LEXINGTON, Ky. - Sunday morning marked the first of 12 consecutive days of Clocker Reports leading up to the 2010 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs Nov. 5-6. And with it came the first major decision of the Breeders’ Cup season: Stay onsite in Louisville where a handful of Breeders’ Cup horses were scheduled to work, including Classic contenders Haynesfield and Espoir City, or head up the turnpike to Keeneland where only two Cup hopefuls were expected to breeze.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Casablanca Smile posted her first victory in North America, controlling all the pace Sunday in the 19th running of the $125,000 Dowager Stakes at Keeneland.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - First-time starter Inglorious overcame a tardy start to graduate in style Sunday at Woodbine in the $150,000 Fanfreluche Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Quality Road completed the major part of his preparation for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by working five furlongs Sunday morning in 1:01.62 over the Belmont Park training track.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Gio Ponti worked on the grass Sunday at Belmont Park, but trainer Christophe Clement said that no final decision had been on whether North America’s reigning turf champion will start in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile on grass or the $5 million Classic, a 1 1/4 mile dirt race, both at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6.

Percussionist, a success in Europe on the flat and over hurdles, captured the Grade 1, $250,000 Grand National Steeplechase on Saturday in his U.S. debut.

The well traveled 9-year-old gelding was bred in Ireland and raced most recently in Norway. He has now added the North America’s most prestigious jump race to his resume with the victory at the annual one-day meet at Far Hills in the heart of central New Jersey’s horse country.

Rule the Storm and Boundless Cat both used their speed to capture the two stakes at Turf Paradise Saturday.
Rule the Storm bounced out to a clear lead and held it all the way around to capture the $35,000 Queen of the Green Handicap, and Boundless Cat led wire to wire while gamely rebuffing challenges to take the $35,000 Walter R. Cluer Stakes.

American Runaway, who is the nation’s top-ranked 2-year-old Quarter Horse, was the second fastest qualifier behind Dm Streakn Thru Fire during Saturday night’s trials for the $1 million Texas Classic Futurity at Lone Star Park. The Grade 1 finale will be run Nov. 13.

Dm Streakn Thru Fire won his 400-yard trial in 19.43 seconds on a muddy track. It was the fastest time from 122 starters in 13 trial races. G. R. Carter was aboard for trainer Michael Joiner.

Speed ruled in Retama Park’s closing night stakes on Saturday, when R Boy Bill and Tiger Girl led wire to wire to win, respectively, the El Joven and La Senorita. Both races were for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf and each was worth $75,000.

ALBANY, Calif. – Our Minesweeper, a 3-year-old who won his first three starts, including a pair of stakes victories, last year rallied from last to pull off an upset victory in Saturday’s $55,100 Oakland Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

Making his first start in five months while meeting older for the first time, Our Minesweeper was the longest shot in the field of six in the six-furlong race and paid $40.20.

He was last early as Summer Excess, the other 3-year-old in the race, and Restless Youth dueled for the lead through an opening 21.64-second quarter.