DEL MAR, Calif. - Gio Ponti came west with the fancy reputation, but it was Madeo who got the best trip, and the money, on Sunday in the Grade 2, $350,000 Del Mar Derby.
Madeo ($23.60), given a rail-hugging ride by Mike Smith, saved enough ground on both turns to subsequently outfinish heavily favored Gio Ponti by a half-length, with pacesetter Tangled Tango another three-quarters of a length back in third.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Marlang shipped down from Canada and led the locals on a merry chase around Saratogas Mellon Turf Course on Sunday, recording a 1 3/4-length, gate-to-wire score in the Grade 3, $111,100 Saranac Stakes for 3-year-olds.
AUBURN, Wash. - Gallant Son split rivals at the top of the stretch, then outfinished Rooster City to prevail by three-quarters of a length in Saturdays $50,000 WTBA Lads stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings at Emerald Downs. Noosa Beach got up for third in a field of eight.
Shining Moment controlled the pace throughout under leading rider Colby Hernandez before edging away in the late going to capture Saturday nights $75,000 Opelousas Stakes at Evangeline Downs. The entry of Humble Storm Kathy and Shutupanddance finished second and third, respectively, followed by Reckon.
Trained by Steve Asmussen for Padua Stables, Shining Moment ($6.20) picked up her second stakes win and third victory overall from five starts. She is a 2-year-old daughter of Yes Its True, and she covered the six furlongs in 1:12.60 over a fast strip.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Vacare found out that the grass was greener on the other side of the country. She shipped to California from New York and made off with the Grade 2, $200,000 Palomar Handicap on Saturday at Del Mar, emerging best in a three-way drive to the wire.
Vacare, fanned six lanes wide into the stretch, outbattled Kris' Sis to her inside and Gotta Have Her to her outside and prevailed by a half-length. Kris' Sis and Gotta Have Her finished in a dead heat for second in the field of 10 older fillies and mares.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Tribesman, making his first start since May 16, blasted to the lead immediately, and set sizzling fractions as he scored a 4 1/2-length victory in the $76,000 California State Fair Sprint on Saturday at Cal Expo.
Tribesman's final time of 1:07.61 was one-hundredth of a second off Passing Game's track record set in 1993 when timing was done by fifths of seconds.
Judiths Wild Rush snapped a 17-race losing streak to earn his 12th career win and pass the $1 million mark in earnings with his three-quarter-length victory in the $50,000 Waquoit Stakes at Suffolk Downs.
The nominal prep race for Massachusetts Handicap on Sept. 20 was supposed to be the testing grounds for Jalil, Goldolphin Racing's international traveler, but Judiths Wild Rush sat closer to the reasonable pace set by local star Riversrunrylee and wore him down while Jalil struggled home in third.
Gin and Sin, ridden by Bill Troilo, edged past front-running Voy Por Uno Mas at the furlong pole before drawing off to a 1 3/4-length triumph Saturday in the $50,000 Tri-State Handicap at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.
Bred and owned by Silverton Hill Farm and trained by Greg Compton, Gin and Sin finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.14 over a firm grass course. The victory was the second in a row on the Ellis turf, and the 12th of 45 overall, for Gin and Sin, an 8-year-old gelding by Go for Gin. He now has earned $530,377.
Suzy Zip ran her turf record to a perfect 3 for 3 by rallying strongly on the outside under Francisco Torres to capture Saturday's $150,000 Elge Raspberry Stakes for Louisiana-bred 3-year-old fillies at Louisiana Downs. Vickies in Town finished second, followed by longshot Riina at Louisiana Downs.