ARCADIA, Calif. - There will be no shortage of starters in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 7.
As of Sunday, 13 starters were probable for the richest race of the meeting, with the maximum field of 14 well within reach. Three preps at Santa Anita last weekend helped solidify a probable field led by the Strub Stakes winner, Cowboy Cal, and the San Antonio Handicap winner, Magnum.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Tale of Ekati finished his final preparations on Sunday for his much anticipated 2009 debut this Saturday in the seven-furlong Richter Scale at Gulfstream Park.
Tale of Ekati worked five furlongs in 1:00.67 shortly after the renovation break, recording fractions of 24.16 seconds, 35.87, and 47.92 over a track that was fast but on the dull side all morning.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Scolara overcame a slow start to register the first stakes victory of her career, a 2 1/4-length triumph over Pay Wright in Sunday's Marion County Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Scolara, a 4-year-old daughter of Quiet American, was reserved at the rear of the eight-horse field after breaking a step slowly under jockey Kent Desormeaux. Scolara angled out to commence her rally on the far turn, overtook Pay Wright in late stretch, and won going away. Quiet Meadow rallied mildly to finish another length back in third.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The 2009 season is fast becoming the 2.0 version of Magnum, the racehorse.
Since being gelded last fall, Magnum has displayed two of the finest performances of his career at Santa Anita this winter, finishing a game third in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Handicap on Jan. 10 and winning the $200,000 San Antonio Handicap on Sunday.
The Grade 2 San Antonio was Magnum's first stakes win since the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap in 2006 and served as a prep to the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 7.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Rapper S S, who set a track record for six furlongs three weeks ago, turned in another impressive effort on Saturday when he captured the $50,000 Budweiser Handicap at Sunland Park. Longshot Loves Bonus proved game for the place spot, followed by 4-5 favorite and highweight Wind Water.
Star Guitar and Superior Storm kept significant streaks intact Saturday night at Delta Downs, when they won the richest races for their respective divisions on the $1 million Louisiana Premier Night program. Star Guitar won his fourth straight race in the $200,000 Championship, while Superior Storm remained undefeated in Louisiana-bred stakes company with her win in the $150,000 Distaff.
The races were two of six statebred stakes on the card. There were also four "starter stakes" races run on what was the second richest program of the Delta meet behind Jackpot Night.
ALBANY, Calif. - Making a strong four-wide move into the stretch, favored Victorina ($4.20) powered to her 10th career stakes victory, winning the $75,000 Campanile Stakes on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
Breaking from the outside in the field of eight older fillies and mares, Victorina sat behind In My Glory and Lady Railrider through honest fractions in the 1 1/16-mile race.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The second act of Cowboy Cal's career is getting more intriguing by the month.
Since being given a five-month break following a ninth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby last year, Cowboy Cal has won three stakes in four starts since October. He won his second consecutive stakes of the current Santa Anita meeting in Saturday's $250,000 Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds.
The victory confirmed Cowboy Cal's status as a contender for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 7.
ARCADIA, Calif. - It was the first start of the year for Pioneerof the Nile, a race he did not need to win, and he did not have the best of trips. None of it mattered. In a performance that stamped him as a one of the elite contenders for the Kentucky Derby, Pioneerof the Nile closed furiously to take the Grade 2, $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Santa Anita.
