It took a photo finish to decide the outcome of the $100,000 Leeward at Presque Isle Sunday evening. Frisky Thunder and jockey Erick Rodriguez dueled with two others through the stretch and prevailed by a head in the one-mile event.
Cherokee Artist under Harry Vega was second, a head in front of Xela in third. Crimson Comic was another half-length back in fourth. Only two lengths separated the first six horses in the seven horse field.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Dewey's Special won his third straight race since returning from a one-year layoff when capturing the $100,000 California Dreamin' Handicap for older California-bred turf horses on Sunday at Del Mar.
Dewey's Special ($8.60), prominent throughout, forged to the front with a furlong to go and safely held off Nitro Active and Bert's Law to win by three-quarters of a length under jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. Nitro Active nosed out Bert's Law for second.
Tuxedo Park is a first-time starter in the $50,000 Jamestown at Colonial Downs Tuesday, but he has the connections to pull off a win in the six-furlong race for Virginia-bred and -sired 2-year-olds. His trainer, Hamilton Smith, was the second-leading trainer at Colonial through Friday, only one win behind Ferris Allen III. Smith is winning at a 20-percent clip with first-time starters this year and thinks Tuxedo Park has a shot to up that percentage.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Grand Slam Andre helped trainer Steve Asmussen close out a banner Lone Star Park meet when he rolled to a three-length win in the season-ending $75,000 Middleground Stakes on Sunday.
Asmussen has now won a record 11 training titles at the track. He also set a record for season wins by a trainer this meet, with 117.
Apprentice jockey Bradley Wilson recorded his first winner at Fort Erie on Sunday aboard Lucius Vorenus ($12.60) in the fifth race. Wilson, a 24-year-old native of Burlington, Ont., is a graduate of Chris McCarron's riding school and rode his first race on June 28.
CINCINNATI, Ohio - Noneofyourbeeswax needed every inch of the River Downs stretch to remain unbeaten when winning the $50,000 Tah Dah at River Downs Sunday.
Trained by Mike Rone, Noneofyourbeeswax drew clear early in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Ohio 2-year-old fillies and led by a length. Favorite Ohio Star engaged the leader on the turn and the two dueled through the stretch, with Ohio Star leading briefly.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Rahy's Attorney, the expected pacemaker, came from just off the pace to take the Grade 2, $339,100 Nijinsky Stakes over Marchfield at Woodbine Sunday.
French Beret set moderate fractions over a course labeled soft in the 1 1/4-mile turf event, as Rahy's Attorney assumed a stalking position under Slade Callaghan.
OPELOUSAS, La. - Category Seven stalked the early pace under clever handling from Richard Eramia before rallying down the stretch to capture the $50,000 Matron Stakes Saturday night at Evangeline Downs by 1 1/4 lengths. Ruling Class, who pressured the leader before taking control in the second turn of the mile turf event for fillies and mares, could not match strides with the winner late and had to settle for second, and was followed by Dancin Perfect and 7-5 favorite Pleasantly Blessed. Martin's Bay and Nine M. M. were late scratches.
COLUMBUS, Neb. - Dazzling Izzy and apprentice rider Ashley Dill both collected their first career stakes wins as the duo teamed to score by a short neck in the $11,095 Inaugural Stakes at Columbus on Saturday evening.
Dazzling Izzy rated off the pace along with Floating On Air and the pair rallied through the lane to collar pacesetter Sprig of Acacia in the closing sixteenth of a mile. Dazzling Izzy was up by a neck over Floating On Air with Sprig of Acacia another neck back in third.