Mon, 04/21/2008 - 00:00

Closing day carryover must be paid out

ARCADIA, Calif. - Sunday's final day of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting features a pick six carryover of $178,359. Because Sunday is the final day of the meeting, there is a compulsory pick six payoff even if there are no ticketholders with six winners. If there are no tickets with six winners, consolation tickets with five winners will share the pool.

Sun, 04/20/2008 - 00:00

Colonel John tunes up for Derby

ARCADIA, Calif. - Colonel John, the Santa Anita Derby winner, turned in an effortless five-furlong work at Santa Anita on Sunday morning, his penultimate work for the May 3 Kentucky Derby.

Colonel John was timed in 59.40 seconds, and his work was termed breezing by John Malone, Santa Anita's official morning clocker. Only 3 of the 45 works at five furlongs on Sunday were designated breezing.

Malone had Colonel John completing his final quarter-mile in 23.20 seconds. Eoin Harty, Colonel John's trainer, had Colonel John galloping out six furlongs in 1:12.40.

Sat, 04/19/2008 - 00:00

Foxysox holds on in Santa Barbara

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Close finishes are becoming commonplace in Foxysox's 2008 campaign. After finishing fourth by a neck in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Handicap last month, she prevailed in a three-horse photo in Saturday's $200,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Foxysox ($11.40) took the lead in the final furlong and held off late rallies from Black Mamba and I Can See to win the Grade 2 Santa Barbara by a nose over Black Mamba. I Can See finished a nose behind Black Manba in the field of eight fillies and mares.

Sat, 04/19/2008 - 00:00

Frigid weather shuts Stampede

Stampede Park was forced to abandon its program after five races had been run on Friday evening as driving snow and freezing temperatures enveloped the Calgary area.

On Saturday, the racetrack announced that the Saturday and Sunday programs also had been canceled as snow continued and the temperature remained below zero when the wind chill factor was taken into account.

Sat, 04/19/2008 - 00:00

Rite Moment keeps on rolling

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Rite Moment transferred her stellar inner track form to Aqueduct's main track, rolling to a 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $158,100 Bed o' Roses Handicap at Aqueduct.

Lady Marlboro rallied from well off the pace to be second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Cowgirls Don't Cry. Golden Dawn, the even-money favorite, finished fourth, and was followed by Sutra and You Asked.

Sat, 04/19/2008 - 00:00

Ryan's for Real rides rail to Hartack win

STICKNEY, Ill. - The second graded stakes of the Hawthorne meet unfolded much like the first one: Horse A sent for lead, Horse A, makes lead, Horse A stays on lead.

Two Saturdays ago, it was Recapturetheglory winning the Illinois Derby on the engine. Saturday, in the Grade 3, $200,000 Bill Hartack Memorial, Ryan's for Real sprang to the lead from the outside post in a five-horse field. Challenged early, middle, and late by favored Fairbanks, Ryan's for Real fought back while racing along the fence, and eventually won the Hartack by 3 1/2 lengths.

Sat, 04/19/2008 - 00:00

No purse deal seen by opener

MIAMI - The long 2008 Calder meeting that opens Monday could begin under a cloud of controversy and uncertainty, as track officials and the local horsemen's group are not likely to have a signed purse agreement in place by opening day.

Sat, 04/19/2008 - 00:00

Icabad Crane camp talking Preakness

Icabad Crane bounced back from his first career defeat with a gritty head victory over a stubborn Mint Lane in Saturday's $150,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico. It was three lengths back to Deputyville.

The Tesio is Pimlico's prep for the May 17 Preakness Stakes, but it remains to be seen if Icabad Crane, a New York-bred son of Jump Start, will point to the $1 million second leg of the Triple Crown, also run at Pimlico.

Sat, 04/19/2008 - 00:00

Jade's Revenge wins again on Polytrack

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jade's Revenge reaffirmed a fondness for the Keeneland Polytrack when drawing away Saturday to a 3 3/4-length triumph in the $109,900 Fort Harrod, one of two stakes on the Coolmore Lexington undercard.

With Edgar Prado aboard, Jade's Revenge put away longshot Poison Pill after stalking the early pace, then easily pulled clear from the field on the final turn of the 1 5/8-mile race to put the issue to rest. The victory was the second in as many starts on the Keeneland Polytrack for Jade's Revenge, who last spring won the Grade 3 Ben Ali Stakes.

Sat, 04/19/2008 - 00:00

Hadavision wins Peach Blossom on return

Hadavision came back from a long fall-winter break to win her stakes debut, taking the $100,300 Peach Blossom by a half-length.

Ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Hadavision sat just off the early pace in the six-furlong Peach Blossom, then split horses in upper stretch and ran down Big Easy for the victory. True Intentions was another 1 1/4 lengths back, third in the field of six 3-year-old fillies.