HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Conveyance remained undefeated while conquering conventional dirt in his first attempt Saturday, leading throughout to win the by three-quarters of a length over Dublin. It was another length and a half back to Cardiff Giant in third.
The one-mile race for 3-year-olds had been pushed back five days after inclement weather forced its cancellation on Feb. 15. The Southwest was the first of two graded preps for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby.
NEW ORLEANS - They might as well have put up the finish line a quarter-mile into the . There, it was Discreetly Mine over Tempted to Tapit over Northern Giant - same as the actual end of the $300,000 race, where Discreetly Mine came home a 1 1/2-length winner.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A 3-year-old division lacking a breakout effort so far in 2010 got one on Saturday when Eskendereya walloped the highly regarded Jackson Bend and Buddy's Saint while turning in a tour de force performance in the at Gulfstream Park.
Eskendereya ($9.80), the third choice, turned back a bid by Jackson Bend going around the final turn and then bounded clear to win by 8 1/2 lengths under jockey John Velazquez. Jackson Bend, the 5-2 second choice, held on for second, three-quarters of a length in front of third-place Aikenite.
ALBANY, Calif. - Connemara ($4.60) completed a Triple Crown prep trifecta for trainer Todd Pletcher as he rallied from last to win the at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
Pletcher had earlier seen Eskendereya win the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream and Discreetly Mine win the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds.
Connemara avenged his first career loss in last month's California Derby. He got away slowly again and was bumped around early before Russell Baze took him back to last while California Derby winner Ranger Heartley took the lead in the 1 1/8-mile race.
La Sorpresa rallied for a 1 1/4-length win over Negotiablafections in the $100,000 Sydney Valentini Handicap at Sunland Park on Saturday. It was another nose back in third to Let the Musicbegin.
La Sorpresa ($8) raced in about sixth in the early stages of the one-mile race for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares, then rolled home through the lane. She covered the distance on a fast track in 1:39.31. Jockey Alejandro Medellin was aboard for Gallegos Del Norte Racing and trainer Jose Gonzalez Jr.
Dixie Commander invaded from Northern California, took off blinkers, and sprung a 22-1 upset in the on Saturday.
Under Wilson Dieguez, Dixie Commander stalked in third in the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds. He moved up to challenge into the lane, took the lead, and powered home, winning by 3 1/4 lengths.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Bob Black Jack, the former six-furlong world-record holder and Grade 1 winner from 2008, returned from a 14-month layoff in Saturday's at Santa Anita.
He picked up his career exactly where it left off - headed to the winner's circle.
Miss Singhsix made a four-wide move on the far turn and then held off fellow 4-5 co-favorite Love's Blush through the stretch to score a 1 1/2-length victory Saturday in the $55,200 Maryland Racing Media Stakes for fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles at Laurel Park.
Helen Belen posted a thoroughly dominating triumph Saturday at 11-1 in the $50,000 Valdale Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., where none of the favorites hit the board in the one-mile Polytrack race for 3-year-old fillies.
With Sal Gonzalez Jr. riding for owner Desk Farms LLC and trainer Billy Denzik, Helen Belen went straight to front and was never threatened, drawing off down the stretch to win by 14 3/4 lengths over Hot Citizen, a 9-1 shot. Offlee Funny was third at 21-1, another length back, while Sister Resistor, the 11-10 favorite in the field of 10, ran sixth.
