Atta Boy Roy won what might have been his final prep for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint in hand on Saturday night, when he cruised by 5 1/2 lengths in the $200,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup.
The six-furlong race shared a card with the $150,000 Governor’s Cup won by Shadowbdancing.
DEL MAR, Calif. - For the fourth time this year, Evening Jewel won a graded stakes on Saturday at Del Mar.
This time was different, however. Evening Jewel overcame trouble on the final turn to win the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks by a half-length over Harmonious after a stretch run along the rail that left trainer Jim Cassidy admiring the filly’s ability on the day of his 65th birthday.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Winning the Arlington Million two years in a row is hard. No horse, not even John Henry, who won two Millions three years apart, ever has done it. But two hundred yards from the finish line in the 28th Arlington Million on Saturday, Gio Ponti, the 2009 winner and the 4-5 favorite in Saturday’s race, was home free. And then he was not.
EDMONTON, Alberta – No Hesitation left no doubt he is the top 3-year-old in Western Canada with a convincing win over Kara’s Orientation in the Grade 3, $300,000 Canadian Derby at Northlands Park Saturday. The race was marred by a three-horse spill on the third turn.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The road warrior did it again. And now Blind Luck is in the driver’s seat in the 3-year-old filly division.
Once again forced to rally from last behind slow fractions, Blind Luck came five wide in the stretch, blew past favored Devil May Care outside the three-sixteenths pole, then collared Havre de Grace in deep stretch and outfinished her to the wire to win the $500,000 Alabama Stakes by a neck at Saratoga.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Duke of Mischief rallied for a 16-1 upset of 11-10 favorite Redding Colliery on Saturday in the Grade 3, $300,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park.
I Want Revenge was third again in the second start of his comeback.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – The applause began, politely, near his box, then quickly spread throughout the entire section towering above the Arlington Park finish line Saturday. By the time 88-year-old Richard Duchossois disappeared on his way to the winner’s circle, there was whistling, raucous cheering, and maybe even a tear or two in heartfelt recognition of what had just transpired on the Arlington turf.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – After Gio Ponti blew to the lead in deep stretch and appeared poised to win the Arlington Million for the second straight year, 11-1 shot Debussy surfaced from nowhere to nail him in the final few strides in a dramatic conclusion to the 28th Million.
With William Buick riding for Darley Stud and Princess Haya of Jordan, Debussy, an Irish-bred 4-year-old trained by John Gosden, returned $24 after finishing the 1 1/4-mile distance in 2:03.01 over a good turf course.
Ben’s Cat proved to be just as effective on turf as he has been on the main track.
A 4-year-old colt making his turf debut after beginning his career with four consecutive sprint victories on dirt, Ben’s Cat ($7.20) remained undefeated when he came from o ff the pace to win Saturday’s $50,000 Mister Diz Stakes for Maryland-breds at Laurel Park.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- Trainers do not make a habit of comparing star horses that have passed through their barn. Bad politics. But after Paddy O’Prado had won his third straight graded turf stakes, capturing the $400,000 Secretariat by 1 1/4 lengths over English invader Wigmore Hall on a steamy Saturday at Arlington Park, trainer Dale Romans did not hesitate to bring up a standout from the past.