Heavy favorites Encaustic and Hungry Tigress didn't mind the move from turf to a muddy main track for Monday's co-featured $75,000 stakes at Mountaineer Racetrack.
Encaustic ($3.40), who had raced on grass just once the last two years, sped to the front and held off sescond choice Cryptolight by three-quarters of a length to win the mile-and-70-yard Labor Day Stakes. It was another 12 1/2 lengths back to Guardianofthenorth.
Godolphin Gray, ridden by Aldo Canchano, sped to the lead soon after the start and went on to hold off Matty's Trail in a scratch-laden second edition of the $50,000 Cliff Guilliams Memorial on Monday, closing day of the 2009 summer meet at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.
Going Ballistic became a millionaire in style Monday, when he closed well to win the $150,000 on turf and Pleasantly Blessed running down favorite Hotlantic in the $50,000 Ricks Memorial.
Going Ballistic ($25.80) raced more than 15 lengths off the pace set by King Dan in the Governor's Cup, with the leader clear through a half-mile in 46 seconds. Jonesboro, stalking in second, overtook the pacesetter into the stretch as Going Ballistic was winding up on the final turn. The eventual winner rallied with determination and covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.80.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. Linda Rice held off Todd Pletcher by one winner, 20-19, at Saratoga to become the first female in the modern era to win a trainer's title at a major U.S. racing circuit.
"It means the world to me," said Rice, the 44-year-old daughter of trainer Clyde Rice. "It's been a lot of work, a long time coming, and it's a real honor to compete at the greatest racetrack in the world and to come out with the training title."
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. With so much attention centered on the battle for leading trainer between Linda Rice and Todd Pletcher, nine-time Saratoga meet champion trainer Bill Mott got lost in the shuffle.
But Mott closed the Saratoga season in fine fashion, winning two races on Monday s card, including the Grade 3, $110,500 with Mushka, who took a 1 1/4-length decision over Lemonette, who nosed out Queen of Hearts for second.
Mott ended the meet in third-place in the standings with 18 wins including four stakes two behind Rice and one behind Pletcher.
CINCINNATI - Tony Reinstedler was watching the horses warm up for the Cradle Stakes. "I'm at River Downs on Labor Day," he said. "Couldn't be doing much better."
If only he had known how much better. Reinstedler, the trainer of Gleam of Hope, was soon in the winner's circle congratulating jockey Corey Lanerie for yet another victory in the $200,000 Cradle Stakes, the signature race at River and the closing-day feature at the 2009 meet.
Shortly after Gone Astray's second-place finish behind Blame in an overnight stakes last month at Saratoga, trainer Shug McGaughey said "if the top ones come together for the Travers we'll look elsewhere because I don't think he's that kind."
Perhaps McGaughey, a Hall of Fame horseman, will have to reassess his opinion of Gone Astray, especially the way his steadily improving 3-year-old dominated Monday's at Philadelphia Park, drawing off with complete authority through the final furlong to an impressive 9 1/4-length victory over Join in the Dance.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Monday morning, James Graham had won six graded stakes races in his career. By late in the afternoon, that total had grown to eight. After capturing the Grade 3 Stars and Stripes Handicap in the sixth race here at Arlington aboard longshot Free Fighter, Graham piloted Hot Cha Cha to a hard-fought victory in the .
"Two Grade 3's in one day - that's the best I've had," said Graham, who is chasing Junior Alvarado for leading rider at the meet.
Jockey Cornelio Velasquez made his first visit to Finger Lakes a memorable one by winning both of the six-figure stakes for 2-year-olds on the Labor Day holiday card.
Velasquez guided Franny Freud ($3.00) to a 3 1/2-length score in the $150,662 Lady Finger for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies and confidently rode Ibboyee ($5.20) from off the pace to a 6 1/4-length romp in the $150,900 Aspirant for 2-year-old statebred colts and geldings. It was his first time aboard both horses.