ELMONT, N.Y. - When trainer Michelle Nihei saw the first half of Saturday’s Grade 1 Jamaica Breeders’ Cup Handicap go in 50.48 seconds, and her 3-year-old Prince Will I Am was eight lengths back, she wasn’t loving her chances to win.
“That just terrified me,” Nihei said. “I smelled death at that point.”
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Proviso did her best Zenyatta impersonation Saturday in the Grade 1, $400,000 First Lady at Keeneland, appearing in danger of being beaten in midstretch, only to unleash a powerful closing kick to secure yet another prestigious victory.
As she had in winning the Diana, Just a Game, and Frank Kilroe Mile earlier in the year – all Grade 1 races - Proviso didn’t win by much, but impressed with a half-length score over longshot C.S. Silk.
The connections of both Etched and Musket Man, who finished a close one-two in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Monmouth Cup at Monmouth Park have to give serious consideration to giving their horses a shot in next month’s Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs.
Rush Now easily made the transition from the maiden ranks to stakes company on Saturday, leading wire to wire in the $75,000 Dover Stakes for 2-year-olds at Delaware Park.
A winner by nearly 14 lengths in his first attempt around two turns against maiden special weight company, Rush Now ($9) set comfortable fractions of 48.40 seconds and 1:12.09 while being chased by Chipshot, the 6-5 favorite on the basis of his close third in the Grade 3 Sapling last time out.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Dubai Majesty ran down an improbable longshot to post the richest victory in her rags-to-riches career Saturday in the 30th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland.
Bank Merger may have been the most lightly raced 3-year-old in Saturday’s $250,000 Gallant Bob Handicap, with just three previous starts under his belt. But he performed like a seasoned veteran in emerging from a four-way battle to score a hard-fought neck victory over Rule by Night in the final major stakes of the season at Parx Racing.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Visits to the Keeneland’s winner’s circle following stakes victories have become routine for Silver Timber.
For the third consecutive meet at Keeneland, Silver Timber scored a graded stakes victory over the Keeneland grass course in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Woodford, following a victory in the Grade 3 Shakertown this spring and in last fall’s Woodford.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario — Wyomia ($9.40) went right to the front and never looked back in a relatively easy victory in the Grade 3, $228,000 Mazarine Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.
Wyomia set quick fractions of 24.10 seconds and 48.28 in the 1 1/16-mile route for 2-year-old fillies. She opened up a four-length lead on the far turn and then coasted home on top by 2 3/4 lengths over favored Delightful Mary, winning in a time of 1:43.92.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The novelty of Arabian racing elicited tremendous interest from racegoers and a mild surprise on the Keeneland Polytrack when Grilla dealt previously undefeated Sand Witchh the first loss of her career Saturday in the $53,250 President of the United Arab Emirates Cup, the first race for Arabians in track history.
Grilla, ridden by Ricardo Chiappe, finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Sand Witchh in the 1 1/4-mile race, then survived an objection by William Hollick, the jockey of the runner-up. The stewards dismissed the claim of alleged stretch interference.