At least eight horses are being pointed to the Grade 2, $300,000 San Francisco Mile, which will be run on Saturday after a one-year hiatus because of the way the Northern California racing calendar fell last year.
Ferneley, Yacht Spotter, and Bold Chieftain, the one-two-three finishers in an April 3 allowance on turf here, may be rematched in the Mile, also on turf.
FARMINGTON, N.M. - Longshot Austin Lights took advantage of a torrid pace duel between favorite Loves Bonus and highweight Wind Water to rally furiously down the lane and capture the $40,000 Inaugural Handicap on Saturday afternoon at SunRay Park. Loves Bonus persevered for the place followed by Happy Humor and a tiring Wind Water.
Explosive Mine, the most impressive qualifier for Saturday's $205,000 Copper Top Futurity in the March 31 trials at Sunland Park in winning by more than 11 lengths, turned in another impressive performance in the final to run his record to a perfect 2 for 2. Marquee Avenue finished 1 1/2 lengths back in second, followed by Hollywood Showbiz and Quickly.
ALBANY, Calif. - Maid for Music ($23.60) recorded her first stakes win and U.S. victory as she rallied along the rail to capture the $75,000 Golden Poppy at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
The 3-year-old Irish-bred, fourth in a $50,000 claimer at Santa Anita in her U.S. debut on March 19, was sixth in the field of nine 3-year-old fillies through the opening quarter of the 1 1/16-mile turf race.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Displaying the kind of grit and determination that has produced two hard-earned stakes wins already this meeting, favored Song of Navarone kept coming down the stretch Sunday to prevail in the $100,000 Sunland Park Handicap. Longshot Lobo Country looked poised to pull off the upset but was forced to settle for second followed by Quiet Again.
A return to his home track helped Russell Road rebound from a rare defeat.
Back at Charles Town after his six-race winning streak was snapped when he shipped to New York for the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes, Russell Road outfought Bunker Hill by a neck to win the $100,000 Blue and Gold for 3-year-olds on Saturday night.
ARCADIA, Calif. - After going eight months without a stakes win, another five minutes following the running of Saturday's $200,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita was not a stretch for the connections of Magical Fantasy. It just seemed like forever.
During those five minutes the stewards studied the photo finish between Magical Fantasy and Black Mamba before announcing that Magical Fantasy had won the Grade 2 Santa Barbara by a nose. It was her first victory since the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks last August.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Advice rallied from last under Garrett Gomez to post a 15-1 upset Saturday in the final prep on the Kentucky Derby trail, the Grade 2 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, but whether the colt will move on to Churchill Downs in Louisville for the May 2 Derby was left in doubt.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The ear-to-ear smile on trainer Tony Dutrow's face wasn't simply because Seattle Smooth won Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Bed o' Roses Handicap at Aqueduct. It was because Seattle Smooth won it so easily despite not being 100 percent fit.
"She was not at her best today," Dutrow said. "When I watched her at the top of the stretch I said to myself once again, 'This is a very good filly,' because I know that she was not all there today."
