ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Using her patented kick, Ventura blew away a quality field under Garrett Gomez in Sunday's , becoming the first female to win the Grade 1 race.
The win earned Ventura an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Mile as part of the Win and You're In program. However, Ventura is being pointed to a defense of her title in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.
Cardashi, who rose from the claiming ranks at age 7 to win a $200,000 stakes last month, takes a substantial class drop to the starter allowance ranks Monday at Philadelphia Park.
Claimed for $10,000 by trainer Tim Kreiser on behalf of the Mason Dixon Stable on Feb. 26, Cardashi is entered in race 9, a five-furlong sprint that is the second of back-to-back turf races for horses who have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less.
In a division where they take turns beating each other on a monthly basis, it was finally You Go West Girl's turn to visit the winner's circle.
Benefiting from a beautiful ground-saving ride from Jose Lezcano, You Go West Girl came off the rail at the eighth pole and was able to wear down the pacesetting Stormy Relations by a neck to win Sunday's at Belmont Park. It was a half-length back to Love Cove in a race where three lengths covered first to last in the seven-horse field.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Just as Well took Sunday's at Woodbine by disqualification, after Marsh Side was demoted from first for causing interference in the stretch.
Medjool set moderate fractions in the 1 1/2-mile turf event, while Marsh Side raced well back in second on the backstretch. Marsh Side hit the front early in the stretch on the outside, but then began to drift toward the rail from right-handed whipping by Javier Castellano, with Quijano to his inside.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Way With Words won her third stakes of the meet, beating All Night Labor by a length Sunday in the $85,000 Politely Stakes for fillies and mares at Monmouth Park.
The first two stakes came at the expense of New Jersey-breds in the Spruce Fir and the Eleven North Handicaps.
Stepping out into open company, Way With Words, the 17-10 favorite, prevailed to improve to 8 for 18. A 5-year-old trained by Mary Eppler, Way With Words ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.44 with Eddie Castro aboard.
Red Letter Day, at 21-1 the longest shot on the board in the field of seven, scored a front-running, three-quarter-length victory over favorite Dynaski in Sunday's at Belmont Park. It was 1 1/2 lengths back to Arcadius in third.
It was the first victory for Red Letter Day since he won a first-level allowance steeplechase at Philadelphia Park on July 6, 2008. He had lost six consecutive races since then, his best finish being a third in the Lonesome Glory last year.
Mo Faster was kept just off the early pace while saving ground in the 1 1/16-mile Gus Grissom at Hoosier Park on Sunday before taking control after a half-mile and cruising to a 2 1/4-length victory.
Trained by Ron Brown, Mo Faster was kept off the very quick early fractions of 21.80 seconds and 45.60 by jockey Fernando De La Cruz and drew off through the stretch to win and collect the $42,180 winner's share of the $74,000 purse.
Laz Has Risen gamely took second over favorite Unreachable Star in the final jumps.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Princess Haya, coming late under Rafael Bejarano, emerged best by a nose in a three-horse photo in a thrilling conclusion to Sunday's over about 1 1/8 miles of turf at Woodbine.
Forever Together, winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and the Eclipse Award as champion turf filly or mare, was a beaten choice for the second straight year in the Canadian, ending second at 1-5 under regular rider Julien Leparoux.
Best Lass, a Pennsylvania-bred daughter of Werblin making her first start since February, stalked Mindy Queen's quick fractions of 23.13 seconds and 46.47, pounced to the front on the far turn, and pulled away for a 5 1/4-length victory in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile Prairie Meadows Oaks. Trained by Kenneth McPeek and ridden by leading rider Terry Thompson, Best Lass earned $45,000 for Magdalena Racing and returned $8.60 as the third choice in the wagering.
Trainer James W. Casey and owner Mark Russell have an interesting decision to make with their standout Russell Road after the 3-year-old West Virginia-bred gelding coasted to a 5 3/4-length victory in Saturday night's $50,900 Millard Harrell Memorial Stakes at Charles Town.
