NEW ORLEANS - Hallway just managed to hold off a late charge by odds-on favorite Desert Wheat to win the by a nose on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
After racing in fifth for most of the race, jockey Shaun Bridgmohan took Hallway forward at the top of the stretch, splitting horses mid-stretch to take the lead. Desert Wheat made a late charge, as he switched leads far into the stretch.
"My horse dug in and gave me a surge at the end," said Bridgmohan. "He's a horse that tries really hard."
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Custom for Carlos, who has shown flashes of brilliance at times during his still-young career, turned in another of his top efforts on Saturday, posting a three-quarter-length victory over a determined Past the Point in the at Gulfstream Park.
The Grade 3 Mr. Prospector lost some of its luster after trainer Todd Pletcher scratched Munnings earlier in the afternoon because of the sloppy racetrack. Munnings was one of four horses scratched from the race, along with Prince Joshua, Gentleman James, and Peace Chant.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - It took A Little Warm a little while to catch on. But now that he has, there's no telling how far he may go.
A Little Warm posted his second straight victory on Saturday, splashing through the slop to a 1 1/2-length victory over a game Wildcat Frankie in Gulfstream Park's . Discreetly Mine, the 9-5 favorite making his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher, ran into traffic problems on the turn before fading to finish a disappointing fourth in a field of seven 3-year-olds.
NEW ORLEANS - Even for a high-percentage trainer like Tom Amoss, this Fair Grounds meet is off to a dramatic start.
Entering Saturday's racing, Amoss had 16 wins from 59 starts, one fewer victory than leader Steve Asmussen, who had sent out 142 horses.
With his promising 3-year-old Backtalk scheduled to rejoin his barn soon, Amoss, 48, may have a lot more to look forward to this meet.
Originally entered in last week's postponed Ruthless Stakes at six furlongs, Age of Humor stretched out successfully to post a front-running upset over Fuzzy Britches and Judge Sonya in Saturday's for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.
Anchorage, an expected pace factor, was bet down late to 13-10 favoritism, but stumbled at the start from her inside post, which enabled Age of Humor to seize the lead and the rail under Rosie Napravnik.
Churchill Downs has doubled the purse of the Derby Trial and renamed it The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial, thanks to a new sponsorship from Roberta LaPenta, who raced The Cliff's Edge.
The Grade 3 Derby Trial will be worth $200,000 when it is renewed at one mile on April 24, one week before the 136th Kentucky Derby. The race had been run at 7 1/2 furlongs the last three years but is being restored to its original distance.
Louisiana Downs has canceled the opening card of its Quarter Horse meet Saturday because of freezing temperatures. The track was one of several in the region forced to alter racing plans because of a cold front. Delta Downs in Vinton, La., canceled the final eight races on its program Friday night due to the weather, while Sam Houston Race Park in Houston called off its entire Friday night card earlier in the day because of a frozen racing surface.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Todd Pletcher's laundry list of Kentucky Derby prospects grew a little larger following Eskendereya's 1 1/4-length victory over Thank U Philippe in a good field of entry-level allowance horses here Thursday.
Eskendereya, a son of Giant's Causeway, was making his first start since finishing ninth after encountering early trouble in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita. Forwardly placed from the outset Thursday under jockey John Velazquez, Eskendereya turned back several challenges and proved clearly best at the end of a mile.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Carla Gaines, a native of Alabama, on Friday morning wore a both a bright smile and the red sweatshirt of the BCS champion Alabama Crimson Tide, whom she watched defeat Texas on Thursday night at the Rose Bowl.
That continued what has been a great run for Gaines. She won the Breeders' Cup Sprint two months ago with Dancing in Silks. Earlier this week, he was named one of the three finalists - along with Kodiak Kowboy and Zensational - for the Eclipse Award as champion sprinter, and he is nearing his 2010 debut.
