Jockey James Graham swept the two $100,000 stakes run Friday night at Delta Downs when he guided Good and Lucky to victory in the Gulf Coast Classic and Unforgotten to a dominant win in the Goddess.
Good and Lucky ($5.80) went wire to wire in the Gulf Coast, and covered the 1 1/16 miles for 4-year-olds and up in 1:44. He won by 2 3/4 lengths over Crossword. It was another head back in third to 4-5 favorite Beta Capo.
Josie Carroll trains Good and Lucky for James and Alice Sapara.
Desert Code salvaged an otherwise dismal meeting with a slight upset in the $76,850 Joe Hernandez Stakes at Santa Anita.
After finishing 14th in the Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26 and 11th in the Daytona Handicap on Feb. 17, Desert Code wore blinkers for the first time in the Hernandez and won the hillside turf sprint by two lengths over pacesetter Tenga Cat. Ridden by Richard Migliore, Desert Code ($12) ran about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:12.36.
Double or Nothing ($10.20), stretching out beyond six furlongs for only the second time in his 12-race career and making his first start in a stakes, held off Regal Solo by a half-length in the $64,600 Private Terms Stakes for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.
Claimed out of a maiden race for $50,000 last August by trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., Double or Nothing came into the one-mile Private Terms off a string of six straight starts against starter allowance company in New York.
Junior College won the $50,000 Hot Springs Stakes for the second straight year on Saturday when he swept past his dueling rivals in the stretch to win in front of an Oaklawn Park crowd of 16,818. Indian Chant finished 2 3/4 lengths back in second, while it was another three lengths back in third to Lovango.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Perhaps no horse typifies the meet trainer Gary Contessa and owner Winning Move Stable have had this winter more than Rite Moment.
Like her connections, Rite Moment can succeed long or short, on wet ground or fast, and just keeps coming at you with no signs of regression.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.- Saturday's live racing program at Gulfstream Park was canceled after the sixth race because of unsafe track conditions brought about by steady rains that struck the area just before the running of the first race. Among the four races canceled was the Grade 2, $200,000 Shirley Jones Handicap.
The cancellation was the second of a racing card already in progress during the meet. Racing was canceled after the first race on Feb. 15 due to heavy rains.
\ARCADIA, Calif. - Polonius, who won his stakes debut in the one-mile Pasadena Stakes on turf on March 15, is likely to make his graded stakes and main-track debut in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 5, trainer Michael Pender said.
Pender, who gained his first stakes win in the Pasadena, said he was considering the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, and the Santa Anita Derby, and added, "I'd like to stay here at home."
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. Linda Rice has been conspicuous by her absence at Gulfstream Park this winter, having started just seven horses at the meet. But the well-respected New York-based trainer figures to make her presence felt when she sends out Dicey D J among the key contenders in Mondays $41,500 allowance feature for 3-year-old fillies on the turf.
ARCADIA, Calif. Rollerskates proved unbeatable when she was allowed to set an easy lead in an optional claimer on turf earlier this month at Santa Anita. If she can win again in Mondays fourth race at Santa Anita, an optional claimer, she will fulfill trainer Matt Chews expectations for her.
Along with her owners, Seymour Teichner and his family, Chew believes that Rollerskates will thrive over longer distances. Mondays distance of 1 1/4 miles on turf equals the longest race in Rollerskatess career.
OLDSMAR, Fla. - The folks on hand to watch last Tuesday's fourth race witnessed more than a few things that can go wrong in the course of a race.
For starters, Cathy's Clown became extremely agitated and fractious in the starting gate and delayed the start. Then, just a split second before the gates opened the filly tried to rear up, and she threw her head over the side of the starting gate bars, effectively eliminating herself. A split second later, when she did leave the gate, she managed to knock down one of the assistant starters.
