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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Arkansas Racing Commission on Saturday unanimously adopted a handful of amendments that clear the way for external, non-invasive treatments on race day, including chiropractic work. The changes go into effect immediately.
The issue of chiropractic work on race day was first raised in late January, when Ms. Good Cat, a horse trained by Larry Jones, was scratched after a backstretch monitor came upon the filly receiving such a treatment on race day. Prior to Saturday, only Lasix and magnetic therapy blankets were permissible race-day treatments in Arkansas.
A funeral service will be held Monday for Gord Cowie, who owned and trained horses at Fort Erie and Woodbine.
Cowie died in the hospital on Thursday at age 43 after collapsing while working at Woodbine. The funeral will be at 1 p.m. at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Fort Erie. Visitation was to be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday at Benner Funeral Services in Fort Erie.
Cowie's training resume includes Sir Ebony Knight, Berry Moonolow and D'Or Ruckus, all stakes winners at Woodbine in the 1990s. Last year, he won the Game Cup at Fort Erie with Lone Endeavor.
