Mon, 01/17/2011 - 14:39

First Dude, Duke of Mischief eye Sunshine Millions

Bill Denver/Equi-Photo
Duke of Mischief, who won the Iselin at Monmouth Park last summer, is expected to make his 2011 debut in the Sunshine Millions Classic.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A field of eight is shaping up for the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic, the richest of the three Sunshine Millions races to be run here on Jan. 29. The others are the $300,000 Filly and Mare Turf and the $200,000 Filly and Mare Sprint.

Mon, 01/17/2011 - 14:30

Exotic bets helping to boost Gulfstream business

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Business is booming at Gulfstream Park. Through the first two weeks of the meet, ontrack handle is up 26 percent, all-sources handle is up 21 percent, and attendance is up more than 50 percent over corresponding figures from a year ago. Sunday alone showed a whopping 75 percent increase in all-sources handle over the same date in 2010, when rain forced the races to be taken off the turf.

Mon, 01/17/2011 - 13:35

Tapizar staying in California after Sham win

Benoit & Associates
Tapizar, with Garrett Gomez up, wins the Grade 3 Sham Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Tapizar’s win in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday confirmed trainer Steve Asmussen’s belief that the colt will play an important role in the build-up to the Kentucky Derby.

Tapizar won his stakes debut in the Sham, disputing the pace through the first quarter-mile before taking the lead and winning by 4 1/4 lengths in a quick 1:40.38 for 1 1/16 miles. Tapizar earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 97 in the Sham, which was preceded by an emphatic win by 10 1/2 lengths against maidens at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27.

Mon, 01/17/2011 - 12:35

Distance no concern for Zhivago in turf marathon

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It will take a little quality and a lot of stamina to win Wednesday’s featured eighth race at Gulfstream Park, a 1 1/2-mile, entry-level allowance test over the inner turf course that carries a $51,000 purse.

Mon, 01/17/2011 - 12:11

Tampa stakes winners eye next steps

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Manicero and Devilish Lady both passed their first tests as 3-year-olds on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. Manicero won the Pasco Stakes and Devilish Lady the Gasparilla Stakes, and now both look to the future.

Manicero,who won the Inaugural Stakes here in his final start at 2, proved that win was no fluke with a half-length win over Bert B Don in the Pasco as the two south Florida invaders duplicated their Inaugural finish. Leo Azpurua Jr., who trains Manicero for his father Leo Sr., said Sunday that Manicaro came out of the Pasco in good shape.

Sun, 01/16/2011 - 19:56

Speed bias helps Always a Princess foil Blind Luck in El Encino

BENOIT PHOTO
Always a Princess gives trainer Bob Baffert his second major stakes win of the weekend by taking the El Encino.

ARCADIA, Calif.- Always a Princess upset Blind Luck in Sunday’s $150,000 El Encino Stakes at Santa Anita, taking advantage of a track that favors speed in two-turn races to win by 3 1/2 lengths.

Sun, 01/16/2011 - 18:51

Win Willy gets Oaklawn meet off to a bang in Fifth Season

Jeff Coady/ Coady Photography
Win Willy, ridden by Cliff Berry, defeats stachys by a neck in the Fifth Season.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Win Willy launched what his connections hope will be a big Oaklawn Park meet on Sunday, when he overcame a controlled pace to win the $75,000 Fifth Season by a neck over Stachys. It was another half-length back in third to Kate’s Main Man.

Sun, 01/16/2011 - 18:12

Adirondack Summer surges from last to first in Dania Beach

Adam Coglianese
Adirondack Summer (right), under Alan Garcia, rallies to overtake Brilliant Speed by a nose in the Dania Beach.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.-  Adirondack Summer nipped Brilliant Speed by a nose to capture Sunday’s $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Rallying from last at the head of the stretch under jockey Alan Garcia, Adirondack Summer ($11) finished full of run on the extreme outside to win his stakes debut for owner Peter Deutsch and trainer Christophe Clement. Master Dunker finished another 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third.

Sun, 01/16/2011 - 16:54

Berrio's riding comeback delayed at Santa Anita

Jockey Omar Berrio’s return to riding from a minor stroke suffered on Dec. 30 has been postponed until next week.

Berrio was booked to ride Straightomidnight in Sunday’s first race, but was taken off the gelding on Sunday morning after failing to receive doctor’s clearance, according to steward Tom Ward.

Ward spoke with Berrio on Sunday morning. Berrio told Ward that he must undergo further consultation with doctors before being allowed to resume riding.

“The doctor wants more information,” Ward said.

Sun, 01/16/2011 - 16:47

Dominguez snaps mini-slump with triple, capped by Quiet Giant's stakes win


OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After enduring a rare oh-fer on Saturday, jockey Ramon Dominguez won three races on Sunday’s card, capped by a three-length victory aboard 4-5 favorite Quiet Giant in the $60,000 Lady On the Run Stakes at Aqueduct.

After stalking the pacesetting Wind Caper through fractions of 23.79 and 47.56 seconds, Quiet Giant and Dominguez drew on even terms with that rival at the five-sixteenths pole. Quiet Giant ran outside of Wind Caper until just inside the eighth pole when, despite attempting to lug in, she drew clear to get the relatively easy victory.