Kera's Kitten sped straight to the lead and was never seriously threatened the rest of the way Saturday in capturing the at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.
With Tommy Pompell riding for trainer Mike Maker, Kera's Kitten was a bit rank around the first turn of the one-mile Polytrack race but soon leveled off, maintaining an open lead and finishing 2 1/2 lengths before Slewzoom in a field of 12 3-year-olds. Lucky Chuck, the 3-1 favorite, was another 3 3/4 lengths back in third.
Acting Zippy took advantage of the scratch of a key pace rival Saturday night in the and led throughout for a neck win over Orientate Express in the richest race of the meet at Sam Houston Race Park. It was another length back in third to Baltimore Bob.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer David Fawkes had been considering several spots for Duke of Mischief's next start, but there was little doubt where the Grade 3 winner was headed after he drilled five furlongs in 58.46 seconds and galloped out three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.12 shortly after 9 a.m. on Saturday.
"He'll run in the Donn," Fawkes said. "I was very happy with the way he went this morning. He needed a sharp drill like that and he obviously likes this racetrack."
ARCADIA, Calif. - Bold Chieftain refuses to leave the racetrack.
The partnership that owns the 7-year-old tried to send him to stud this winter, but never reached a deal with a farm. So, Bold Chieftain stayed in training, and on Saturday won the richest race of his career in the at Santa Anita.
To reach that milestone, Bold Chieftain needed a brave ride from jockey Russell Baze, who credited the horse for displaying the same trait.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Marty Wolfson said he never thought Jet Propulsion, a one-time $10,000 claimer turned multiple stakes winner, would ever drop back in for a tag again. But when he did at Calder on Dec. 12, Wolfson wasted little time dropping a claim for his owner, the Farnsworth Stables LLC, who reaped quick dividends after the 7-year-old gelding led throughout to register a two-length victory in Saturday's at Gulfstream Park.
The most anxious moments for the connections of Hold That Prospect came prior to the running of Saturday's $65,000 at Aqueduct.
The riders of the Aqueduct jockey colony met after each of the first two races to vote whether they wanted to continue to ride. Freezing temperatures created some issues regarding the track and a vote was taken among the riders whether to continue. The jockeys agreed to ride through the first three races, the third being the Correction, before canceling the remainder of the card.
There are five stakes on Saturday's program. While the Las Virgenes is the most prestigious as a Grade 1, the $200,000 Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds will have major implications for the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6 and the $150,000 Robert Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds is a key prep for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 3.
There are two turf stakes - the Leroidesanimaux Stakes over a mile and the Wishing Well Handicap over about 6 1/2 furlongs. The Leroidesanimaux is likely to draw a field much stronger than the $65,000 purse would reflect.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The string of ambitious races for La Nez will continue in Saturday's $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita.
After finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November and third against males in the California Breeders' Champion Stakes here on Dec. 26, La Nez is back with fillies on the synthetic main track for the Grade 1 Las Virgenes. And right in the middle of a field that includes Blind Luck, the leading 3-year-old filly in California.
