Mon, 07/07/2008 - 00:00

Valdivia surpasses 1,000-win milestone

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr. completed a milestone day at Hollywood Park on Sunday, winning the 1,000th race of his career in the seventh race and the $77,975 Robert Kerlan Memorial Handicap aboard Get Funky.

Valdivia needed all six furlongs of the Kerlan to urge Get Funky past Jungle Prince in the turf sprint. Get Funky ($6.60), sent off favored, closed from seventh to win by a head. One Union finished third in the field of 10. Northern Soldier, who set the pace, faded to finish eighth.

Mon, 07/07/2008 - 00:00

Wasserman wins four-horse photo

AUBURN, Wash. - Wasserman ($10.80) prevailed in a four-horse photo to win Sunday's $50,000 Governor's Handicap at Emerald Downs for the second straight year.

Under a finely-timed ride by Jennifer Whittaker, Wasserman came from last in a field of six to win by a nose over Call 0n Carson in 1:14 for 6 1/2 furlongs. Chhaya Dance was just a neck farther back in third, a neck ahead of fourth-place finisher Only One Way.

Mon, 07/07/2008 - 00:00

Genuine Devotion takes fourth in row

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - New York invader Genuine Devotion led all the way in notching her fourth straight victory, and her first in a graded stakes, when she held off Brownie Points in Sunday's closing-day feature at Churchill Downs, the Grade 3, $101,161 Locust Grove Handicap.

Ridden by Alan Garcia, Genuine Devotion ($6.60) won by a half-length as the slight favorite in a field of 10 fillies and mares. Brownie Points rallied strongly to finish 2 1/4 lengths before Bayou's Lassie.

Mon, 07/07/2008 - 00:00

Place Your Bet rallies to Mountain State win

Place Your Bet appeared to be the weaker half of trainer Scott Lake's coupled entry in Saturday night's $75,000 Mountain State Stakes at Mountaineer Racetrack. But while stablemate Magical Gem's five-race winning streak ended when he finished last of eight, Place Your Bet ($8.80) rallied from fourth in the final furlong to draw off to a 2 3/4-length win over horse-for-the-course Bernie Blue.

Mon, 07/07/2008 - 00:00

Krz Exec prevails by neck

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Krz Exec ($26.80) overtook the front-runners in the final strides to capture the $150,800 Ontario Damsel Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

A hotly-contested pace battle materialized in the 6 1/2 -furlong turf sprint, when Anne's Purse and Gloriously linked up through fractions of 22.58 and 44.86 seconds.

Mon, 07/07/2008 - 00:00

Conga Kaye pulls stakes upset in debut

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Conga Kaye ($48.40) stunned 1-5 favorite Broadway Hennessey when she rallied from last to win the $55,200 Juan Gonzalez Memorial Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in her debut Sunday at the Alameda County Fair.

Conga Kaye, a daughter of freshman sire Congaree, became his first stakes winner. She got a dream trip after breaking last and getting into stride slowly under jockey Frank Alvarado.

Mon, 07/07/2008 - 00:00

Dyna's Lassie captures first stakes

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Dyna's Lassie ($19.80) earned her first stakes victory Sunday with a half-length win over Rasta Farian in the $70,000 Miss Liberty for fillies and mares on the turf at Monmouth Park.

Carlos Marquez Jr was aboard for trainer Paul Fout as the 4-year-old Dyna's Lassie ran the 1 1/16 miles on a course rated "good" in 1:42.62.

Sun, 07/06/2008 - 00:00

Mint Lane stands up under pressure

ELMONT, N.Y. - Jimmy Jerkens may have lost his best 3-year-old filly for the summer, but he may just have a top quality 3-year-old colt for that division's elite stakes.

Mint Lane took some early heat from Ready's Image, but turned that rival back and kept on going to win Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Dwyer Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park. Tizbig, a 33-1 shot trained by Allen Jerkens, Jimmy’s father, finished second, 4 3/4 lengths ahead of Pascal in third.

Web Gem, Halo Najib, and Ready's Image completed the field. Fidelio was scratched.

Sat, 07/05/2008 - 00:00

Street Boss steps up in Triple Bend

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For months, trainer Bruce Headley has been dropping hints that Street Boss could get into the company of the best horse Headley has ever trained, the champion sprinter Kona Gold. On Saturday at Hollywood Park, Street Boss took another step toward reaching that rarified air by overcoming a brutally wide trip to capture the Grade 1, $300,000 Triple Bend Handicap for his fourth straight victory.

“He's got something to prove to be a Kona Gold,” Headley said in the winner's circle. “But he's well on his way.”

Sat, 07/05/2008 - 00:00

Local longshot Presious Passion holds on

OCEANPORT, N.J. - The winner's circle was of full hugs and kisses after two of Monmouth Park’s own, Presious Passion and trainer Mary Hartmann, upset the track’s premier grass race Saturday, the Grade 1, $750,000 United Nations Stakes.

It was a feel-good outcome, and the biggest career win for both horse and trainer.

Hartmann, 55, has been part of the Monmouth scene for over 20 years. The long-time assistant to J.J. Crupi until his retirement in 1997, Hartmann had trouble in the days before the race expressing what a U.N. win would mean.