BOSSIER CITY, La. - The Heiligbrodt Stables-owned entry of Gaston and Cajun Thunder finished one-two in the $75,000 Stardust Stakes Saturday afternoon in the first of eight stakes events for Louisiana-breds that made up Louisiana Downs Champions Day.
Gaston ($3.40) is trained by Brett Brinkman and rallied on the outside under Gerard Melancon. The 2-year-old Count the Time gelding covered the six furlongs in 1:12.79.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Consecutive wins by Black Mamba, the most recent of which was Sundays $400,000 John Mabee Handicap at Del Mar, have left her a contender for the major stakes this fall, provided her owners are willing to pay humungous supplemental fees.
Black Mamba unleashed a strong rally in the final furlong of the Grade 1 Mabee to win by a half-length over 24-1 I Can See. Passified, the pacesetter, finished third in the field of eight fillies and mares.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Silver Tree got up by a neck in the Grade 3, $150,000 Oceanport Stakes, one of seven supporting stakes Sunday on the Haskell Invitational undercard at Monmouth Park.
It was one of three stakes wins on the afternoon for jockey Kent Desormeaux, including the Haskell with Big Brown.
This is my favorite horse in the barn, said Desormeaux, referring to trainer Bill Mott's stable. This horse loves his job and always gives his best in every race.
Silver Tree ($5.60), 8, earned his 14th career win with a bold move between rivals to secure the victory.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Marlang ($20.20) set sail on an easy lead and was never headed en route to a comfortable score in the 118th running of the $502,000 Breeders Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Woodbine on Sunday.
Marlang established slow fractions of 25.39 seconds, 50.41, and 1:16.24 in the 1 1/2-mile grass marathon. New York shipper Solitaire, the 4-5 favorite in the 10-horse field of Canadian-bred 3-year-olds, raced in a stalking position along with Cryptonite Kid and Palmers.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher had planned on bringing Grade 1 winner Red Giant back from a 10-month layoff against allowance company earlier in the meet. When the race did not fill, Pletcher went to Plan B, which turned out even better after Red Giant rallied to outfinish Stalingrad by a neck in Sundays Grade 2, $150,000 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga.
This race was the backup plan and we got lucky, said Pletcher, who trains Red Giant for the Peachtree Stable.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Saturday's Flanders Stakes was full of some high-profile trainers and big-name horses. But it was unheralded trainer David Duggan and his little-known filly Porte Bonheur who stole the show at Saratoga.
Receiving a ground-saving ride from Ramon Dominguez, Porte Bonheur shot through an opening along the rail turning for home and outfinished the Bobby Frankel-trained Lovely Isle to win the $82,750 Flanders Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by two lengths.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Pass the Heat ($5.80) returned to his favorite surface, winning the $63,450 Joseph T. Grace Handicap on the turf Saturday at the Sonoma County Fair.
Second choice in the field of six, Pass the Heat was last down the backstretch of the 1 1/16-mile race before moving up on the second turn. Our Partner wore down tiring pacesetter Yacht Spotter to take the lead turning for home, but Pass the Heat, rallying three wide, quickly went by him, winning by two lengths in 1:41.30. Cover Magic, the longest shot on the board, got up for third another length back.
Cherokee Triangle made a late surge to make the lead just before the wire in a frantic three-horse conclusion Saturday in the inaugural running of the $50,000 Cliff Guilliams Memorial Stakes at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.
With Victor Lebron riding for trainer Mike Maker, Cherokee Triangle won by a head over Veiled Prophet, who had taken command with a bold outside move at the quarter pole. El Aleman, the longest shot in the field at 58-1, made a huge late run to finish just another neck back in third.
DEL MAR, Calif. - There's a reason why Zenyatta's perfect through seven starts.
In Saturday's $300,000 Clement Hirsch Handicap at Del Mar, she rallied from last in a field of eight fillies and mares and weaved her way through traffic to win her fifth consecutive stakes. For a moment on the turn, it appeared Zenyatta would be stuck in traffic, but space developed and she responded promptly for jockey Mike Smith.
"She has that ability to length her stride and just stretch," trainer John Shirreffs said.
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - Kentucky horses dominated most of the series, but it was a Delaware shipper, Won Awesome Dude, who captured the richest race, the $142,500 Jewel, to end the 10th annual Claiming Crown on Saturday at Canterbury Park.
Won Awesome Dude, ridden by Casey Lambert, edged away from R Clear Victory in the final yards to post a length triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Jewel. Coyoteshighestcall edged out Sensational Score, the 19-10 favorite, to get third in a field of nine.