Test Boy came from well back to overhaul a very game Bank Emblem by a half-length in the $50,000 Don Fleming Handicap at Northlands Park on Saturday.
With Rickey Walcott aboard, Test Boy was eased back to last while Bank Emblem and Zuri Mwana battled through quick fractions of 24 and 47.20 seconds. Bank Emblem won the duel but couldn't withstand the late charge from Test Boy in the final sixteenth. Zuri Mwana held on to finish third.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Global Hunter pulled a 14-1 upset in a bizarre running of the $350,000 Eddie Read Stakes on Saturday, a race marred by an incident on the first turn when Thorn Song bolted while leading.
Global Hunter, a 6-year-old Argentine-bred whose only previous win in this country was a restricted turf stakes at Santa Anita last fall, stalked Monterey Jazz to the final turn before taking the lead in early stretch.
Final Refrain had the final say in Saturday's $100,000 Ellis Park Turf Stakes over a rain-soaked course, rallying from eighth to pull clear to a 2 1/4-length victory.
Under a brave ride from Victor Lebron, Final Refrain was allowed to settle in seventh place early among the field of 10 female turf runners. But once the field hit the backstretch, Lebron, keeping his mount along the inside, allowed Final Refrain to advance toward the leaders.
Lemonette, a marathoner in Britain before being imported to the U.S. in 2008, finally got a chance to play to her strength in the 1 1/2-mile, $50,000 Gaily Gaily Stakes at Arlington Park, and she didn't disappoint.
Relishing a stretch-out in distance and capitalizing on the scratches of Communique, Confined, Positively Charming, and Grassy Nellie, Lemonette proved vastly superior, winning by over two lengths over Cavan Thunder.
Becky's Exchange rallied to beat Fast Tigress by a neck in the $65,000 Desert Vixen Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf at Monmouth Park.
It was an impressive effort in the filly's stakes debut. Becky's Exchange ($22.40) improved to 2 for 3 since trainer Ned Allard switched her to the grass.
"The first few times we ran this filly, she didn't run that well," Allard said. "Frank Generazio, the owner, told me, 'Don't give up on this filly until you try her on the turf.' "
Wise advice, as it turned out.
The globetrotting Strike the Tiger made another successful stop on his world tour in the $50,000 Stakes for 2-year-olds on the turf at Colonial Downs.
The unbeaten colt is 3 for 3 in a career that started at Churchill Downs. The next stop was England for a successful assault on Royal Ascot, capturing the Windsor Castle Stakes at 33-1 for trainer Wesley Ward.
Back in the States, the price was only 6-5 in the Chenery but the result was the same.
Auction Watch kept his record intact on the Philadelphia Park turf course, getting up in the final strides to beat El Churruca by a nose in the $75,000 Alphabet Soup Handicap for registered Pennsylvania-breds.
The 2-5 favorite, Auction Watch is now a perfect 6 for 6 on the Philly Park course with the repeat victory in the Alphabet Soup, and it took an all-out effort to keep the streak intact.
El Churruca bounded to the early lead over the course labeled good, with Serene Harbor stalking the pace while Always for Love, the lone mare in the race, ran in third.
Tasty Temptation ($6.10) managed best under testing conditions Saturday at Woodbine in the $251,600 Wonder Where Stakes, the final leg of the Canadian triple tiara for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies.
The 1 1/4-mile route was run over soft ground, and Gore Bay set very slow fractions while being pressed by 33-1 shot First Circle. Tasty Temptation raced near the back of the nine-horse field on the backstretch, and she commenced an inside rally at the head of the stretch.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Antrim County turned back a sustained stretch bid from Fancy Runner to post a gritty triumph Saturday under Jamie Theriot in the $138,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Canterbury Park.
Always within striking distance, Antrim County took a narrow lead turning for home, then was put to a fierce drive to turn back Fancy Runner by a neck. The winner paid $10.80 as third choice in a field of six after finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.77 over a fast track.
MIAMI - Jessica Is Back, who lost all chance when put in tight quarters and striking the inside fence entering the far turn of the Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap two weeks earlier, rebounded with an easy 5 1/2-length decision over uncoupled stablemate Miss Singhsix in Saturday's $75,000 Nancy's Glitter Handicap at Calder.
