SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Though he had just arrived in town only a few hours earlier, trainer Steve Asmussen was happy to be up and about at the Oklahoma training track just before 6 a.m. Monday.
After watching his prized filly Rachel Alexandra work an easy half-mile in 49.23 seconds, Asmussen is getting even more excited for Sunday's $1.25 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, in which Rachel Alexandra will try to beat the boys for a second time this year.
AUBURN, Wash. - Assessment won the $50,000 Mount Rainier Handicap on Sunday at Emerald Downs, stamping himself as the top local hope for the Grade 3, $300,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 16. Trained by Howard Belvoir for owners Lou and Dianne Tice of Seattle, Assessment ran nine furlongs in 1:47 and paid $7 as the wagering favorite.
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.
