OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Perhaps overshadowed because the performance came 3,000 miles away from Santa Anita Park where the Breeders' Cup took place, the 2-year-old Buddy's Saint announced himself a potential star with a devastatingly easy 12-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - It would be logical to assume the nine-furlong Coronation Futurity, the definitive test for Canadian-bred 2-year-olds, is a good indicator for success in the Queen's Plate, but you'd have to go back to Norcliffe in 1975 and 1976 to find the last horse to win both races.
The trend won't last forever, and it could be over next year if Hollinger's roll continues.
Trainer Todd Fincher dominated the $2 million New Mexico Cup program at Zia Park on Sunday, when he won four of the seven Thoroughbred stakes run on the mixed breed-card. There were also four stakes for Quarter Horses, and together the 11 races, which were all restricted to New Mexico-breds, made for the richest program of the meet at Zia.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Kays and Jays used a slow pace to her advantage in Sunday's $67,338 Cascapedia Stakes, the closing day feature of the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.
Ridden by Joel Rosario, Kays and Jays ($5.40) set a pace of 23.03 and 46.03 seconds in the seven-furlong race, and held off a late run from a troubled Irish Gypsy to win by three-quarters of a length. Kays and Jays ran seven furlongs in 1:22.52.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Heavily favored Hollinger overcame major traffic problems to take the at Woodbine on Sunday.
Hollinger assumed a stalking position along the rail in the nine-furlong test for 2-year-olds, as Stormy Lord set moderate fractions. Hollinger made three attempts to bid inside the leader, but was blocked until the final sixteenth, when he split foes and then got up to win by a half-length in 1:51.55.
Stormy Lord held second by a neck over D's Wando, who edged out Ghost Fleet for third in the seven-horse field of Canadian-breds.
Son of a Bear reaffirmed his status as the top 2-year-old on the grounds at Charles Town by scoring an easy victory in Saturday night's $100,000 Tri-State Futurity.
Ridden by Jesus Sanchez for trainer Lee Couchenour, Son of a Bear ($3.40) cruised to a 5 3/4-length victory as the 126-pound highweight while completing seven furlongs in 1:28.11.
It was the third consecutive stakes victory for Son of a Bear, who is now 4 for 5 lifetime. He previously won the $126,000 Vincent Moscarelli Memorial and the $51,000 Dr. Ernest Benner, both going 6 1/2 furlongs.
Although Encaustic is based in Maryland and has raced at seven different venues already this season, the 5-year-old has displayed a special fondness for Mountaineer Racetrack.
Shipped to West Virginia by trainer Mark Shuman for the fourth time since August, Encaustic responded with the biggest victory of his 37-race career when he upset defending champion Researcher in Saturday night's $125,000 Mountaineer Mile.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The Usual Q.T. stretched his unbeaten streak to four with a hard-fought win in Saturday's at Santa Anita.
For a gelding that needed six races to beat maidens, The Usual Q.T. has improved rapidly in recent months. Saturday's win left trainer Jim Cassidy strongly considering running The Usual Q.T. in a Grade 1 race at Hollywood Park on Thanksgiving weekend.
The Usual Q.T. made his graded stakes debut in the Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby, and had no trouble making the transition from statebred ranks to superior open company.
Haba Heart overcame a jockey's objection to win the $55,000 Glacial Princess for 2-year-old Ohio-accredited fillies at Beulah Park.
Trained by Tim Hamm, Haba Heart ($3.40) was kept off the early pace in the one-mile race until the far turn. Jockey Azael Deleon nudged Haba Heart and she responded, taking over and drawing off in upper stretch to a 2 1/2-length lead. She looked to be home free, but Festive Girl made another run at Haba Heart. Haba Heart dug in while drifting to prevail by a half-length over Festive Girl.
The girls in the Pontalba Stakes and the boys in the Old Hickory went close to the same pace in their opening quarter-mile, and the leader in the two races at Fair Grounds hit the half-mile just .10 of a second apart. But from the half-mile home, it was the gelding Comedero that stood out. He finished strongly after setting the pace in the Old Hickory, turning in a fine six-furlong time of 1:10.13, almost a second faster than it took Right to Rule to win the Pontalba.
