LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It takes something special to make trainer Todd Pletcher emotional. Uncle Mo confirmed Saturday that he is indeed something special.
Uncle Mo not only crowned himself the 2-year-old champion but also stamped himself the winter-book favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby with a dominant 4 1/4-length victory over Boys At Tosconova in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. It was six lengths back to Rogue Romance in third.
The bettors had it right in the $50,700 Justakiss Stakes on Saturday at Delaware Park. The first four in the betting, topped by 3-2 favorite Spacy Tracy, filled the top four positions in the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares.
Spacy Tracy took the lead from McVictory in the stretch, and drew away to win by 2 1/4 lengths under Jeremy Rose. McVictory (2.40-1) held second by three-quarters of a length over 3.10-1 shot Ms Vanenzza, who in turn finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of the 9.10-1 shot Haven's Honey.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The English filly Pachattack shattered the 1 1/4-mile Polytrack record during an authoritative victory Saturday at Woodbine in the $186,200 Maple Leaf Stakes.
Wildcat Frankie had a four-length lead with a furlong to go in the $71,540 Rutgers Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday. Then Soaring Empire began to roll.
Soaring Empire, under Pablo Fragoso, came from a distant last place in the Rutgers, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds, and got up in the shadow of the wire to edge Wildcat Frankie by three-quarters of a length. Partyallnightlong, the even-money favorite, finished third.
Trained by Cam Gambolati, Soaring Empire covered the distance in 1:08.27. He paid $8.
Blind Date came through as the 3-5 favorite in the $50,000 All Brandy at Laurel on Saturday, but Ask the Moon made her work.
Ask the Moon opened up in midstretch of the All Brandy, but Blind Date ran her down under Erick Rodriguez to win the one-mile race for Maryland-bred fillies and mares by three-quarters of a length. Ask the Moon finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of Love's Blush, who was third in the field of seven.
Blind Date, a 4-year-old Not for Love filly owned by William Backer and trained by Hamilton Smith, covered the mile in 1:38.06. She paid $3.20
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Goldikova a made history Saturday at Churchill Downs, becoming the first horse to win three Breeders' Cup races after surging through the stretch to a convincing 1 3/4-length victory over two-time Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile.
Goldikova, an Irish-bred daughter of Anabaa, had captured the 2008 and 2009 editions of the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Now 5, she is trained by Freddy Head for the partnership of Alain and Gerard Werthheimer.
ALBANY, Calif. - The favored Cathy's Crunches ($5) was virtually unchallenged in an easy wire-to-wire victory in the six-furlong $50,900 Golden Gate Debutante on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
The well-traveled 2-year-old filly trained by Jerry Hollendorfer was running on her fourth track in five career starts. She began her career with a maiden claiming victory at Calder, then ran twice at Del Mar after being purchased by Hollendorfer and Mark DeDomenico and was second in her last start at Philadelphia Park.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It takes something special to make trainer Todd Pletcher emotional. Uncle Mo confirmed Saturday that he is indeed something special.
Uncle Mo not only crowned himself the 2-year-old champion but also stamped himself the winter-book favorite for next year’s Kentucky Derby with a dominant 4 1/4-length victory over Boys At Tosconova in Saturday’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. It was six lengths back to Rogue Romance in third.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bret Calhoun kept downplaying the foot abscess that threatened to prevent Chamberlain Bridge from starting as one of the favorites in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. And after the 6-year-old gelding stormed to victory Saturday in the five-furlong race, giving Calhoun and jockey Jamie Theriot their second BC victory in as many days, the 46-year-old trainer proved just how right he was.
