ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. Winter View, the 3-5 favorite, was last with a half-mile left to run in the Claire Marine Stakes on Saturday at Arlington Park. And the closer the finish line got, the more apparent it became that Winter View would not get up. It was Ballynoe who got the better trip Saturday, and Ballynoe who got the better of Winter View, winning the $53,900 Claire Marine by a half-length over the heavy favorite.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Saratoga shipper Bridgetown polished off a quality field Saturday at Woodbine in the Grade 3, , a Breeders' Cup Win and You're event.
Bridgetown ($10.80) tracked the front-running favorite, Stormy Lord, through quick fractions in the one-mile turf race for 2-year-olds.
Bridgetown assumed command at the three-sixteenths pole, and then coasted home on top by 1 1/2 lengths over Becky's Kitten, who nosed out Fantastico Roberto for third. Stormy Lord faded to fifth in the 10-horse field.
Soldier's Dancer defended his title Saturday in the $250,000 Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horseman's Association President's Cup with a typically bold rally.
The Presidents Cup was the richest event on the annual Pennsylvania's Day at the Races program at Philadelphia Park.
for open grass runners was supported by four stakes for Pennsylvania-breds: the $200,000 PHBA Distaff, the $125,000 Smarty Jones Classic, the $100,000 Mrs. Penny Stakes, and the $100,000 Mr. Jenney Handicap.
Que Paso came up the inside and rolled to a 3 1/2-length win over favorite Mogumbo Cat in the $75,00 Unbridled at Louisiana Downs on Saturday.
The Unbridled was originally scheduled for turf, but after a week of rains it was moved to the main track. The situation did not concern trainer Allen Milligan. Que Paso, who had registered four of his 10 career wins on turf, came into the Unbridled off a main track win at Remington Park.
"I was okay either way," Milligan said. "Everybody says he's better on dirt than turf. I say either way."
Mine That Bird, this year's Kentucky Derby winner, is tentatively scheduled to work Monday at the Downs at Albuquerque, where his trainer, Chip Woolley, has a stable of horses. He could work between races, which he did at the track on Sept. 14. Mine That Bird has spent the past few weeks in New Mexico, the home state of his owners, but will soon head to Southern California to run in the Grade 1, $350,000 Goodwood at Santa Anita on Oct. 10.
ELMONT, N.Y. - As they hit the wire in unison at the end of Saturday's at Belmont Park, Alan Garcia, the jockey of 2-5 favorite Rutherienne, congratulated Javier Castellano, the rider of 9-1 shot Quiet Meadow for winning.
Thus, no one was more surprised than Garcia when it was Rutherienne's number that was put on the tote board as the winner of the $107,000 Noble Damsel, by a left nostril over Quiet Meadow.
"How did that happen?" an exasperated and relieved Garcia said.
Remington Park looks like it will be well-represented in next month's Grade 3, $250,000 Phoenix at Keeneland. Greeley's Conquest, the winner of the $200,000 Remington Park Sprint Championship, is being pointed for the race. It is also a goal for Sing Baby Sing, who last year shipped from his Remington base and won the Phoenix.
In addition, Ez Dreamer, who last weekend traveled from Oklahoma City to New Mexico and won the $100,000 Premiere at Zia Park, is being considered for the Phoenix.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Belmont Stakes and Travers winner Summer Bird reaffirmed his affinity for Belmont Park's main track Saturday morning with a visually-impressive five-furlong workout in 59.99 seconds as he prepares for a start in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup here on Oct. 3.
The unheralded Peaceful Bliss dominated a strong field that included three past winners of the West Virginia Breeders Classic in Friday night's $50,000 Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Charles Town.
The seven-furlong Hilton is a local prep for West Virginia-bred horses pointing to the $500,000 Classic, the 1 1/8-mile co-feature on a $2 million program scheduled for Oct. 17.
