HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - While the winners of last weekend's important 3-year-old preps here, Capt. Candyman Can and Saratoga Sinner, continue to celebrate, their victims retreated to assess the losses and plot future strategies along the Kentucky Derby trail.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Albertus Maximus proved he is more than just a synthetic surface horse and at the same time punched his ticket to the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 28 with a hard-fought half-length victory over a game and determined Finallymadeit in Saturday's $500,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
Albertus Maximus was making his first start since being purchased privately by Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Stable and turned over to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin shortly after his victory in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile over Santa Anita's Pro-Ride surface on Oct. 25.
Jockey Kirk LeBlanc won the 3,000th race of his career Saturday night at Delta Downs, when he guided Dazzling N Red ($8.20) to a wire-to-wire victory in the 10th race. He was aboard the mare for trainer Charles Hukill. The win was one of three on the card for LeBlanc.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Kip Deville answered the 1 1/8-mile question and did so with style, leading nearly every step of the way to register a three-quarter-length victory over the 25-1 Just as Well in Sunday's Grade 1, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.
Kip Deville, winner of the 2007 Breeders' Cup Mile and second in defense of that title last fall at Santa Anita, had never won beyond a mile coming into the nine-furlong Gulfstream Park Turf. He was also making his first start since finishing ninth in the Hong Kong Mile on Dec. 14.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Pasar Silbano seemed to have her own strategy in mind during the early stages of Sunday's $100,000 La Habra Stakes at Santa Anita.
"I was trying to slow her down, but she was going to the lead like it was nothing," jockey Mike Smith said.
Pasar Silbano was third early, and dragged Smith to the front on the hillside portion of the course. She kept that position throughout, winning the Grade 3 La Habra Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths over 77-1 Gold Goddess. Real Fancy Runner, a 15-1 shot, finished third in the field of 11 3-year-old fillies.
ALBANY, Calif. - Twice in the stretch it looked like heavily favored Will O Way would be beaten in Saturday's $100,000 California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields. In the end, though, she hung on by a nose and rewarded her backers with a $3 mutuel.
Will O Way stalked Be So Special and Digestivo while three wide and moved into the lead as the field of seven 3-year-old fillies turned for home. She was then headed by Oro Blanco and seemed destined to finish second.
ARCADIA, Calif. - By any name, Ventura was brilliant in Saturday's $300,000 Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita.
Even though her orange saddle towel read "Venture," Ventura ran as expected, winning by a comfortable length over stablemate Jibboom. The Grade 1 Santa Monica was Ventura's first start since a four-length victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint here in October.
Ventura won the fifth stakes of her career in the Santa Monica.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The decision to shorten Sunday's Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap from 1 3/8 miles to 1 1/8 miles this winter returned quick dividends, with 11 entering the race, including Breeders' Cup winners Kip Deville and Red Rocks. The field is one of the strongest in recent memory.
The Gulfstream Park Turf has been a fixture here since 1986.
Kip Deville, winner of the 2007 Breeders' Cup Mile, will carry high weight of 124 pounds while looking to rebound from his ninth-place finish in the Hong Kong Mile.
