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.
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 Ignacios family and friends. Its a very sad day for the entire racing community.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - You Lift Me Up, claimed for $32,000 at Golden Gate Fields in June, won her second stakes of 2008 in Saturdays $89,600 Audrey Skirball-Kenis Stakes at Hollywood Park.
You Lift Me Up ($19.20) led throughout the 1 1/8 miles on turf, setting a slow pace of 24.75 and 49.70 seconds, and holding off a late run from Solar Miss and Fire n Brimstone. You Lift Me Up won by a head over Solar Miss, the 3-2 favorite who was a nose in front of Fire n Brimstone. The first six finishers in the field of eight were separated by a half-length.
Tin Cup Chalice was named 2008 Finger Lakes horse of the year at the Finger Lakes Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association awards dinner on Saturday. Tin Cup Chalice won three races at Finger Lakes this season, including the $150,000 New York Derby. He also won the Grade 2, $500,000 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park.
