MIAMI - How's Your Halo has a habit of coming up big when it really counts.
Last winter, How's Your Halo upset odds-on favorite Ikigai in the Grade 2 Richter Scale at Gulfstream Park. Saturday, How's Your Halo rebounded from a pair of setbacks in allowance races to register a convincing four-length victory over the 50-1 Green Vegas in the $75,000 Ponche Handicap.
Notis Her upset heavily favored Ookster in the $54,175 CTHS Sales Stakes at Hastings.
With Richard Hamel aboard, Notis Her broke sharply and then backed off of a very fast pace contested by Ookster and B.C. Cat. She gained the lead on the stretch turn and then held off a game Ookster by a nose.
Ookster had to steady coming into the stretch and also in midstretch. Her rider, Fernando Perez claimed foul against the winner, but after a lengthy inquiry, the stewards ruled that both horses contributed to the incidents.
Authenicat ($3.30) circled wide into contention at the quarter pole before drawing clear for a fairly easy victory in the $127,000 Ballade Stakes at Woodbine.
Only If Split led the way in the six-furlong sprint, setting fractions of 22.99 and 45.86 seconds. Authenicat raced in midpack on the backstretch, and loomed into contention on the turn. She hit the front near the eighth pole, before drawing clear for a 1 1/2-length win over a closing Mia d'Cougar. Krz Exec wound up third in the 10-horse field of Ontario-sired fillies and mares.
Catlaunch returned to his 2008 form by destroying a field of nine Ohio-breds in the $50,000 Sydney Gendleman Handicap at River Downs.
Jockey Hector Rosario Jr. hustled Catlaunch to the front from post 10. Catlaunch ($7.60) was challenged early for the lead by Tom Archdeacon and Acts Like a King, but shook loose on the far turn and drew off through the stretch, winning by 15 1/4 lengths while covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.1.
Pleasant Strike ($5.60) turned the tables on Frisky Thunder in their rematch in the $50,000 Daniel Van Clief Stakes at Colonial Downs.
Frisky Thunder, who went wire to wire to win last year's Van Clief by a half-length over Pleasant Strike, tried to duplicate the feat and looked like he might accomplish it when he opened up by eight lengths over his three rivals.
But Pleasant Strike, ridden by Rosemary Homeister, closed the gap on the backstretch, took the lead approaching the eighth pole, and drew off to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
Heavy rains partway through the card forced the $75,000 John Rooney Memorial Stakes off the turf and onto a sloppy main track, costing the 1 1/8-mile race for fillies and mares all but three of the 14 scheduled starters.
No Use Denying ($2.80), the lone horse among the remaining trio with a win on the main track, cruised to a front-running 10-length victory under Joe Rocco Jr.
Princess Haya, third in her only previous start on dirt, finished second and Avie's Tale was third.
Obrigado's win in the at Hollywood Park on Saturday revealed little not already known about the 6-year-old gelding. He loves long turf races and was the class of a five-horse field that featured four ex-claimers.
Not surprisingly, Obrigado had things his way. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Obrigado rallied from last to win the Grade 3 Round Table by 3o1/4 lengths over Porfido. Obrigado ($4.20) ran 1 3/4 miles on turf in 2:54.49.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Churchill Downs is Miss Isella's house, and she proved it in winning Saturday's at Churchill Downs, pushing her record to 5 for 7 over the track.
The win did not come easily. Rated in third for much the race, she was bottled up behind a moderate pace of 24.24 seconds, 48.18, and 1:12.07, in the 1 1/16-mile dirt race, but once shown an opening at the top of the stretch by Calvin Borel, she showed her class and heart.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Presious Passion looked like a beaten horse in the stretch Saturday at Monmouth Park, but he dug deep and gamely held on to defeat Banrock by a nose in the $200,000 Monmouth Stakes on the turf.
The 6-year-old gelding, freshened since the off-the-turf Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream Park in March, was very keen. He shot right to the front, opening a commanding lead passing the stands for the first time.
Ronny Werner has been relatively quiet with the string of horses he brought to the East Coast this spring, winning with just 2 of 15 starters he has sent out at Delaware Park, Monmouth, Belmont, and Pimlico.
But Werner broke out in a big way with a pair of longshots he saddled Saturday afternoon in the $200,000 Jostle Stakes at Philadelphia Park.
Trusty Temper, the longest shot among nine 3-year-old fillies at 45-1, survived a pace duel with even-money favorite Saarlight and a stretch bid by 16-1 shot Northern Belle to post a 2 1/2-length victory.
