ETOBICOKE, Ontario — European shipper Serious Attitude whipped the boys in Saturday’s $508,800 Nearctic Stakes, the first of three Grade 1 turf stakes on Canadian International Day at Woodbine.
Serious Attitude ($48.20), a 4-year-old filly, received a great ride from Garret Gomez, who saved ground on the turn, while having just one horse beaten.
What was supposed to be a showdown between a pair of six-figure stakes winners instead turned out to be a coming out party for the unheralded New Jersey-bred Uncle Otto in Saturday’s $75,000 First State Dash Stakes at Delaware Park.
Eskimo’s Best was second to last early in the $84,000 Frances Slocum at Hoosier Park but rallied into the stretch to win by two lengths Saturday afternoon.
Jockey Orlando Mojica kept the 4-year-old filly to the inside in the mile and one-sixteenth Indiana-bred event early. Mojica angled his mount out on the far turn and then drew clear late for the win.
Longshot Evenly set the early pace, but settled for second, 4 1/2 lengths in front of favored Linda’s Lace in third.
A little less than three weeks from the first of two days of Breeders’ Cup racing at Churchill Downs, the Churchill backstretch has come alive with potential Breeders’ Cup starters working toward their respective races.
Foremost among the Breeders’ Cup hopefuls working Saturday morning at Churchill was First Dude, the runner-up in the Pennsylvania Derby in his last start Sept. 25, who breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
“He did it good, really good,” said trainer Dale Romans. “He was full of energy and within himself.”
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Unzip Me will be pre-entered later this month for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint against males at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6, trainer Marty Jones said on Friday.
The winner of five turf sprint stakes, Unzip Me, a 4-year-old filly, won the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap at Hollywood Park on Sept. 30 in her most recent start.
“We’d like to run in the Breeders’ Cup,” Jones said. “I’d say we’re seriously looking at it. It’s where we’d like to go.”
At first glance, it appears the 3-year-old gelding You Do ran a lot better when he won his career debut by 14 lengths against New York-bred maidens at Finger Lakes than he did finishing eighth, beaten 8 3/4 lengths, in a first-level allowance at Penn National. But according to the Beyer Speed Figures, You Do ran a tad quicker his second time out.
Two strong trainer angles stand out in Monday’s featured ninth race at Parx Racing, a second-level allowance scheduled for six furlongs on the main track.
Prestidigitation, shipping in from Monmouth Park for trainer Scott Volk, and Lion Attack, who has run well all three times he has run locally for trainer Mark Shuman, both have enough talent to win in this spot.
MIAMI – Big Drama worked five furlongs in 1:00.76 seconds on Saturday over a fast but cuppy racetrack at Calder as he continues to prepare for his appearance in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 6.
Ju Jitsu Jax defeated arch-rival Immortal Eyes for the second straight time in Friday night’s $51,450 HBPA Jefferson County Commission Handicap at Charles Town.
The 4-year-old Ju Jitsu Jax, ridden by J.D. Acosta for trainer Scott Lake, led from gate to wire in the 4 1/2-furlong sprint, completing the distance in 50:72 seconds, while finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of Immortal Eyes.
It was a repeat of their most recent meeting, in a half-mile allowance race at Timonium in late August. In June, Immortal Eyes prevailed by a half-length in the $100,000 Charles Town Dash.
Philadelphia Park-based trainer Juan Carlos Guerrero’s remarkable success with horses he recently claimed continued Friday night when Royal Clash, making his first start off a six-length loss while running for a $16,000 tag, romped to an 8 ¼-length victory in Friday night’s $75,000 Nepal Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds at Penn National Race Course.