A horse coming off a lengthy layoff was supposed to prevail in the $150,000 Sea o'Erin Handicap at Arlington Park.
But instead of Lewis Michael, the even-money favorite in a field of 10 older horses, the winner was Karelian, who got a perfect stalking trip under jockey James Graham before holding off Yate's Black Cat to win the Sea o'Erin by three-quarters of a length.
Winning a graded stakes on turf in California is the latest accomplishment for the rapidly improving Storm Mesa.
In Saturday's $150,000 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar, Storm Mesa won her fifth consecutive race, and first on turf, overcoming a spot of trouble on the backstretch of the one-mile race.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Artie Hot already had established a reputation as a giant-killer here last fall when he toppled Alezzandro and Mike Fox, respective winners of the Prince of Wales and Queen's Plate, when sent off at 33-1 in the 1 1/8-mile Ontario Derby.
On Sunday, Artie Hot struck again in the 1 1/16-mile Seagram Cup, scoring by a half-length under jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson at 10-1.
Finishing second in the Grade 3, $151,200 Seagram Cup was True Metropolitan, who was the even-money choice and the winner of the last two Sovereign Awards as Canada's champion older male.
Trainer Greg Gilchrist has a plan for the undefeated 3-year-old filly Indyanne, who won the Grade 3 Azalea at Calder on July 12 and worked an easy 48.20-second half-mile Sunday at Golden Gate Fields.
He wants to run her Aug. 23 in the Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride, a six-furlong race at Saratoga.
Gilchrist was considering running her in the Grade 1 Test there Saturday, but, he said, "That would have been pretty tough to run back in three weeks after running in the heat in Florida and coming back to California."
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Hard Hitting set the fastest qualifying time of 17.36 seconds in the 350-yard trials for the Governor's Cup Futurity at Los Alamitos on July 12. He needed 17.35 seconds to win the $495,000 final Saturday, scoring his first stakes win.
Ridden by Cesar DeAlba, Hard Hitting ($4.60) led throughout, winning by a length over Jimmy Delivers. Blue Piranha, a 31-1 outsider, finished third in the field of eight 2-year-old Quarter Horses.
The Governor's Cup Futurity was the most lucrative event on a 13-race program for statebreds.
DEL MAR, Calif. A record Del Mar pick six carryover of $1,561,987 into Sundays races helped generate another $3,615,779 into the pool, resulting in a record Del Mar jackpot of $5,177,766. There were 59 tickets that tabbed all six winners Sunday, with each ticket worth $60,499.40.
Tickets with 5 of 6 winners returned $1,871.
No one had hit the pick six Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, which led to the huge pool on Sunday. That helped fuel a single-day handle of $20,267,572 on the nine-race card.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Horse of the Year Curlin worked Monday at Saratoga for his next start. When or where that will be, however, is still a mystery, as his connections continue to remain uncommitted as to their plans for the champs next appearance.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Two trends are emerging from Street Bosss summer campaign - he cannot be too far back early and cannot be too wide on the turn.
After rallying five-wide to win the Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 5, Street Boss rallied seven-wide to win Sundays $300,000 Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar.
The Grade 1 Bing Crosby was Street Bosss fifth consecutive win, third consecutive stakes win, and solidified his status as Californias best hope for the Breeders Cup Sprint at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting on Oct. 25.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The winners of the last three renewals of the Jim Dandy Stakes have all gone on to capture the prestigious Travers four weeks later. Trainer Dallas Stewart is hoping that trend will continue for at least one more summer after his Macho Again outgamed 3-2 favorite Pyro to register a half-length victory in Sunday's Grade 2 Jim Dandy before a crowd of 38,748 at Saratoga.
Peppers Prides bid for history will have to wait. Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico was forced to cancel its entire card on Sunday after being hit with more than six inches of rain as part of the Hurricane Dolly storm system. Peppers Pride was to have run in the $55,000 Lincoln Handicap, a race in which she was attempting to win her 17th straight race and set a modern record for consecutive wins by a Thoroughbred. Her next start is to be determined, said her trainer, Joel Marr.
Im not making any plans today, he said.