ALBANY, Calif. - Chocolate Candy, asked to move earlier than normal, dug in when challenged late to capture the Grade 3, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
Aquicksting took command of the 1 1/8-mile race early, opening a four-length lead after the opening quarter. He maintained his advantage to the half-mile pole, but Chocolate Candy, the 1-2 favorite, and second-choice Axel Foley put him away approaching the quarter pole.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Last summer, Michael Moreno bought Santa Teresita privately at a time when the filly was only the winner of a restricted stakes at Santa Anita.
"We bought her for $25," trainer Eric Guillot said on Saturday.
Guillot was in a position to crack silly jokes. He was standing in the winner's circle after the $300,000 Santa Maria Handicap at Santa Anita, moments after Santa Teresita's biggest win.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Losses by six favorites in Saturday's pick six has led to a carryover of $145,478 on Sunday.
The pick six covers the fourth through ninth races on a nine-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m.
All of Sunday's pick six races have at least eight entrants. Five of the six races are scheduled for the main track, including three races over 5 1/2 furlongs. There is a claiming race for sprinters on the hillside turf course and the $200,000 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies over 1 1/8 miles on the main track.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - For many winters, owner Roddy Valente and trainer Bruce Levine enjoyed great success claiming horses from Southern California and bringing them east for Aqueduct's winter meet.
But a rule change in California that states horses can't leave California for 60 days after a meet from which they have been claimed has virtually taken that angle away from Valente and Levine. On Monday, however, Levine and Valente will send out Band of Thunder right off the plane from California in a third-level allowance race at Aqueduct.
PHOENIX - Peace Chant found his old class and got a dream pace setup as he closed furiously to capture Turf Paradise's marquee event, the $100,000 Phoenix Gold Cup on Saturday.
Owned and trained by Doug O'Neill, who claimed the 6-year-old son of War Chant for $62,500 at Santa Anita on Jan. 17, Peace Chant ($30.60) bided his time toward the back of the pack off sharp splits, steadily advanced to the top of the lane, and then blasted past his rivals to win going away by two lengths under Alonso Quinonez.
French Kiss became a stakes winner on Valentine's Day, when she closed from last to first for a neck win the $50,000 Pippin to thrill an Oaklawn Park crowd of 21,604.
Day of Victory held second, a neck in front of third-place finisher Color Me Up.
Polytrack specialist Smart Surprise proved equally adept at handling a sloppy main track at Fair Grounds.
Winless in nine previous starts on dirt, including three wet tracks, but 3 for 4 on the synthetic main track at Woodbine, Smart Surprise ($6.80) returned from a 2 1/2-month layoff to romp to a 6 1/4-length win in the $60,000 Chou Croute Handicap.
Timeless Fashion was prominent from the start before pulling away to a clear-cut victory in the $50,000 Dust Commander Stakes at Turfway Park.
Ridden by Hector Rosario Jr., Timeless Fashion ($7.80), a a 5-year-old gelding by Sky Classic, finished one mile in 1:38.13 over Polytrack to win his first stakes.
Heavily favored El Gato Malo survived a stern stretch challenge from Cover Magic to win the $54,500 McCann's Mojave at Golden Gate Fields.
El Gato Malo sat behind stablemate Ghetto, who opened a big lead early. He moved up and put a head in front at the half-mile pole as he, Ghetto, and Cover Magic were bunched together going around the turn.
Cover Magic seemed to put his head in front in the stretch, but El Gato Malo dug in and was inching clear at the end, winning by a half-length in 1:44.35. He paid $2.80.
Angled off the rail out of the second turn, Ballymore Lady responded to strong handling by jockey Jose Lezcano and prevailed in a four-horse photo with Elusive Lady, Sousaphone, and Audacious Chloe for a hard-earned neck victory in the Grade 3, $125,000 Endeavour Stakes on Saturday's Sam Davis undercard at Tampa Bay Downs.