Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

Arkansas commission overrules stewards

The Arkansas Racing Commission on Saturday voted 3-1 to overturn a stewards' ruling that had disqualified Pretty Simple from first to second in a Feb. 5 maiden claiming race at Oaklawn Park and resulted in her jockey, Joe Johnson, being suspended for four days. Johnson had appealed the suspension, while Gary Hartlage, who trains Pretty Simple, had put in a request to address the commission concerning the disqualification. Both gave testimony at a commission meeting Saturday.

The action restored Pretty Simple's win and eliminated Johnson's suspension

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

Wilkes may have another live one

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Ian Wilkes already has one well-regarded Kentucky Derby candidate, Capt. Candyman Can, who will be among the choices in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 28. Wilkes should have a pretty good idea if he has got a second after his undefeated Warrior's Reward takes on a loaded field of entry-level allowance rivals in Thursday's featured eighth race at Gulfstream Park.

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

San Felipe may be next for Chocolate Candy

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer may be on the road to Kentucky again after Chocolate Candy scored a better-than-looks victory in last weekend's Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.

Hollendorfer's last two El Camino winners went to the Derby - Cause to Believe (13th in the Derby in 2006) and Bwana Bull (15th in 2007).

Critics will point to the fact that Chocolate Candy only won the 1 1/8-mile race by one-half length over Massone, who just won his maiden two races back and is still eligible for a first-level allowance.

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

Win earns Jibboom some time off

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jibboom's success in the first six weeks of 2009 at Santa Anita has earned the mare a brief vacation.

Monday, she won her second stakes of the meeting in the $150,000 Buena Vista Handicap, a race scheduled for the turf but switched to the main track because of significant morning rain. Last month, Jibboom won the Grade 3 Monrovia Handicap on the hillside turf course on Jan. 4 and was later second to stablemate Ventura in the Grade 1 Santa Monica Handicap on Jan. 31.

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

Smart Surprise makes statement

NEW ORLEANS - Smart Surprise became the latest horse in Josie Carroll's barn to prove herself in a recent stakes race as she came home 6 1/4 lengths in front of Rolling Sea in Saturday's Chou Croute Handicap.

Smart Surprise joins Good and Lucky, who finished a strong second in the Mineshaft Handicap on Feb. 7. Carroll is considering her options for each of their next starts.

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

Old Fashioned backs up his status

Coady Photography
Old Fashioned (5) breaks from the gate under Ramon Dominguez in Monday's Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, on his way to a powerful 3 1/4-length victory that solidified his status as the early Kentucky Derby favorite.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - As if on cue, a day after Old Fashioned was made the individual favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, he reaffirmed his status atop the division when he proved a commanding winner of Monday's Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes in his 3-year-old debut at Oaklawn Park. The race was his first since his 7 1/4-length rout of the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct on Nov. 29. He earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure for his performance in the Southwest.

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

Evita Argentina beats boys in San Vicente

ARCADIA, Calif. - Evita Argentina won her first start against males, and the most prestigious race of her career, in Monday's $150,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita.

The Grade 2 San Vicente was the third career stakes win for Evita Argentina. All three have been the same kind of races - sprints between 6 1/2 and seven furlongs.

In the San Vicente, Evita Argentina closed from last in a field of 10 to win by a length. Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Evita Argentina ($6.60) ran seven furlongs in 1:24.30.

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

Jibboom leads all the way in Buena Vista

ARCADIA, Calif. - From sprints to one-mile races on the main track, Jibboom has conquered nearly everything she has tried this winter at Santa Anita.

Making her third start of the meeting, Jibboom won the Buena Vista Handicap for fillies and mares on Monday, leading throughout and pulling away to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Sent off favored, Jibboom ($4.40) ran a mile on the Pro-Ride synthetic track in 1:38.68.

Tue, 02/17/2009 - 00:00

Old Fashioned lives up to his billing

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Old Fashioned received the most support among the 23 individual interests in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which closed Sunday, and did little to change that opinion on Monday, when he won his 3-year-old debut by a commanding 3 1/4 lengths in the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Silver City finished second, while it was another length back in third to Buzzin and Dreamin.

Mon, 02/16/2009 - 00:00

True Quality upsets Fabulous Strike

A surprisingly soft easy pace, a 10-pound weight break from the favorite, and some genuine talent helped True Quality upset Fabulous Strike in Monday's Grade 2, $150,000 General George Handicap at Laurel Park.

Able to get away with a half-mile in 47.21 seconds under Chuckie Lopez, True Quality had plenty left to run away from Fabulous Strike - the 127-pound highweight - in the stretch and win the General George by 1 1/2 lengths. It was two lengths back to Malibu Kid in third. Eternal Star, Broadway Producer, and Lord Snowdon completed the order of finish.