Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Frankel sensitive about weight for Ginger Punch

ELMONT, N.Y. - Bobby Frankel has Ginger Punch's last two starts of the year figured out, it's the next one or two before then that literally will weigh heavy on the trainer's mind.

Ginger Punch, the defending champion older mare, cruised to a 7 3/4-length victory in last Saturday's Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap here under an impost of 123 pounds. With virtually all of the upcoming graded events in the division run as handicaps, Frankel is leery of running in races where she has to carry too much weight.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Nationhood holds off even-money favorite

Nationhood ($6.40) confronted the pacesetting Westsideclyde after six furlongs in 1:10.60, forged to the front in the upper stretch, and drew off to score a 2 1/2-length victory in Sunday's $60,000 Budweiser Emerald Handicap at Emerald Downs.

Westsideclyde, the even-money choice, held second by a half-length over Jamaica Bound.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Cal My Bluff relishes switch to sloppy track

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Call My Bluff sprung an upset Sunday in the $67,900 Battlefield Stakes that came off the turf before a Father's Day crowd of 23,058 at Monmouth Park.

Call My Bluff ($10), ridden by Pedro Cotto Jr. for trainer Derek Ryan, was the longest price in the four-horse field. He took command right from the start and rolled to an 8 1/4-length win over Presious Passion with I'm Only Laughing third.

The time was 1:50.83 for the 1 1/8 miles on the sloppy track.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Southern Exchange hits a home run

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - There were a couple of highly touted invaders in Sunday's $150,900 Victoria, as Dicey Riley shipped in for trainer Wesley Ward and Segal took up temporary residence in trainer Steve Asmussen's barn here.

But when the smoke had cleared, it was Southern Exchange, based at Woodbine with trainer Greg De Gannes, who won by daylight under jockey Jono Jones to run his record to 2 for 2.

Southern Exchange, a Florida-bred, is owned by Bill and Vicki Poston of Marietta, Ga.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Out Gamble makes it five in a row

Out Gamble ($5.40) ran his winning streak to five straight races while moving up to stakes company with a handy 3 1/2-length win over six others in Sunday's $15,000 President's Cup Stakes at Lincoln.

Out Gamble, trained by Mickey Washburn, benefited from the scratch of Bevys Best and had his own way with the pace of the six-furlong race. With Yuri Yaranga riding, Out Gamble was never challenged as the 8-5 favorite. He covered the distance in 1:12.40 over a fast track. First Class Brass rallied from near the back of the field to gain second.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Ghost Dancing wins turf debut

Ghost Dancing ($4), making her first start on turf compiling a 4-for-8 record sprinting on dirt, rallied to defeat 15-1 longshot Bopolene by 1 1/4 lengths in the $60,000 Oakley for Virginia-bred 3- and 4-year-old fillies at Colonial Downs.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Wishing Wishes prevails by a neck

Wishing Wishes ($11.60) outfinished Talking Treasure by a neck to win the $50,000 Susan B. Anthony Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares at Finger Lakes. Defending champion Hoosick Falls, the 128-pound highweight, tired and finished last of seven as the 2-1 favorite.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Ronaldino runs down 1-5 favorite

Ronaldino ($9.40), benefiting from a heads-up ride by Alan Cuthbertson, wore down 1-5 favorite Lookinforthesecret to capture the $50,000 Free Press at Assiniboa Downs by three-quarters of a length on Sunday.

Trained by Terry Jordan, Ronaldino was cutting back to six furlongs for the Free Press after winning the Stampede Park Sprint Championship at the distance two starts back.

Lookinforthesecret, trained by Jamie Ness, finished four lengths clear of Illusive Force in the field of six.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Southern Exchange overcomes bad start

Southern Exchange ($8.50) overcame a miscue at the break to topple a quality field in Sunday's $150,900 Victoria Stakes, a five-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.

With Jono Jones up, Southern Exchange broke behind his four rivals, but he regrouped quickly and ended up stalking the front-runner, Yo Joe, who got the opening quarter in 22.23 seconds.

Southern Exchange took control at the head of the stretch and then drew off for a 4 3/4-length score over the 4-5 favorite, Kentucky shipper Dicey Riley. Segal finished third in a race that was run in 57.48.

Mon, 06/16/2008 - 00:00

Two Step Salsa passes first test around two turns

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Two Step Salsa made even-money look like an overlay Sunday at Hollywood Park, scoring a powerful victory in the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds that was his first start around two turns.

Ridden by Martin Pedroza, Two Step Salsa ($4) set strong fractions of 46.61 seconds and 1:11.13. then drew off by 3 1/4 lengths in a rapid 1:41.57. Only three races this meet at 1 1/16 miles have been run faster, including Grade 2's by Surf Cat and Zenyatta.