Good Night Shirt got his fall campaign off to a successful start Sunday, stalking Red Letter Day for more than two miles, before taking the lead turning for home and cruising to a 3 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1, $150,00 Lonesome Glory Steeplechase at Belmont Park.
Sermon of Love, who trailed the field for two miles, got up in the final strides to nip Red Letter Day for second by a neck.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia Krazy Koffee came from well off the pace to win the Grade 3, $333,000 British Columbia Derby by one length over Wink At the Girls at Hastings on Sunday.
Ridden by Dave Wilson, Krazy Koffee made a five-wide move around the stretch turn and then overtook Wink At the Girls when straightened out for the stretch drive.
Wink At the Girls stalked the pace set by Fear No Evil before taking the lead on the stretch turn. He held on well to finish a length clear of the 7-5 favorite, Texas Wildcatter.
Final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:50.95.
For the first time in 44 years, Earlie Fires awoke Monday morning and was not a professional Thoroughbred jockey.
Every day beginning late in 1964, Fires could think ahead to the horses he'd be riding, but after announcing his retirement Sunday at Arlington Park, all that is in the past.
"I like to fish, I'm going to travel," Fires said, shortly after waking following an evening of family merriment Sunday night. "I got plenty to do."
By MARY RAMPELLINI
BOSSIER CITY, La. - My Pal Charlie, who has been racing in graded stakes company since March, broke through with his first win at that level in a big way Saturday in the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. He pulled away to a 4 1/4-length win over favorite Macho Again. It was another neck back in third to second choice Forest Command.
O'Sullivan Farms and trainer George Yetsook have themselves the favorites for the two richest races of the season at Charles Town, thanks to identical 1.75-length scores by stablemates Confucius Say and Julie B in Saturday night's local preps for next month's West Virginia Breeders Classic program.
The remarkable 10-year-old Confucius Say ($3.80), who won back-to-back runnings of the West Virginia Breeders Classic in 2001 and 2002, tuned up for the 1 1/8-mile, $500,000 feature on Oct. 18 by winning the seven-furlong, $51,550 Robert Hilton Memorial.
It was as easy as advertised.
Commentator towered over his six rivals in Saturday's Massachusetts Handicap on paper and he towered over them on the track as well, taking over from pacesetting Riversrunrylee at the three-furlong pole then cruising to a 14-length victory over Won Awesome Dude. Cuba finished third.
POMONA, Calif.- Bingham overcame a stumble at the start and a rival jockey's objection regarding the stretch run to win his first stakes in Saturday's $98,000 Pomona Derby at Fairplex Park.
Ridden by Alonso Quinonez, Bingham ($8.60) led throughout, winning by 2 1/2 lengths over Pistol Pete Afleet. Trained by Jeff Mullins for Dennis Weir, Bingham ran about 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.89
ALBANY, Calif. - Wild Promises took advantage of a dream trip stalking trip to capture the $75,000 Miss America Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
Wild Promises sat comfortably behind In My Glory during the early running and the pair ran one-two the entire 1 1/8-mile race on the turf. Wild Promises began to advance on the second turn, coming up outside the longshot and putting her head in front as the two turned for home.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia Blue Sky Holiday was a convincing winner over Infinite Wealth in the $140,480 Grade 3 British Columbia Oaks at Hastings Saturday.
With Chad Hoverson aboard, Blue Sky Holiday was never far off of an honest pace of 22.85 seconds, 47.67 and 1:13.27 set by Infinite Wealth and Answerwithvictory. Blue Sky Holiday saved ground until she moved off of the rail to make her bid going around the stretch turn. She took command of the race at the top of the stretch and then drew off to win by 1 3/4 lengths.
