Sun, 08/17/2008 - 00:00

Oaks upset leads to $206K carryover

DEL MAR, Calif. - The upset win by Magical Fantasy ($87) in Saturday’s Del Mar Oaks has led to a carryover of $206,263 for Sunday’s pick six at Del Mar.

The pick six covers the fourth through ninth races on a nine-race program that begins at 2 p.m., Pacific.

There are no early scratches on Sunday’s program.

The pick six races feature four sprints on the synthetic main track and two one-mile races on turf.

Sun, 08/17/2008 - 00:00

Magical Fantasy scores in Oaks

All Magical Fantasy needed was a quiet race in Saturday’s $350,000 Del Mar Oaks.

Fitted with earmuffs for the first time, Magical Fantasy ($87) rallied from ninth to win her first stakes in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks. Trainer Paddy Gallagher said the use of earmuffs was designed to calm Magical Fantasy, who was winless in three previous starts this year.

“We tried something a little different,” he said. “We thought that would help her relax.”

Magical Fantasy was Gallagher’s first Grade 1 win. She was the highest-priced winner in Del Mar Oaks history.

Sun, 08/17/2008 - 00:00

Star Production just hangs on in Prelude

BOSSIER CITY, La.-Star Production already has one derby win at Louisiana Downs on his resume. Next month, he gets a shot at the big one. Star Production is headed to the Grade 2, $500,000 Super Derby after he won a three-way photo over runner-up Numismatist and third-place finisher Golden Yank in the $100,000 Prelude Breeders' Cup at Louisiana Downs on Saturday.

Sat, 08/16/2008 - 00:00

Swift Temper keys Lebron stakes sweep

HENDERSON, Ky. - Swift Temper won for the first time in more than 18 months when prevailing under red-hot Victor Lebron as the longest shot in the field Saturday in the only graded race of the Ellis Park meet, the Grade 3 Gardenia Handicap.

Always close to the pace, Swift Temper glided away from the pack at the quarter pole and was never threatened, winning by 4 1/2 lengths over Marquee Delivery. The victory gave Lebron a sweep of the three Saturday stakes at Ellis and five overall victories on a 12-race Saturday card.

Sat, 08/16/2008 - 00:00

Moon Odyssey extends streak to four

Moon Odyssey ($5.80) drew off with authority to score a 5 1/4-length win in the $10,600 Van Berg Derby at Columbus on Friday night.

Moon Odyssey claimed his fourth straight victory and second stakes win in the mile and 70-yard derby, covering the distance in 1:45.20. He was coming off a win in the Hall of Fame Stakes locally two weeks earlier. Beth Butler, who won four races on the card, was aboard for trainer Milton Gaede.

Sat, 08/16/2008 - 00:00

Seeyouinthecity handles extra distance

The stretchout from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/8 miles was no problem for Seeyouinthecity ($7) in the $50,000 Humphrey S. Finney for Maryland-bred 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.

Sat, 08/16/2008 - 00:00

Juliet's Spirit stays unbeaten

Juliet's Spirit held off a late surge from After the Applause to prevail by a head in the $151,200 Ontario Debutante Stakes on Saturday at Woodbine.

Juliet's Spirit ($5.40) tracked dueling front-runners Fanci Candi and Petty Things through fast fractions in the six-furlong sprint, and made the lead early in the stretch, opened up by 1 1/2 lengths, then hung on while covering the distance in 1:10.17. C Karma finished 1 1/4 lengths behind After the Applause in third in the eight-horse field of 2-year-old fillies.

Sat, 08/16/2008 - 00:00

Student Council older but better

DEL MAR, Calif. - Student Council is a different horse than he was last year when he pulled a 23-1 upset in the Pacific Classic.

Student Council went into that race with the Maxxam Gold Cup at Sam Houston in early 2007 as his only stakes win. Since then, he has become a fixture in the handicap division. When Student Council tries to defend his title in Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic, he will be after his second Grade 1 win of the year, having won the Pimlico Special in May.

Sat, 08/16/2008 - 00:00

Grand Couturier repeats

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Robert Ribaudo credited a firm turf and a strong early pace for helping Grand Couturier win the Sword Dancer Invitational in 2007. Though neither condition was prevalent on Saturday, Grand Couturier still found a way to win the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer again.

Sat, 08/16/2008 - 00:00

Proud Spell digs in when challenged

Barbara D. Livingston
Proud Spell (right) fends off favored Music Note in a stretchlong battle to win the Grade 1 Alabama on Saturday at Saratoga.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - At the eighth pole of Saturday's $600,000 Alabama, Proud Spell had put away Little Belle and braced for the oncoming charge of Music Note.

At that point, the duel for supremacy in the 3-year-old filly division was on. But somewhere in the spacious Saratoga grandstand, Larry Jones, trainer of Proud Spell, was smiling because he knew what made his filly special.

"This filly of ours had never been passed down the stretch the entire time we've had her,'' Jones said.