Beyond the Reach ($19.90), sent off as the longest shot on the board in Saturday's six-furlong Mamie Eisenhower at Prairie Meadows, ran like she belonged with the best older Iowa-bred fillies and mares when she scored by 1 1/4 lengths.
After being caught in the middle of a three-way speed battle, Beyond the Reach finally shook clear as the field reached the top of the stretch only to have the the 2-5 favorite, Camela Carson, looming dangerously on her outside.
Trainer Donnie Von Hemel and jockey Don Pettinger swept the two Oklahoma-bred stakes run at Will Rogers Downs on Saturday, when Marq French captured the $35,000 Oklahoma Thoroughbred Association Classic and Midsummer Magic won the $35,000 Cherokee Casino Classic.
Both races were at six furlongs.
ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Greg Gilchrist, who believes it's important to enjoy the highs of racing because there are so many lows, is riding a hot streak that began on Mother's Day when Wild Promises scored her first stakes victory.
What has Gilchrist happiest, though, is Vicarino's 3 1/2-length victory over Tribesman in an allowance race last Friday at Golden Gate Fields. In his two previous starts, Vicarino finished third after dueling with Tribesman in the Grade 3 Bay Meadows Sprint on March 15 and was fifth in the Grade 3 Count Fleet at Oaklawn Park on April 10.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The time to see the best horses in Kentucky was not this past weekend at Churchill Downs, although several good races, including the Matt Winn Stakes, were contested.
Rather, it was Monday morning, a dark day at the track, when seemingly one top stakes horse after another worked over the Churchill Downs main track, including the 2007 Horse of the Year, Curlin, and the third-place finisher from this year's Kentucky Derby, Denis of Cork.
ARCADIA, Calif.- A 64-1 upset by Quiet Warrior in a maiden race on Saturday helped to create a carryover of $135,297 for Sundays nine-race program at Hollywood Park.
Sundays pick six covers the fourth through ninth race on a program that begins at 1:20 p.m. The pick six includes three main track and three turf races.
There were a few changes at scratch time on Saturday. In the sixth race, Dice Afare has been withdrawn from the sixth race, a maiden claimer over six furlongs. The race will have 11 entrants, led by Texas Dolly who is trained by Rafael Becerra.
BALTIMORE - Larry Jones and Gabriel Saez were participants in some somber discussions as the 133rd Preakness neared Saturday. As the trainer and jockey of the Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles, Jones and Saez had talked at length about the fatal misfortune that befell the filly.
BOSSIER CITY, La. Superior Storm stalked the early pace under defending Louisiana Downs riding champion John Jacinto before taking over in the stretch to win Saturdays Fantasia Stakes, the first of six $50,000 stakes restricted to Louisiana-breds on the opening day program.
Trained by Richard Jackson, Superior Storm ($5.60) won for the fifth time from nine starts, and the 3-year-old daughter of Stormy Atlantic covered the six furlongs over a fast track in 1:11.70.
Matt's Broken Vow outran 3-5 favorite Bonanza in the final sixteenth to capture the $151,300 Marine Stakes for 3-year-olds at Woodbine.
Matt's Broken Vow and Bonanza both rallied on the far turn in the 1 1/16-mile test, and the former prevailed by a half-length, in a time of 1:44.28. He paid $12.10. Discreet Commander faded to third after setting honest fractions on a clear lead in the Grade 3 event.
Miner's Claim, the morning-line favorite, was scratched due to a bout of colic, according to trainer Mark Casse.
With only four 3-year-old fillies in the $63,050 Just Smashing at Monmouth, you'd think they could have avoided a speed duel in the 5 1/2-furlong race. Tell that to those who bet the 9-10 favorite Mikeslittlegirl, who battled with the 12-1 Fist of the Fleet through a half-mile in 45.19 seconds, setting up the stalkers D'wild Ride and Sumptuous.
D'wild Ride, off slowly under Joe Bravo, took the lead in the stretch and kept Sumptuous at bay to win by a half-length. D'wild Ride, by D'wildcat, covered the distance in 1:03.22 and paid $6.80. Mikeslittlegirl finished third.
Lemon Drop Mom took advantage of a major drop in class to romp in the $58,000 Winter Melody Stakes at Delaware Park.
Lemon Drop Mom ended her 3-year-old season last year with a 2-for-3 run in Delaware stakes, but in her three previous starts this year, all at Oaklawn, had finished sixth in the Pippin, fifth behind Hystericalady in the Grade 3 Azeri, and fourth to Zenyatta in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom.