ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Greg Gilchrist has a way with the girls.
It started with Soviet Problem and Work the Crowd, a pair of California champions. Last Friday, he brought the undefeated 3-year-old filly Indyanne back from nine months on the sidelines to win her comeback against older by seven lengths, running 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.57.
Tellin On You ($7.60) collected his second career stakes victory by defeating Johnny Five by a length in the $20,700 State Fair Breeders' Special at Lincoln on Saturday afternoon.
Tellin On You settled back off the pace set by 3-5 favorite Ittakestwobaby and Johnny Five, then finished up with a good late run to collar those two and edge clear in 1:42.40 for the mile over a fast track. Johnny Five held on for second as Ittakestwobaby faded back to fourth. Tellin On You was ridden by Yuri Yaranga for trainer David Anderson.
Undeterred when the race was switched from turf to the main track, Prospective Kiss ($4.80) scored by three lengths in the $50,000 Brooks Fields Stakes at Canterbury Park on Saturday.
Heavy rain earlier in the week forced track officials to transfer the Brooks Fields from its scheduled running on the turf course to a one-mile race on the main track, which was listed fast. The surface switch reduced the field to six runners, with Prospective Kiss the 7-5 favorite.
Bernie Blue ($2.80), left as the lone speed following three scratches, set an uncontested soft pace of 50.04 seconds and 1:14.16 en route to a 3 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Slipton Fell Handicap at Mountaineer Racetrack. In winning the mile-and-70-yard race for the second straight year, Bernie Blue covered the distance in 1:43.36.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Trainer Steve Asmussen swept both divisions of the $100,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity on Saturday, when Lyin' Heart overcame trouble to win the colts and geldings division by 3 1/2 lengths and Bridesmaid edged stablemate Lightlightlight in the fillies division. The races were co-featured before a crowd of 14,914 at Lone Star Park.
Misty Ocean's career has changed with a move to running around two turns on turf.
In the Grade 2, $173,250 Honeymoon Handicap, Misty Ocean won her third consecutive race, and first graded stakes, leading throughout 1 1/8 miles on turf. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Misty Ocean ($11.60) led by 3 1/2 lengths on the backstretch and was fully extended through the final furlong to hold off Bel Air Sizzle, who broke slowly.
Sweeter Still finished third in the field of six 3-year-old fillies after taking a brief lead in the stretch from Misty Ocean before fading in the final furlong.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Maybe it wasn't as good as winning, but finishing second and third behind Ginger Brew in the Woodbine Oaks was a major accomplishment for trainer Josie Carroll.
Victory Romance, owned by Donver Stable, was sent off at 21-1 and earned $100,000 for her second-place finish under jockey Emile Ramsammy.
Authenicat, owned by Vinery Stable and Fog City Stable, was 32-1 and picked up $55,000 for ending third under rider Robert Landry.
"I thought both my fillies ran terrific races," said Carroll. "They just ran into an exceptional filly."
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Ginger Brew overcame some bumping early in the stretch before pulling away for an easy victory in Sunday's $502,800 Woodbine Oaks.
Ginger Brew ($3.20) bided her time in 10th on the first turn of the nine-furlong race for Canadian-bred 3-year-old fillies, and then made up ground on the backstretch under Javier Castellano.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - To an extent, Lava Man revived his career with a game third in Saturday's Grade 1 Charles Whittingham Handicap at Hollywood Park.
The performance left the owners of the millionaire 7-year-old gelding and trainer Doug O'Neill dreaming of a record-breaking fourth consecutive win in the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on June 28.
"That has got to be the game plan," O'Neill said.
O'Neill said that Lava Man emerged from the race "a little tired, but not bad."