Mint Slewlep, who beat only one horse in his only previous try on turf 13 months ago, handled the grass just fine in Saturday's $60,000 Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial Downs.
Jockey Malcolm Franklin collected his third win of the card when the 4-year-old Mint Slewlep rallied to overtake 8-5 favorite Salinja by three-quarters of a length in the one-mile race.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - It's never over 'til it's over, as Diamond Diva showed on Saturday in the Grade 2, $750,000 CashCall Mile at Hollywood Park.
Diamond Diva, passed at midstretch by Ventura, gamely re-rallied in the shadow of the wire and won by a nose over Ventura in a dramatic finish to the one-mile grass race for older fillies and mares.
MIAMI - Benny the Bull, the undisputed leader of the nation's sprint division, has been assigned 124 pounds for Saturday's $400,000 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder. The Grade 2 Smile shares top billing on the day's rich Summit of Speed card with the $400,000 Princess Rooney Handicap, the only Grade 1 event on the local stakes calendar.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Notional, a Triple Crown contender last year until a fractured leg sent him to the sidelines, reemerged Saturday with a stirring win over Gottcha Gold in the Grade 3, $300,000 Salvator Mile at Monmouth Park.
The win in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Win and You're In race assures Notional a berth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Santa Anita in October.
It had been a long time since Notional, winner of the San Rafael and Risen Star stakes and the runner-up in the Florida Derby last year, was in the spotlight.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Jockey Calvin Borel reached a milestone while capping a memorable Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs by riding Screen Your Friend to an upset in the Grade 3, $164,550 Bashford Manor Stakes.
With his victory aboard 18-1 Screen Your Friend, Borel became the 34th jockey in North American racing history to win 4,500 races while capping a four-win day on the second-to-last program of the 52-day Churchill spring meet.
ELMONT, N.Y. - A flat-footed start proved to be a blessing in disguise for Indian Blessing, who showed a new dimension by coming from off the pace to win Saturday's Grade 1, $250,000 Prioress Stakes by 5 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park.
The previously undefeated By the Light finished second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Indian Way. Secret Gypsy and Tale of the West completed the order of finish.
Summer Doldrums ($4.20) captured the $175,000 Presque Isle Downs Mile on Friday night by three-quaters of a length, setting a track record of 1:35.97 for the one-mile distance.
Under jockey Dale Beckner, Summer Doldrums was kept just off the early pace while saving all of the ground. Beckner asked Summer Doldrums for his best in upper stretch and he responded.
ALTOONA, Iowa -Shining Moment ($6) got up in the shadow of the wire to overtake Western Drama by a neck in the $50,000 Prairie Meadows Lassie for 2-year-old fillies.
Prairie Meadows's leading rider, Terry Thompson, was aboard Shining Moment, who covered the five furlongs in 58.70 seconds She is trained by Steve Assmussen for the Padua Stable.
PLEASANTON, Calif. - Scrumpy ($4.80), a $4,000 claimer last October, became a stakes winner Friday when he rallied along the rail to capture the $60,300 Sam J. Whiting Handicap at the Alameda County Fair.
The victory was the 5-year-old Scrumpy's ninth straight Northern California victory, a string that began with a win in a $4,000 claimer last Oct. 20 at Bay Meadows. Scrumpy, who was coupled with Thoughtuknew, went off as the slight 7-5 favorite. Multiple stakes winner Vicarino, who finished fourth, also went off at 7-5.
LINCOLN, Neb. - The Nutz ($4.20) took control going to the final turn and drew off for a strong three-length win over eight other rivals in Friday's $18,340 State Fair Board Stakes at Lincoln.
The Nutz, ridden by Don Herber for trainer Steve Hall, drew off into the stretch then was only shown the whip through the closing furlong while posting his fifth win of the year. He previously had won the state's richest race, the $75,000 Bosselman/Gus Fonner Stakes at Fonner Park in April. He covered the mile and 70 yards over a fast track in meet-best time of 1:40.80.
