Mon, 12/13/2010 - 14:08

Cost of Freedom eyes Sunshine Millions Sprint

Benoit & Associates
Cost of Freedom scores a dominant victory in the Miles Tyson Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Cost of Freedom has to switch venues for his next race, regardless of whether his team likes it.

After winning three consecutive stakes at Hollywood Park in the fall, including the minor Miles Tyson Stakes in track-record time on Saturday, Cost of Freedom will make his next start at Santa Anita in January.

Mon, 12/13/2010 - 13:38

Comma to the Top looking for place on Kentucky Derby trail

Benoit & Associates
Comma to the Top is a heavy favorite to begin his 3-year-old season with a win in the Grade 3 El Camino Real at Golden Gate Fields.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Two months ago, Comma to the Top was believed to be best as a sprinter. It was the right assessment at the time, but it needed revision. Comma to the Top has developed into a successful router and taken an important role in major two-turn races at the end of his 2-year-old season.

Mon, 12/13/2010 - 13:10

Senor Rojo named best of year in British Columbia

Four-Footed Fotos
Senor Rojo, with Richard Hamel up, wins the Premiers.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Senor Rojo was named the Horse of the Year and top older horse in British Columbia at the annual awards dinner held at Hastings last Friday.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding, Senor Rojo closed out his year with wins in the Sir Winston Churchill and Grade 3 Premiers. The only time he went unplaced in nine starts was in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs. Senor Rojo is trained by Dave Forster and owned by the Tres Hombres Stable.

Mon, 12/13/2010 - 12:41

Nafzger sets up shop at Tampa Bay

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Carl Nafzger will have a string of 14 horses here at Tampa Bay Downs this winter.

Nafzger won the 1990 Kentucky Derby with Unbridled and the 2007 Derby with Street Sense, a horse he shipped here to win the Tampa Bay Derby in a prep that set him up perfectly for his success in Kentucky.

It was his experience with Street Sense and other horses he has shipped to Tampa over the years from the East Coast of Florida that prompted Nafzger to apply for stalls here this season.

Mon, 12/13/2010 - 10:33

Shame On Rosie wires Oregon Hers

Shame On Rosie, who won the Janet Wineberg in last year’s Oregon Championship Day at Portland Meadows, won her second title Sunday, capturing the $13,300 Oregon Hers.

The 3-year-old Seattle Shamus filly paid $2.40 for a 1 3/4-length, wire-to-wire victory over Rockhill Gold at one mile for trainer Ben Root.

Root also saddled favored Shamundi ($3.80), who rallied from midpack to capture the $23,350 Bill Wineberg for 2-year-olds by 1 3/4 lengths over Tomcat Jake, covering six furlongs in 1:11.60.

Sun, 12/12/2010 - 19:10

Quiet Giant relishes slop in Cheap Seats

Quiet Giant found the off track and the weak competition to her liking Sunday as she took control in midstretch and splashed home to an 8 3/4-length victory in the $60,000 Cheap Seats Stakes at sloppy Aqueduct.

It was the third victory in six starts and first in a stakes race for Quiet Giant, a daughter of Giant’s Causeway who is also a half-sister to 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam. Quiet Giant is owned and bred by Edward P. Evans and trained by Todd Pletcher.

Sun, 12/12/2010 - 18:57

Cali Baby snaps Glory Be Mine's seven-race winning streak

Jeff Coady/ Coady Photography
Cali Baby wins her fourth consecutive stakes in the New Mexico State Racing Commission Handicap.

Cali Baby kept Glory Be Mine from winning her eighth straight race on Sunday, when she rallied for a 1 1/2-length win in the $120,000 New Mexico Racing Commission Handicap at Sunland Park. Happy Me finished second, three lengths clear of Glory Be Mine in third. 

Sun, 12/12/2010 - 17:24

Apollitical Jess makes his case for World Champion Quarter Horse

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Apollitical Jess made a compelling argument for the 2010 title of World Champion Quarter Horse with a track-record performance in Saturday’s $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos.

Apollitical Jess caught early leader A Tempting Dash in the final 40 yards to win the 440-yard race by a half-length in 20.93 seconds, lowering the previous record of 20.94 seconds set in the 2008 Champion of Champions by Jess You and I.

Sun, 12/12/2010 - 17:18

Ultra Blend secures third stakes of season in Cat's Cradle

BENOIT PHOTO
Joel Rosario guides the 6-year-old Ultra Blend to victory in the Cat's Cradle Handicap.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Ultra Blend won her third stakes of 2010 in Sunday’s $80,400 Cat’s Cradle Handicap at Hollywood Park, a comfortable victory that left trainer Art Sherman looking forward to the winter.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Ultra Blend ($4.60) won the race for statebreds by 3 1/4 lengths, closing from fifth in a field of six fillies and mares. Ultra Blend ran 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:29.76. She reached a prominent position on the turn after being urged into contention by Rosario.

Sun, 12/12/2010 - 08:10

Berry's hot hand continues aboard Grant Jack in Springboard Mile

Dustin Orona Photography
Cliff Berry closes out Remington Park's meet by guiding Grant Jack to a 14-1 upset in the Springboard Mile.

Jockey Cliff Berry closed out his historic Remington Park meet on Saturday night by guiding Grant Jack to an upset in the season’s richest race for 2-year-olds, the $250,000 Springboard Mile. The victory came on the heels of Berry going 7 for 7 with his mounts Friday night to tie a North American riding record that was last achieved in 2006 by Russell Baze, when he went 7 for 7 on a card at Bay Meadows.