Monday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest. Now based in Arkansas after beginning his career in Southern California, he towers over the 11-horse field as a Grade 1 winner of $527,360.
KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A year ago, owner Frank Calabrese sold Tahitian Warrior to Godolphin Racing following his sensational debut victory at Gulfstream Park. Three weeks later, Godolphin came calling again after the Calabrese-owned Savemyspotimbeting ran a similarly spectacular race in his unveiling, winning a maiden special weight sprint by five widening lengths.
