ARCADIA, Calif. A pick six carryover of $699,574 will be up for grabs when racing resumes Thursday at Santa Anita.
Bettors wagered nearly $1 million into Mondays pick six, chasing a carryover of $169,781. But for the second straight day, the wager proved elusive. The pick six sequence included only one winning favorite (El Falcon returned $5 in race 6); payoffs in the five other legs ranged from $9.40 to $24.
Korbyn Gold swooped past a pair of front-runners nearing the quarter pole and went on to an 8 1/4-length triumph Monday in the inaugural running of the $50,000 St. Patrick's Day Handicap at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.
Owned by the Scarlet Stable and trained by Mike Maker, Korbyn Gold returned $10.80 as third choice in a field of eight older horses. Victor Lebron was aboard.
Ohio's horsemen and the owner of Thistledown racetrack near Cleveland have reached an agreement that will keep the track open for a 122-day meet in 2008, according to the executive director of the Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
The agreement with the track's owner, Magna Entertainment Corp., will provide for live racing on a Thursday-through-Monday schedule from May 1 to Sept. 8, according to the horsemen's group's executive director, Dave Basler. The meet will go to a four-day per week schedule from then until Oct. 25.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Dream Rush will miss Saturday's Grade 2 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct after suffering a minor injury to a hind leg, trainer Rick Violette said Monday.
Violette said he was forced to miss a Sunday workout with Dream Rush after detecting filling and some heat in a hind leg, possibly incurred from Dream Rush kicking a wall in her stall at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida. Violette said X-rays and other tests proved negative for any fractures and that it's simply a matter of "bad timing.''
At least 10 3-year-olds are likely to run Saturday at Turfway Park in what shapes up as a wide-open 37th running of the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes, the lone major Kentucky Derby prep race of the coming weekend.
Favoritism in the Grade 2 Lane's End could go any number of ways, partly because the Polytrack surface at the Florence, Ky., track has drawn horses with good turf form and others with good dirt form.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Sierra Sunset ran the race of his career to win the Grade 2, $300,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, and it appears he still has room to improve. He has been getting lessons in rationing his speed and will have another month's worth of education before his next assignment: the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 12.
Sierra Sunset raced in second early in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, then overtook pacesetter Sacred Journey after six furlongs in 1:11.61. He went on to a three-length win and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99.
Social Order was moved up to first via the disqualification of original winner Along Came Jones in the $30,000 Princess of Palms Handicap at Turf Paradise.
Along Came Jones, under Daniel Vergara, came out sharply into the lane, bumping into rivals and causing a chain reaction. She continued on for the three-quarter-length win but was disqualified and placed fourth.
Wind Water, a Southern California raider, dominated the proceedings in the $50,000 Bill Thomas Memorial Handicap at Sunland Park.
A 6-year-old gelding trained by Chris Hartman, Wind Water took control of the 6 1/2-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up right from the start. The 3-2 favorite, he coasted home 4 3/4 lengths in front. Absolutely True ran on for second, with longshot Zamrite rallying to finish just a nose back in third.
Wind Water ($5) ran the distance in 1:14.59.
Moneyinmywranglers was a half-length winner over Valid Lil in the $50,000 Mission Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park. It was another eight lengths back in third to favorite Annie Savoy.
Moneyinmywranglers ($7.40) stalked the pace set by Valid Lil through a half-mile, then overtook that one and covered the seven furlongs for Texas-bred fillies and mares in 1:24.86.
Richard Eramia rode the winner for co-owner and trainer Sharon Barker.
OLDSMAR, Fla. - Tampa Bay Downs reported a track-record crowd of 12,746 for Saturday's Tampa Bay Derby card, and while many came away stunned and disappointed with the last-place finish of 2-year-old champion War Pass, it was a big day nonetheless.
Attendance was bolstered to some extent by a promotional giveaway, but it was still the highest in the 82-year history of the track.