Sun, 03/01/2009 - 00:00

Skwhirl scores by a neck at Fonner

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Skwhirl rallied with a sweeping move into the stretch and ran down 4-5 favorite Bevys Best in the closing yards to claim the $25,900 Ogataul Stakes for older Nebraska-breds on Saturday at Fonner Park.

Sun, 03/01/2009 - 00:00

Charlie's Moment draws off

ALBANY, Calif. - Charlie's Moment ($8.60), the only runner in the race nominated to the Triple Crown, outdueled Lordgivemealift early and pulled away in the stretch to win the $52,750 King Glorious Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

Charlie's Moment, also the leading earner coming into the race, raced up inside Lordgivemealift and had his head in front at the first call at the half-mile pole. He maintained that advantage as the two continued to duel head-and-head around the turn.

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 00:00

Striking Tomisue wins with wide rally

Swinging five wide for clear racing room turning into the stretch, Striking Tomisue responded to strong pressure from Jermaine Bridgmohan down the stretch to rally past the leaders and win the $65,000 Wayward Lass Stakes by a length.

Striking Tomisue scored her second straight win for trainer Nick Zito and returned $7.40 while covering the 1 1/16 miles over a fast racing strip in 1:45.50. Moon Catcher, the favorite, bid outside in the stretch drive but came up short to be second, a length to the good of Boudoir, with the pacesetter Amazing another 1 1/4 lengths back in fourth.

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 00:00

Rock on Justin wins third straight

Rock on Justin ($8.20) confirmed his affinity for racing seven furlongs by pulling clear in deep stretch to earn his first stakes victory in the $50,000 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.

Ridden by Tony Maragh for trainer Gary Capuano, Rock on Justin has now won three straight races and his four most recent starts going seven furlongs. In his only previous stakes try, he finished ninth against Maryland-breds in the Maryland Million Nursery while still a maiden.

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 00:00

Quality Road regains spotlight

Bob Coglianese
Quality Road, under John Velazquez, makes amends for his lone career defeat with a dominating 4 1/4-length victory in the Fountain of Youth.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - When the year began, Quality Road was at or near the top of almost everybody's list of leading Kentucky Derby candidates. And he will be back there again when the new lists come out this week after registering an impressive 4 1/4-length victory over Theregoesjojo in Saturday's $250,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 00:00

Citizen holds on for upset

Citizen held off a surging trio of rivals to pull a 25-1 upset in the $50,000 Mountain Valley Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday. He won by a head over Flying Private, while it was three-quarters of a length back in third to Lyin' Heart. Dance Caller, the 6-5 favorite, finished another neck back in fourth after being boxed in around the turn.

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 00:00

Proceed Bee holds off the favorite in Battaglia

Proceed Bee made a sweeping move past the leaders, then held favored Parade Clown at bay to post a mild upset Saturday in the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

With Rodney Prescott aboard, Proceed Bee posted the second stakes victory of his six-race career, having captured the Grand Canyon on the Churchill Downs turf in November. Terry Gestes trains the Bernstein colt at Oaklawn Park for former Ralston Purina executive Bill Stiritz.

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 00:00

Winners come from last in turf stakes

The past performances for the pair of Louisiana-bred 3-year-old turf stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds told a muddled tale. It was no surprise then that longer-priced horses captured both the Gentilly and Sarah Lane's Oates stakes. In the Gentilly, it was 15-1 Milwaukee Miracle who rallied down the middle of the track to win going away. And two races later, 8-1 Wanna Cuddle ran past heavily favored Tensas Palmyra in upper stretch to score by almost three lengths in the Sarah Lane's Oates.

The two winners had a point of commonality: Each raced in last place early.

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 00:00

Centeno sets a torrid pace

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Fats Weissman, the legendary jockey agent in New York in the 1960s and 70s, was the master of the one-liners. When someone would ask what kind of day his jockey had, Weissman would quip, "Rode four, win three."

Daniel Centeno is making statements like that almost daily. The two-time leading rider at Tampa Bay Downs is well on his way toward his third riding title. Centeno rode five horses on Friday's card and won with three, raising his win total to 84 through the first 53 racing days. Through Friday, he had a 36-win edge over his nearest competitor.

Sat, 02/28/2009 - 00:00

Barrier Reef survives trouble

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Tom Albertrani continued his torrid run in 2009 because Barrier Reef continued his love affair with Aqueduct's inner track on Saturday.

After bobbling at the break and clipping heels with another rival around the far turn, Barrier Reef stormed home in the stretch under Ramon Dominguez to win the $71,305 Stymie Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths. The longshot Real Merchant rallied to get second by a half-length over True Resurgence.

Manteca, Researcher, Barcola, Judiths Wild Rush, and Brilliant Son completed the order of finish.