ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Gentleman Chester, who hadn't won since he captured the Springfield Stakes on last year's Prairie State Festival, won the Black Tie Affair on Saturday at Arlington, denying Fort Prado his fourth consecutive victory in the race.
Fort Prado won the Springfield in 2003 then reeled off three straight wins in the Black Tie Affair, but the streak ended Saturday. He could not run down Gentleman Chester, who took the lead in midstretch after getting first run on Fort Prado.
Delaware River was allowed to set a slow early pace and led wire to wire in the $74,250 Willy Wank for Pennsylvania-breds at Presque Isle Downs on Friday evening.
Trained by Bill Campbell, Delaware River set fractions of 25.72 seconds, 50.90, and 1.14.84 in the
1 1/8-mile race before drawing clear to win by a length under jockey Ryan Fogelsonger.
Captain Ernie closed ground late to run second, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of favored Tejanos Eliminator in third.
Pay the Man never gave her backers an anxious moment as she sprinted to a daylight lead out of the gate and won the $50,000 J. William Petro Memorial Handicap by five lengths.
Casey's Jet chased the winner all the way in the 1 1/16-mile race and was clearly second best, 6 1/2 lengths in front of Cryptohio,who finished third in the field of seven Ohio-bred females.
Owned by the Pyrite Stable and trained by Miguel Feliciano, Pay the Man was timed in 1:45.54 over the fast track and returned $3.80 to win. Andrew Ramgeet rode the winner.
Thunder Louie was winless on dirt going into the $36,000 Lord Juban Stakes. Mambo Meister entered the race off a stakes win over the main track. All of which left handicappers scratching their heads after Thunder Louie drew off to an easy 4 3/4-length victory over Unbridled Heat, with Mambo Meister struggling home a well-beaten third as the 2-5 favorite in the overnight Lord Juban stakes originally scheduled for the turf.
Bear Now ($3.30) barely won the $101,200 Hill 'n' Dale Stakes for the second year in a row at Woodbine.
Jockey Jerry Baird let Bear Now go directly to the lead, and they set moderate fractions in 1o1/16-mile route for fillies and mares.
Serenading, who is owned by Hill 'n' Dale Farm principals John and Glen Sikura, closed strongly along the inside in the stretch to finish just a head behind the winner. Lomaki faded to finish third in the eight-horse field, after making a bid on the far turn. The final time was 1:43.49.
Without Zaftig around, J Z Warrior showed her class in the $70,000 Dearly Precious Stakes for
3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park.
In her previous race at Belmont Park, J Z Warrior finished 9 1/2 lengths behind Zaftig in the Grade 3 Nassau County Stakes. That effort was flattered when Zaftig came back to win the Grade 1 Acorn and J Z Warrior earned her first stakes win in the Dearly Precious.
Fabulous Strike rolled to an easy win in his comeback, beating two overmatched rivals Saturday in the $68,250 Vincent A. Moscarelli Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park.
The 5-year-old gelding had not run since capturing the Grade 1 Vosburgh at Belmont Park last September. He came down with a lung infection that required a lengthy recuperation and knocked him out of consideration for the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
Trainer Todd Beattie brought Fabulous Strike along slowly and that patience paid off with a winning effort - Fabulous Strike's 10th in 15 starts.
ETOBICOKE, Ont. - Jim McAleney has picked up the mount on Jungle Brew after his scheduled rider, Eibar Coa, was injured at Belmont Park on Friday.
Jungle Fighter, a maiden owned by Stronach Stable and trained by Brian Lynch, is the fourth choice in the Queen's Plate morning line at 8-1.
McAleney was the leading rider at Woodbine heading into Saturday's card.
A total of 279 horses have been nominated to the 10th annual Claiming Crown series, it was announced Friday by officials with the events co-sponsors, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and the National Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association.
The Claiming Crown, set for Aug. 2, will be held for the eighth time in its 10-year history at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn. The only times the Claiming Crown has been run elsewhere was in 2002 at Philadelphia Park and last year at Ellis Park in Kentucky.
Fair Grounds will run its first Quarter Horse meet in August, the New Orleans track announced Thursday.
State legislation that brought slot machines to Louisiana racetracks requires the racing venues to host Quarter Horse meets to help divide slot-machine revenue between different breeds in the state.