Fresh off a smashing first-level allowance win, Gattopardo made his stakes debut a success, winning the the $55,200 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds by 2 3/4 lengths at Laurel.
A Triple Crown-nominated son of Johannesburg, Gattopardo improved his record to 3 wins and 3 seconds in 6 starts for Germania Farms Inc. and trainer Tim Tullock.
Classy Deelites shortened strides, ducked in sharply, and in the final furlong of the Gentilly Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds, generally did little right - other than win.
Saved by the wire, Classy Deelites held on to win the $60,000 Gentilly by a diminishing 1 1/4 lengths over favored Peteadoris, who could not quicken fast enough to catch the winner in a race restricted to Louisiana-bred 3-year-olds.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A two-horse race on paper turned into a two-horse race on the track, and the horse who had the better trip prevailed. Colonel John, able to stalk the slow pace set by longshot Victory Pete, held off the late bid of an unlucky El Gato Malo to take the Grade 3, $200,000 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds on a drizzly Saturday afternoon at Santa Anita.
Absolutely Cindy, the only filly in a field of 11 3-year-olds, rallied from last to post a 19-1 upset Saturday in the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.
Bred and owned by her trainer, Keith Kinmon, Absolutely Cindy trailed down the backstretch of the 1o1/16-mile Polytrack race before launching a circling run that resulted in a 1 3/4-length triumph. Your Round, who had made a bold move in wresting command leaving the quarter pole, finished second as the 7-2 second choice, another 6 1/2 lengths before longshot Dixie Decision.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer James Toner wasn't happy with the weight assignments for Saturday's $350,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap. But he was delighted with the results of the Grade 2 race after his 117-pound highweight Sir Whimsey outlasted 6-5 favorite Fairbanks by a half-length to register the first stakes victory of his career.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Instead of a confidence boost, the connections of Daaher had their confidence further shaken Saturday when their Grade 1-winning colt finished a distant third to Malibu Moonshine in the $76,450 Stymie Handicap at Aqueduct.
Malibu Moonshine, the longest shot in a scratched-reduced four-horse field, rallied past Temporary Saint inside the eighth pole to win the Stymie by 4 1/2 lengths. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to Daaher, the 2-5 favorite, and four more lengths back to Evening Attire.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Shediak, one of the leading 2-year-olds in France last year, will make his U.S. debut in the $200,000 San Felipe Stakes on March 15, according to trainer Doug O'Neill.
O'Neill began training Shediak for owner Paul Boghossian's Triple B Farm in late January. The colt was trained briefly by Richard Mandella after arriving in the United States.
Previously trained by Andre Fabre, Shediak had 1 victory in 3 starts last year. He was also second in Grade 3 Prix la Rochette and third in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagerdere behind the highly-rated Rio de la Plata.
OLDSMAR, Fla. Trainer Jamie Ness has been setting a hot pace almost since this Tampa Bay meeting began, and last week was nothing short of torrid.
From Feb. 23 to 28 Ness saddled seven winners. He won once on Feb. 23, came back with a three-bagger Feb. 24, took two races Feb. 26, then won another race Feb. 28. His streak was stopped on Friday, but he still came into Saturdays program with 41 winners, 18 more than second-place Dale Bennett. His incredible win percentage of 40 shows just what kind of meet hes having.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Sweeter Still remained perfect in 2008 with a victory in Saturday's $94,550 China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita, the first career stakes win for trainer Ral Ayers.
Ayers, 29, is normally an assistant to trainer Jeff Mullins, but he has taken over the barn while Mullins serves a 20-day suspension for a medication violation.
Sweeter Still ($11.80) ran a mile on turf in 1:35.57, winning by a length over Carnival Queen. Gorgeous Goose, the 9-10 favorite, finished third in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Pete Ferriola, a three-time leading trainer on the New York circuit who has not saddled a horse since 2001, is coming out of retirement to become a private trainer for Paraneck Stable.
It is unclear when Ferriola will officially take over as the stable's trainer, but he confirmed Saturday that he will begin training shortly. Ernie Paragallo, the authorized agent for his family-owned Paraneck Stable, said he was waiting to hear from Ferriola regarding when he could be in New York. Ferriola currently lives in Springhill, Fla., just north of Tampa.
