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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
ELMONT, N.Y. - First Defence made a successful turf debut Sunday, setting all the early fractions under Javier Castellano and holding on for a head victory over Salute the Count in the Grade 3, $163,300 Jaipur Breeders' Cup Stakes at Belmont Park. It was one-half length back to Mohegan Sky in third.
The top three finishers in last Saturday's Oakland Handicap at Golden Gate Fields were predictable, and the race's results solidified their future plans.
Bonfante, the winner, will now be pointed to the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap at Calder's Summit of Speed on July 12. Runner-up Black Seventeen will aim for the Grade 2 Vanderbilt at Saratoga on July 26. And the third-place finisher, Vicarino, will be pointed to Northern California stakes.