SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Eddie Martin Jr. won back-to-back stakes races in the $35,000 Dean Kutz and $35,000 Northbound Pride on the Fourth of July at Canterbury Park. He used similar tactics in both races, each at one mile on the turf, taking both his horses well back off the early pace and coming with a late run.

Martin won the Dean Kutz with Stachys. Stachys drew away from Shoot It's War in the final furlong of the Kutz, for 3-year-olds.

Stachys ($7.40), a 3-year-old gelding by Candy Ride, was making his first start on turf. The victory was his third in six career starts.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - With Queen Elizabeth II in attendance, Big Red Mike went right to the front and never looked back to capture the 151st running of the at Woodbine Sunday.

It was the second straight Plate score for jockey Eurico Da Silva, who guided Big Red Mike through slow fractions of 24.43, 49.39 and 1:14.31 on a Polytrack surface that was kind to inside speed. Hotep pressed Big Red Mike through the far turn, but Big Red Mike established a clear lead at the head of the stretch en route to a 1 1/2-length win in 2:04.89 for the 1 1/4 miles. He paid $12.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- After winning the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 19, it seemed likely that Afleet Express would make his next start in the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 1 at the Jersey Shore track.

But with the $1 million Travers on Aug. 28 being the primary objective this summer, Afleet Express will most likely make his next start in the $500,000 Jim Dandy at the Spa on July 31.

"I'd like to run where he's stabled," trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Saturday morning. "With the Travers being the ultimate goal I think that's the best way to go."

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Richard's Kid, the winner of the 2009 Pacific Classic, will make his first start since a seventh-place finish in the Dubai World Cup in March in the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday.

The winner of the Grade 2 San Antonio Handicap at Santa Anita in February in his only other start this year, Richard's Kid adds depth to a race led by California male handicap division leader Rail Trip.

Magical Solution, claimed for $7,500 less than two months ago, and Emanuel De

Diego, a 21-year-old riding in just the second stakes of his career, combined

for a stunning upset in Sunday's $50,000 Niagara Stakes for New York-bred

3-year-old fillies at Finger Lakes.

Badly beaten in her first two starts for her new connections while racing around

two turns, Magical Solution ($85.50) shortened up to a sprint and rallied to

overtake 1-20 favorite Helyna's My Mom by a half-length. The winning time for

six furlongs on a fast track was 1:13.00.

Trainer Dennis Patterson admitted the race was a perfect setup, and jockey Chad Schvaneveldt called Run It's performance "Fourth of July fireworks" as the 4-year-old colt scored a decisive victory in the $56,700 Alamedan Handicap at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton. Calif., on Sunday.

Run It, coming off a victory in the Grade 3 Berkeley at Golden Gate Fields on May 31, surprisingly was not favored in the 1 1/16-mile race. Warren's Pepe, whom he had already defeated twice this year, was favored but never got the lead and had to be pulled up and vanned off.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Global Hunter won Sunday's at Hollywood Park, but was pulled up shortly after the finish with a severe injury to his right front ankle.

Global Hunter ($8) ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:48, finishing a head in front of pacesetter Temple City.

Trainer A.C. Avila was on the turf course when Global Hunter was placed on the horse ambulance and taken to the backstretch. He said an effort will be made to save the 7-year-old horse.

"I don't know if we can, but we will try," he said.

Blane Schvaneveldt, the legendary Quarter Horse trainer, was on life support at a Los Alamitos, Calif., hospital early Sunday afternoon.

The 76-year-old trainer was hospitalized Friday after showing signs of distress. He was later diagnosed with a heart arrhythmia, according to a statement released by Los Alamitos publicity on behalf of the trainer's family.

Schvaneveldt is the all-time leading trainer at Los Alamitos, with 3,982 victories and 38 training titles.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Informed Decision won the Chicago Handicap for the second time in a row, but it was no cakewalk this time. The champion female sprinter of 2009, she surged to the lead in midstretch of the seven-furlong Polytrack race, but had to work hard to hold off 33-1 shot Rinterval, who came back strong after setting the pace.

Informed Decision won the by a head, her first victory in three 2010 starts, and did not disappoint her trainer, Jonathan Sheppard.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Tizdejavu prevailed in wire-to-wire fashion Sunday in the a one-mile turf race perhaps more notable for the return of 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. Making his first start on grass and first for D. Wayne Lukas, Mine That Bird never reached contention and finished eighth in his 4-year-old debut.