Mon, 11/17/2008 - 00:00

Getting Einstein into Clark is tricky

Barbara D. Livingston
The legal difficulties of Einstein's owners present a problem for his Kentucky racing status.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When Einstein ran second in the Stephen Foster Handicap and Firecracker Handicap last spring at Churchill Downs, the horse competed under the names of Patricia Cunningham and Melissa Green, who were listed as lessors from the owners, the Midnight Cry Stable.

Trainer Helen Pitts has told Churchill racing officials she is considering a run for Einstein in the annual fall-meet highlight, the Grade 2 Clark Handicap on Nov. 28, but if Einstein is to make the race, his connections will have to do some legal maneuvering.

Mon, 11/17/2008 - 00:00

Lee's Spirit captures the finale at Retama

Lee’s Spirit could make his next start in the $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf next month at Fair Grounds, and if he does, he will go into the race on a roll. He picked up his third consecutive stakes win Saturday night at Retama Park, when he closed well for a 2 1/2-length score over Acting Zippy in the $50,000 No Le Hace.

Mon, 11/17/2008 - 00:00

Dirt was just what Semaphore Man needed

Semaphore Man returned to conventional dirt and returned to the winner’s circle on Sunday, when he finished with authority in the $50,000 Chuck Taliaferro Memorial at Remington Park. He won by 1 3/4 lengths over pacesetter Wind Water.

Mon, 11/17/2008 - 00:00

Heza Wild Guy rallies at Hoosier

Heza Wild Guy overcame the outside post and rallied into the stretch to win the $100,000 To Much Coffee at Hoosier Park on Sunday.

Jockey Tommy Pompell had the 7-year-old Heza Wild Guy off the pace early before rallying on the outside into the stretch and drawing off to win by a length against 10 other older Indiana-bred horses. Sahmmy Davis Jr. also made a move into the stretch under before flattening out for second, and Mo Faster was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third.

Mon, 11/17/2008 - 00:00

Exercise rider dies at Golden Gate

Exercise rider Ignacio Ramirez, 58, was killed Sunday morning in an accident in the Golden Gate Fields barn area, the track announced.

Ramirez was heading to the track aboard an unnamed filly for a workout when the filly spooked and flipped over, landing on top of Ramirez, who suffered fatal injuries. The filly was uninjured.

“This was a tragic accident,” said Golden Gate Fields general manager Robert Hartman. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ignacio’s family and friends. It’s a very sad day for the entire racing community.”

Sun, 11/16/2008 - 00:00

Evita Argentina rallies to win Moccasin

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Evita Argentina rebounded from two losses in Grade 1 stakes to win the $111,100 Moccasin Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Hollywood Park on Sunday.

It was not until midstretch that it looked like Evita Argentina would win the third race of her career. Last of 11 for the first half-mile, Evita Argentina ($14.80) closed well on the outside to catch pacesetter Mi Chiamano Mimi, and win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Sun, 11/16/2008 - 00:00

Maiden Active Duty upsets Coronation

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Active Duty ($25) won his maiden in style Sunday at Woodbine in the $250,400 Coronation Futurity, upsetting the 1-2 favorite, El Brujo, in the process.

Active Duty stalked his stablemate, Gallant, who set moderate fractions in the 1 1/8-mile race for 2-year-olds. Active Duty assumed command at the eighth pole, and got home on top by 2 1/4 lengths over the wide-closing El Brujo. Khabibulin rallied belatedly for third, and Gallant faded to fourth in the six-horse field of Canadian-breds.

Corey Fraser rode Active Duty for trainer Mark Casse.

Sun, 11/16/2008 - 00:00

Julie B handles sloppy track with ease

Julie B's unfamiliarity with a wet track didn't pose any problem as she posted her third consecutive stakes victory Saturday night in the $51,350 My Sister Pearl at Charles Town.

Racing on a non-fast track for only the second time in her 36-race career, the 5-year-old Julie B ($3.40) defeated Saxet Heights by 1 ½ lengths while completing 1 1/8 miles over a sloppy, sealed surface in 1:55.81.

Larry Reynolds rode Julie B for trainer George Yetsook and owner Randy Funkhouser's O'Sullivan Farms.

Sun, 11/16/2008 - 00:00

Maidens score first victories in Philly stakes

A pair of maidens took advantage of the absence of the probable heavy favorites to earn their first career victories in Sunday's co-featured stakes at Philadelphia Park.

Not Up for Love ($12.40), a first-time starter for trainer Karin Wagner, took the lead in midstretch and drew clear to score by 1 ½ lengths over 6-5 favorite St John's Gospel in the $53,700 Christopher Elser Memorial for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

Oh So Clever ($5.20), returning from a four-month layoff, held off Payton d'Oro by a head in the $52,850 Donna Freyer for 2-year-old fillies.

Sun, 11/16/2008 - 00:00

Indescribable just gets up in Cardinal

Reed Palmer Photography
Indescribable (left) nails Long Approach on the wire in Saturday's Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Three weeks after winning the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf for Augustin Stable and trainer Jonathan Sheppard aboard Forever Together, jockey Julien Leparoux appeared to be working his magic again.

Long Approach, with Leparoux riding for Augustin and Sheppard, had forged to the lead with just a few yards remaining in the 35th running of the $113,400 Cardinal Handicap at Churchill Downs on a wet and chilly Saturday afternoon.