J'espere came from far back early to draw off late and win the $100,000 Queen City Oaks against seven other 3-year-old Ohio-bred fillies at River Downs.
Under jockey Julio Felix, J'espere ($30) had only one horse beat in the second turn of the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, before circling the field and drawing off to win by 3 1/2 lengths. It was only the second lifetime win for the Brad Sparks charge, and she completed the distance in 1:58.20.
Southern Exchange ($2.90) overcame traffic problems on the turn to capture the $151,300 Colin Stakes impressively at Woodbine.
After breaking from the rail in the six-furlong dash for 2-year-olds, Southern Exchange stalked the leaders along the inside and was boxed in on the turn. After finding room on the outside at the three-sixteenths pole, Southern Exchange scooted away and prevailed by 3 1/4 lengths, in a time of 1:10.74.
In a ding-dong battle between late-closing turf sprint specialists, the 5-1 Blue Sailor edged the 8-5 True to Tradition by a nose to win the $55,000 Mo Bay for 3-year-olds and up Saturday at Delaware Park.
A 4-year-old gelded son of Northern Afleet, Blue Sailor improved his turf sprint record to 6 wins in 10 starts. True to Tradition now has 3 seconds and 2 wins in 5 turf sprint starts.
DEL MAR, Calif. - The distinction of setting a track record at Del Mar this summer will be a fleeting sensation. They don't seem to have much shelf life during the first few days of the meeting.
After a 2007 meeting of slow times on the Polytrack, the track is playing quicker this year. Already in the first three days of the meeting, the record for 5 1/2 furlongs has been lowered twice.
Trainer Steve Klesaris and rider Anna Napravnik had a lucrative night at Penn National, winning one of the three stakes on the card and running second in the two others.
They won the $75,000 Lyphard Stakes for 3-year-olds with Balian, who tracked the leaders from just off the pace to the second turn, moved up two wide, and beat odds-on favorite El Churruca home by a half-length. Brother Sly was another 3 1/2 lengths behind in third in the mile race on firm turf. Balian was timed in 1:36.14 and paid $9.
Queen Tina, favored at 6-5, was a comfortable four-length winner of the $50,000 R.C. Anderson at Assiniboia Downs on Friday evening.
A field of nine contested the R.C. Anderson, a one-mile race for Manitoba-bred 3-year-old fillies, and Queen Tina led throughout under jockey David Lopez.
Bella Mariella finished second as the 7-2 second choice, with Cinnamon Force another two lengths back in third.
Harry Kube trains Queen Tina, who had won her maiden over 7 1/2 furlongs in her most recent start and has now banked $51,105 from eight career outings.
Who's Happy proved best of seven Pennyslivania-bred fillies and mares Friday in the $75,250 First Approach at Presque Isle Downs. Under jockey Ronnie Allen Jr., Who's Happy was kept off the early pace to the far turn and then made a quick move to draw clear in the 1 1/16-mile race. Allen kept the 4-year-old Caller I.D. filly to the task through the stretch to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths. Trained by Tim Woolley, Who's Happy ($8) completed the distance in 1.45.89.
Plaer's Trump got back to her winning ways with a 1 3/4-length win in the $29,200 Falls Amiss Handicap on day two of Horsemen's Park festival of racing Friday evening.
In front of an estimated crowd of 8,000, Plaer's Trump ran down Dazzling Seville through the final turn of the one-mile race for Nebraska-bred mares and drew clear in 1:40.80 over a fast track. She returned $5.80 as the favorite in a field of eight, while collecting her first win from five starts this year for trainer Herb Riecken.
HURON TOWNSHIP, Mich. A party atmosphere prevailed as Michigan fans welcomed Thoroughbred racing back to the Detroit area on Friday when Pinnacle Race Course opened in this suburban township adjacent to Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
More than 3,000 fans double the tracks current seating capacity ignored the sweltering heat, the jet airliners roaring overhead and a passel of glitches to celebrate the first Thoroughbred card in Detroit since Ladbroke DRC closed for business in suburban Livonia in 1998.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Despite a transformer fire that forced the temporary evacuation of all Belmont Park employees Saturday morning, racing went on as planned at Belmont Park Saturday afternoon.
The fire created some power failures in the grandstand, thus that part of the building was closed to patrons on Saturday. The New York Racing Association offered free admission to the clubhouse and free parking for Saturday's 10-race card which featured the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks.