Sun, 11/02/2008 - 00:00

Catalina Harbor, Chief Jafatica take Wineberg Stakes

Trainer Jim Ferguson, jockey Mark Anderson, and breeder Bar C Racing Stable combined to win the Janet and Bill Wineberg Stakes for Oregon-breds at Portland Meadows on Sunday.

Catalina Harbor ($7.60), a 2-year-old homebred Harbor the Gold filly, notched her first career victory after three straight seconds, winning the six-furlong, $18,540 Janet Wineberg by 4 3/4 lengths over Snowfire in 1:14.24 while earning $11,330.

Sun, 11/02/2008 - 00:00

Porte Bonheur upsets Ontario Fashion

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - New York shipper Porte Bonheur gunned down favored Miss Macy Sue in the stretch en route to a handy score in Sunday’s $163,500 Ontario Fashion Stakes at Woodbine.

Miss Macy Sue set fractions of 22.99 seconds and 45.82 in the six-furlong dash. Porte Bonheur commenced a rail rally heading into the turn, and she came inside Miss Macy Sue at the eighth pole before drawing clear to prevail by 1 1/2 lengths in a time of 1:09.64. Lucas Street rallied wide to edge out Miss Macy Sue by a head for second in the 10-horse field of fillies and mares.

Sun, 11/02/2008 - 00:00

Record time for Tres Passes in Golden State Million

Tres Passes pulled an upset in Saturday’s $1,386,500 Golden State Million Futurity at Los Alamitos, easily defeating the highly regarded Foose.

The victory was a milestone for trainer Blane Schvaneveldt, 74, the richest win of his career.

Tres Passes ($46.80) ran 400 yards in 19.30 seconds, a stakes record. Ridden by Eddie Garcia, Tres Passes held the lead throughout despite lugging to the inside through the race. Tres Passes finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of Foose, the 1-2 favorite. Jessanotheraffair finished third in the field of nine.

Sun, 11/02/2008 - 00:00

Break Water Edison gets right set up in Nashua

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Break Water Edison bounced back from two disappointing efforts in Grade 1 stakes with a solid 1 3/4-length victory in Sunday’s Grade 3, $118,500 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct.

Sun, 11/02/2008 - 00:00

Leah's Secret pads earnings in Chilukki

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The rich got richer Sunday when Leah’s Secret, the leading earner in the field, got a textbook stalking trip under Rene Douglas before driving clear to capture the Grade 2 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, Leah’s Secret earned $100,366 from a total purse of $170,400, lifting her career bankroll to $775,805. The winner returned $8.60 as second choice after finishing a mile in 1:35.68 over a fast track.

Sun, 11/02/2008 - 00:00

Valid Message takes El Joven at even money

Valid Message delivered as the even-money favorite in the $100,000 El Joven at Retama Park on Saturday night, when he closed from last for a length and a half win in the one-mile turf race for 2-year-olds. Top Cop held second, a length clear of third-place finisher Messy Marvin.

Valid Message ($4) broke on top from post 11, and settled in about five lengths off the leaders. He made a sweeping move on the final turn and into the stretch, and covered the distance on firm turf in 1:36.92. Curt Bourque rode the winner for trainer Ellen Williams.

Sun, 11/02/2008 - 00:00

Hollywood has $126K Sunday carryover

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Sunday’s program at Hollywood Park features a pick-six carryover of $126,284.

Favorites had a tough time winning during Saturday’s program, leading to the second pick-six carryover in the first week of the track’s fall meeting.

The pick six on Sunday covers the fourth through ninth races on a nine-race program that begins at 12:30 p.m.

Sun, 11/02/2008 - 00:00

Shesa Private I crushes City of Phoenix

Shesa Private I came back after more than 14 months on the bench to romp in an optional claimer at Turf Paradise on Oct. 20, hinting she was back and better than ever.

It's a hint no longer as the 6-year-old mare stepped up and blasted her rivals again, romping in Saturday's $50,000 City of Phoenix Stakes at Turf Paradise.

Sat, 11/01/2008 - 00:00

Old timers battle to the wire

STICKNEY, Ill. - No, it was not Alydar and Affirmed thundering down the Hawthorne stretch, but hard-boiled Illinois-breds High Expectations and Fort Prado staged their own duel on a gray afternoon here. At the finish of the Lightning Jet Handicap, one of six statebred-restricted stakes here Saturday, 6-year-old High Expectations was a neck better than 7-year-old Fort Prado - but all credit to both veterans.

"Hey, he just got outrun," said trainer Chris Block, who raced millionaire Fort Prado on dirt for the first time in more than two years. "He ran his heart out."

Sat, 11/01/2008 - 00:00

Juvenile stakes winners target big things

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A pair of locally entrenched trainers were teased with visions of far greater feats six months hence when Sara Louise and Capt. Candyman Can powered to impressive Grade 3 victories Saturday on the first Stars of Tomorrow program of the Churchill Downs fall meet.