ELMONT, N.Y. - Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Metropolitan Handicap winner Quality Road topped a star-studded list of horses trainer Todd Pletcher put through workouts on a warm, humid Sunday morning at Belmont Park.
Super Saver, working for the second time since his eighth-place finish in the Preakness on May 15, went an easy half-mile in 50.66 seconds early Sunday. Super Saver is preparing for a start in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on Aug. 1.
Bet Your Boots, another invader from Canterbury Park trained by Charlie Smith, proved to be too much for the locals in Saturday night's $30,000 Golden Boy at Assiniboia Downs.
With Rohan Singh in the irons, Bet Your Boots forced the pace on the inside before assuming command and then holding sway to score by 1 3/4 lengths as the 1.65-1 favorite.
Cherokee's Gold finished second in the field of eight 3-year-olds for the six-furlong Golden Boy, another 1 3/4 lengths before third-place Socks Are Up.
Down in Kent, Va., late Saturday afternoon, at Colonial Downs, Tizaqueena dead-heated for third in the All Along Stakes. A little more than 40 minutes later, Workin For Hops finished a game second in the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup. Not a bad showing for the two equine Chicago shippers. Two Chicago human shippers associated with the horses, trainer Mike Stidham and assistant trainer Hilary Pridham, then got into an automobile and drove north roughly 168 miles to Charles Town Races and Slots. Waiting was Comedero, who later Saturday night went out and routed six rivals in the .
ELMONT, N.Y. - In race that played out like a comedic tragedy for Gozzip Girl, Lady Shakespeare rallied from last to win the
by 2 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park on Saturday.
Changing Skies got up for second by one-length over Ave, who finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of Daveron. Gozzip Girl, in her first start since last October, stumbled badly out of the starting gate, unseating jockey Ramon Dominguez. Fortunately, neither Gozzip Girl nor Dominguez was injured. Nehantic Kat and Sweet and Flawless scratched.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - A first-level turf allowance on Sunday at Monmouth Park could be the springboard to launch Straight Story into the United Nations Stakes on July 3.
Not many older horses can make the leap from an entry-level race to a Grade 1, $750,000 stakes.
If anyone appears capable of handling the transition, it's Straight Story.
The 4-year-old trained by Alan Goldberg has already earned $412,390. That bankroll gives him a dominant class edge on eight rivals going 1 1/8 miles in the $80,000 race.
ELMONT, N.Y. - John Terranova looked at the entries for Sunday's $100,000 Mike Lee Stakes at Belmont Park and marveled how competitive the seven-furlong race for New York-bred 3-year-olds came up.
"That's got to be the strongest-looking Mike Lee ever," Terranova said. "Every now and again you get a real standout, but there's three or four in there that are really nice."
Danzip remained undefeated in four starts Saturday, when he won the $39,585 Aspen at Arapahoe Park by 2 1/4 lengths. It was the second stakes win at the meet for Danzip, who last month took the $30,000 Inaugural.
Danzip ($3.20) was with the pace from the start of the Aspen, a six-furlong race that marked his first start against Colorado-breds. He led the field through an opening half-mile in 44.17 seconds before going on to cover the distance on a fast track in 1:09.41.
Russell Vicchrilli was aboard for trainer Doug Grinolds.
Cherry One improved her career record to 4 for 6 on Saturday, when she overcame a four-month layoff to win the $40,000 First Lady Handicap at Ruidoso Downs. She was prominent throughout to win by 2 lengths over A.P. Flatter.
Snowdrop finished third, but was disqualified for interference at the start and was placed eighth. The action elevated fourth-place finisher Apollean to third.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - In recent months, trainer Ron Ellis has boasted that his untested 3-year-old Golden Itiz was a sharp 3-year-old, in ability and mindset.
Golden Itiz's win in his stakes debut in Saturday's at Hollywood Park reinforced that perspective. "I think he's got an even better mind," Ellis said.
Sent off favored, Golden Itiz ($3.80) stalked a quick pace of 23.18 and 46.28 seconds set by Ranger Heartley despite going wide on the first turn. Jockey Tyler Baze had Golden Itiz in fourth down the backstretch and had moved into third with a furlong remaining.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - About $600,000 in Illinois-bred stakes purses were up for grabs during the Prairie State Festival on Saturday at Arlington Park.
Consider that wealth thoroughly spread.
The six stakes produced six winners for six different trainers, owners, and jockeys. Several of the performances were solid, but there was not a standout effort in the bunch.
