HOT SPRINGS, Ark .- Holy Heavens has struck first in Oaklawn Park’s series for 3-year-old fillies. She closed from last to win the $75,000 Martha Washington with authority, by a length over Scarlet Mist. It was another 3 1/4 lengths back in third to Jazzin Okie.
The Martha Washington was the first of two local preps for the Grade 2, $300,000 Fantasy on April 10. Next up is the Grade 3, $125,000 Honeybee on March 12, and the race could draw Holy Heavens.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Anthony’s Cross outlasted Riveting Reason to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Robert Lewis Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita, a race in which heavily favored Tapizar faded to finish fifth, triggering outsized show payoffs.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The amazing Tackleberry did it again.
Two weeks after posting a 27-1 shocker in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic, Tackleberry returned to upset the 4-5 Soaring Empire by two lengths in Saturday’s 150,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship Stakes.
OLDSMAR, Fla.- Taking the lead right from the start, Silver Reunion led every step under good handling by Ramon Dominguez to capture the 12th running of the Grade 3, $125,000 Endeavour Stakes on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
Making her first start since August, Spring Party moved clear soon after the start, followed closely by Spring Party, C.S. Silk, and Kiss MIne.
The inevitable comparisons between reigning Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and his baby brother Brethren will continue. Brethren remained undefeated on Saturday with a convincing four-length victory over the 31-1 Too Experience in the $225,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The trip to New York from Maryland finally paid dividends for Coax Liberty, who got outside in midstretch under David Cohen and stormed past even-money favorite Breathoffreshheir in the final 100 yards to win Saturday’s $65,000 Dearly Previous Stakes by two lengths at Aqueduct.
Breathoffreshheir, the Ruthless Stakes winner who set the early pace, held second by a head over Full Moon Blues. Overseas Market and Wild About Sonny completed the order of finish.
Her tactics may have been completely different, but Potosina produced the same results as she did three weeks earlier by earning her second straight stakes victory in Saturday’s $50,000 Maryland Racing Media Stakes at Laurel Park.
J P’s Gusto, one of the nation’s top 3-year-olds, galloped over the Oaklawn surface for the first time Saturday morning and is scheduled to breeze for the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest on either Monday or Tuesday, said his trainer, Joe Petalino.
J P’s Gusto was transferred to Petalino last week after being based with trainer David Hofmans in Southern California. The Southwest is Feb. 21.
KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS: Track all the 3-year-olds on the Triple Crown trail
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., which has lost eight programs this meet to inclement weather, has added an additional day to its season and has increased overnight purses approximately $10,000 a day. The added date will come on Wednesday, April 13, and the purse increase was effective with Saturday’s program, Feb. 12.
Claiming races are being increased a minimum of $500 each, while all non-claiming races, excluding stakes, will be increased a minimum of $2,000.
John Waken, whose stable races under the name Gem Inc., has had good success relocating horses from Southern California to the East Coast, most notably Nicole H, a two-time stakes winner in New York, and Harissa, the winner of last month’s Sleigh Ride at Parx Racing. Trainer Todd Beattie is hopeful some of that same good luck will rub off on Ava’s Charm, a Waken-owned filly who has come east to join Beattie’s string at Penn National.
