ARCADIA, Calif. - Two horses who began their careers in maiden-claiming races made big splashes in key 3-year-old stakes races at Santa Anita on Saturday, when Caracortado remained unbeaten in the for fillies.
Caracortado ($11), the fourth choice in a five-horse field, sent well-regarded Tiz Chrome and American Lion to defeat when scoring a 1 3/4-length victory over the late-running Dave in Dixie, with American Lion, favored Tiz Chrome, and Tango Tango completing the order of finish.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Munnings completed an intrastate daily double for trainer Todd Pletcher when he launched his 2010 campaign with a hard-fought, one-length victory over Congressional Page in Saturday's $150,000 .
Fifteen minutes earlier, while in the process of saddling Munnings, Pletcher watched on a television monitor from the paddock as his Rule captured the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Stormy Express picked up her third straight stakes win on Saturday, when she held on to defeat Came West by a neck in the $50,000 El Dario for fillies and mares at Sunland Park. It was another head back in third to Miss Dolce.
Stormy Express ($13.60) tracked the pace in second in the early stages and went on to cover the 6 furlongs in 1:17.02. Jockey Anthony Cruz was aboard for Connie and Richard Snyder and trainer Jimmie Claridge.
Stormy Express had won the La Fiesta and the Fair Queen at the Downs at Albuquerque leading up to the El Dario.
Ez Dreamer may not have the six-furlong world record like rival Twin Sparks, but he proved nonetheless he's the best sprinter and best horse on the Turf Paradise grounds Saturday when he captured the meet's marquee event, the $75,000 Phoenix Gold Cup.
Forest Attack and Lady's Laughter posted mild upsets when rallying from just off the pace to capture twin $50,000 stakes Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.
Forest Attack, ridden by Tommy Pompell, captured the Dust Commander Stakes about an hour before Lady's Laughter, with John McKee aboard, won the Likely Exchange Stakes. Both races were run at a mile on Polytrack.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- The rail is the shortest way home and Decelerator took advantage of her inside post on Saturday, when she drove to a one-length win over Eve Giselle in the at Oaklawn. It was another length and a quarter back in third to Bell's Shoes.
The Martha Washington, a one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies, was the first of two local preps for the Grade 2, $300,000 Fantasy.
Rule further enhanced his already lofty status in the 3-year-old division with a professional three-length victory over a game but overmatched Schoolyard Dreams in Saturday's at Tampa Bay Downs. The previously undefeated Uptowncharlybrown never threatened the leaders while finishing a well beaten third in the Grade 3 event.
NEW ORLEANS - Jockey Shane Sellers piloted Clear Sailing from last to first to win the $60,000 Pelleteri Stakes by a neck on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
On a day when speed seemed to be holding, Sellers took Clear Sailing far back, while longshot Fighter Wing set slow fractions of 24.45 and 48.84 seconds.
"I made up my mind I was going to be a hero or a zero," said Sellers. "I took her back and let her make one run. She was picking off horses left and right."
The Emerald Downs stakes schedule took a little trim for the 2010 season, with four fewer stakes and $255,000 less in purse money than in 2009. But most of the major stakes will be brought back this year, including the meet's annual marquee race, the Grade 3 Longacres Mile.
Emerald Downs, located in the Seattle suburb of Auburn, will race 90 days, April 9 to Sept. 26.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Roman Chestnut was not among the original nominees for Saturday's $65,000 at Aqueduct. But her connections' desire to run her long, combined with a fortuitously-timed illness, led to the filly being supplemented to the race.
That $650 investment paid huge dividends Saturday for owner Ellen O'Connell and trainer Leah Gyarmati when Roman Chestnut wore down the seemingly home-free Anchorage to win the 1 1/16-mile Busher by one length. Anchorage, who set the pace under Fernando Jara, finished second, 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Speightful Affair, the 8-5 favorite.
