ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Kentucky shipper Proud Heiress nosed out the 4-5 favorite, Tribal Belle, to take the at Woodbine Sunday.
Proud Heiress broke a bit slowly under Chantal Sutherland, who then took her quite wide on the backstretch in a trailing position in the six-furlong sprint. Dancing Allstar, last year's Whimsical winner, set quick fractions while being tracked by Silver Z, who hit the front in mid-stretch as Proud Heiress was in the midst of a wide rally.
Heading into the weekend, Dubious Miss had won 7 of 18 starts and more than $339,000 while competing against top-class competition. The only thing missing from his list of accomplishments was a graded stakes victory.
Not any more. Sunday, racing over a Polytrack surface on which he has never been defeated at Keeneland, Dubious Miss dominated the by a length and a half.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Tiz Chrome, a Bob Baffert-trained colt who was being pointed to the Derby Trial next weekend, broke down in a Sunday workout at Churchill Downs and had to be euthanized on the racetrack.
With Dana Barnes aboard, and working in company, Tiz Chrome suffered a compound fracture of his left front leg, according to track officials. Barnes was not injured, nor were any other horses or riders. The incident occurred shortly after all Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses had cleared the track following the 8:30-8:45 a.m. Eastern window reserved solely for them.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trappe Shot, a 3-year-old who has won his last two starts by a combined 23 lengths, will not run in next Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct because of an ankle issue, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin said there was heat in the colt's right front ankle that would prevent the horse from working on Sunday.
Researcher remains the king of the hill at Charles Town.
Facing a talented field that included Grade 2 winners Gone Astray and Awesome Gem, Researcher came close to matching the track record for 1 1/8 miles he set last year while winning the for the second straight time Saturday night.
Sent off as the 7-2 second choice, Researcher ($9.80) surpassed the million-dollar milestone in earnings by collecting the $600,000 winner's share of the $1 million purse in the richest ever run in West Virginia.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Mr Gruff has made winning on Santa Anita's hillside turf course look easy this spring.
After winning an optional claimer on March 19 on the hillside turf course by 2 3/4 lengths, Mr Gruff scored an easy win in Saturday's , the second consecutive year he has prevailed in the Grade 3 race over about 6 1/2 furlongs.
Ridden by Joel Rosario, Mr Gruff ($3.60) stalked Trumpet Player Jay through an opening quarter-mile in 22.52 seconds, took the lead after a half-mile in 43.98 seconds and won by 2 1/4 lengths over Victor's Cry. Mr Gruff was timed in 1:11.53.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Sea Road capped off a big day for trainer Stanley Hough by rallying to a neck victory over pacesetter Worstcasescenario in Saturday's $50,000 Boynton Beach at Gulfstream Park. Hough also won Aqueduct's Grade 2 Distaff Handicap earlier in the afternoon with Tar Heel Mom.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Tuscan Evening finished a perfect season at Santa Anita's winter-spring meeting with her fourth stakes win of the year on turf in Saturday's .
The Grade 2 Santa Barbara was Tuscan Evening's first start over 1 1/4 miles on turf, a distance she that proved to be no problem. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Tuscan Evening ($2.60) was timed in 2:00.22 and finished a length in front of General Consensus in the field of four fillies and mares.
"She relaxed really well," said Tuscan Evening's trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer. "She had plenty left when Rafael asked her."
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - After coming close in a couple of graded stakes events in south Florida this winter, Tar Heel Mom finally broke through in a big event, scoring a 2 1/2-length, front-running victory in Saturday's at Aqueduct.
Hour Glass finished second by two lengths over Matchless Orinda. Justwhistledixie and Thunders Dove completed the order of finish.
The win was the seventh from 19 starts for Tar Heel Mom, a 5-year-old daughter of Flatter owned by Alex Rankin and trained by Stanley Hough. It was her fourth stakes win, but first in a graded event from six tries.