Jockey Russell Baze became the first rider in history to score 11,000 victories when he guided first-timer starter Separate Forest to an 11-length victory in a maiden race at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Saturday.
“I knew right away we were going to win,” Baze said. “She broke nicely, and I was just sitting there. When I asked her to run, she took off, and I tried to listen to [track announcer] Michael Wrona's call down the stretch. All I had to do was chirp at her.”
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Arlington shipper Wonderlandbynight closed along the inside to notch her stakes debut Saturday at Woodbine in the $153,000 Ontario Debutante.
Final Freedom won an allowance event July 9 at Presque Isle Downs, but is still eligible for the feature there on Tuesday evening, limited to horses who have “never won a race other than maiden claiming, starter, statebred, or restricted, or never won two.”
Although Final Freedom’s 5 1/2-length win July 9 was in an allowance event, it was for Pennsylvania-breds, so it falls under one of the exclusions in the race restrictions. Trained by Tom Amoss, the 3-year-old Final Freedom has won 2 of 4 lifetime starts, with both wins coming locally against Pennsylvania-bred company.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Jess Jackson’s current star is Rachel Alexandra. His future star could very well be Kantharos.
A dominant winner of his first two starts, Kantharos looks well-spotted to make it 3 for 3 in Monday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special for 2-year-old males going 6 1/2 furlongs. The Special only drew six runners, but trainer Rick Violette named Alan Garcia on both Bail Out the Cat and Sovereign Default, so he may only run one.
DEL MAR, Calif. – The upset win by Bonifacio in Friday’s $83,025 Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar may be the start of a remarkable stretch for trainer Craig Dollase through the end of August.
Wednesday, Dollase runs My Summer Slew in the $75,000 Green Flash Handicap over five furlongs on turf. On Aug. 28, Awesome Gem, the top horse in his stable, will start as a leading contender in the $1 million Pacific Classic.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. –Paddy O’Prado and General Quarters were among the Kentucky-based horses putting in their final prerace workouts for the International Festival of Racing when they breezed Saturday morning over a fast main track at Churchill Downs.
With trainer Dale Romans in from Saratoga to watch, Paddy O’Prado went five furlongs in 1:01.40 with Tammy Fox aboard. “I loved how he went,” said Romans. “We’re right where we want to be.”
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Pre-entries for the Arlington Million, the Beverly D., and the Secretariat closed at midnight Friday with 10 horses pre-entered in the 27th running of the Grade 1 Million. The list of pre-entered Million horses is topped by Gio Ponti, who will try to become the first back-to-back Million winner when he starts in next Saturday’s 1 1/4-mile turf race.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When it comes to readiness for the Travers, Tony Dutrow believes A Little Warm is already there, Todd Pletcher says Super Saver is getting there, and Kiaran McLaughlin doesn’t know yet if Trappe Shot is going there at all.
Comin Thru kept Stolis Winner from becoming the all-time richest Quarter Horse on Friday night, when he won the $50,000 Sam Houston Classic in a blanket finish. Stolis Winner finished sixth as the 4-5 favorite, and needed a win to surpass Refrigerator’s record of $2,126,309 in earnings. Stolis Winner was the world champion Quarter Horse of 2008.
Comin Thru ($16) covered the 440 yards in 21.60 seconds, for a nose win over Point of Deception. Rodrigo Vallejo was aboard the winner for Mickey Tiner and trainer Judd Kearl.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Bonifacio closed from last in a field of seven to pull an upset in Friday’s $83,025 Daisycutter Handicap, much to the delight, and surprise, of winning rider Alonso Quinonez.
Quinonez was uncertain whether Bonifacio ($42) caught Pasar Silbano at the wire of the five-furlong turf race. “I was very wide,” he said. ”I thought I was a little bit in front.”