Sat, 01/08/2011 - 19:26

Aggie Engineer makes it three in a row by taking San Pasqual

BENOIT PHOTO
Aggie Engineer, under Joe Talamo, proves much the best in the San Pasqual.

ARCADIA, Calif. -- It took until the end of his 5-year-old year for Aggie Engineer to finally win a stakes race, but the way he ran on Saturday, in the Grade 2, $150,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita, there could be plenty more to come. In what has to rank as his best performance yet, Aggie Engineer romped to a 3 1/4-length victory after patiently waiting in third, something he was incapable of doing early in his career.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 18:51

Soaring Empire turns the tables on Rule in Hal's Hope

Adam Coglianese
Soaring Empire, winning the Grade 3 Hal's Hope, will be pointed to the Westchester and the Metropolitan Handicap, both at Belmont Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.- What a difference eight months make.

The first time Soaring Empire met Rule, he finished more than a dozen lengths behind him in the 2010 Florida Derby. On Saturday, the vastly improved Soaring Empire turned the tables when holding off a late bid from Rule to register a 1 1/4-length victory in Gulfstream Park’s $100,000 Hal’s Hope. Morning Line finished third as the 3-5 favorite.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 17:48

Inhisglory holds off Banjammer by nose in Turfway Prevue

Jason Stewart/Patrick Lang Photography
Inhisglory, on the inside, barely holds off Banjammer to capture the Turfway Prevue.

 

Saturday’s $50,000 Turfway Prevue was decided right on the finish line, with favored Inhisglory prevailing in a head bob over Banjammer by a nose. However, it was on the turn that the race was won.

Under Rodney Prescott, Inhisglory received a perfect ground-saving stalking trip, diving inside four rivals on the turn – getting the jump on the opposition, while late-running Banjammer raced widest of all closing from the back of the pack.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 17:32

See I A wins fifth straight in Pelican Stakes

Tom Cooley Photography
See I A wins the Pelican Stakes under Huber Villa-Gomez.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Ranging up three wide after a half-mile, See I A rallied past 40-1 longshot Gary D leaving the furlong marker and went on to post a 1 3/4-length victory in the $60,000 Pelican Stakes before 3,265 fans.

Under a well-judged ride by Huber Villa-Gomez, See I A returned $17 while posting his fifth straight win and 11th from 28 career starts.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 17:20

Wildrally takes Dixie Poker Ace for first stakes win in more than two years

Lou Hodges Jr.
The 7-year-old Wildrally scores in the Dixie Poker Ace.


Trainer Eddie Johnston is preparing the good Louisiana-bred turf horse Snakebite Kit for a start against open stakes competition in the Jan. 22 Colonel Bradley Handicap, but in Wildrally, Johnston had an able back-up for the $60,000 Dixie Poker Ace on Saturday at Fair Grounds. Under Anna Rose Napravnik, Wildrally came between horses at about the eighth pole and won the Dixie Poker Ace by one length over 4-5 favorite Kissimmee Kyle.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 17:07

Dance Quietly does her late owner proud by taking Busanda

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Dance Quietly, one of five winners on the card for jockey Ramon Dominguez, rallies in the stretch to capture the Busanda.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Edward Evans would have been proud.

Dance Quietly, the first starter from the Evans stable since his death on Dec. 31, rallied through a huge opening along the rail in the stretch and was able to outfinish Moonlit Malibu to win Saturday’s $65,000 Busanda Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 16:48

Determinato pulls off 14-1 upset in Spectacular Bid

Adam Coglianese
Determinato, ridden by Eibar Coa, wins his first career stakes in the Spectacular Bid.

 

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Determinato rebounded off a poor effort to pull a 14-1 upset Saturday in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park after stalking favored Gangsterontherun into defeat and holding on to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 16:14

Jockeys upset by slow response to paddock accident

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The New York Racing Association is looking into a breakdown in communication that led to an injured jockey being left unattended to in the paddock for several minutes and nearly prompted the cancellation of the final three races on Saturday’s card at Aqueduct.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 15:24

Stall not pointing J.B.'s Thunder for Triple Crown

Trainer Al Stall is about to swing into stakes action at Fair Grounds and Louisiana points beyond, but Grade 1 winner J.B.’s Thunder will not be among the stable’s participants, Stall said Friday.

J.B.’s Thunder won the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland last October after capturing his career debut in a Saratoga turf route, but he finished a distant ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and Stall, after watching J.B.’s Thunder post one slow three-furlong Fair Grounds drill, is pulling the plug on any Triple Crown possibilities.

Sat, 01/08/2011 - 14:02

Kathmanblu tunes up for Sweetest Chant

Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography
Early Kentucky Oaks favorite Kathmanblu will prep for the May 6 race in Saturday's Ashland at Keeneland.


Kathmanblu, considered among the leading 3-year-old filly prospects this season, worked five furlongs here at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, covering the distance in 100.80 in company with stablemate Hyperlink, breaking off a length behind and finishing on even terms before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.80. Jockey Julien Leparoux, Kathmanblu’s regular rider, was up for the drill.