OCEANPORT, N.J. - Any Given Saturday rallied for an emphatic 4 1/2-length victory Sunday over Hard Spun and Preakness winner Curlin in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
Garrett Gomez saluted the crowd of 43,106 with a jubilant whip pump as Any Given Saturday ($5.60) earned his first Grade 1 victory and raised his profile within the 3-year-old division.
The decisive margin and the quality of the field was a powerful statement by an emerging star.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Marchfield ($9.30) rallied from far back under Patrick Husbands to capture the 117th running of the $501,600 Breeders' Stakes, the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown at Woodbine on Sunday.
It was the first stakes victory and turf debut for Marchfield, a nicely bred A.P. Indy colt with a quality turf pedigree. Trained by Mark Casse for Melnyk Racing Stable, he earned $300,000, which brought his career earnings to $463,753.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When Silver Tree has lost at Saratoga, it has taken a championship caliber horse to beat him. There were no such animals in Sundays Grade 2, $150,000 Fourstardave Handicap.
Silver Tree, under Kent Desormeaux, exploded in the final sixteenth of a mile to win the Fourstardave by three-quarters of a length over Drum Major. It was one length back to Host in third.
Woodlander finished fourth and was followed by Giant Basil, Brilliant, the 9-5 favorite who stopped badly after taking the lead in mid-stretch, and Fishy Advice.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Jockey Rafael Bejarano had Saturday's $400,000 John Mabee Handicap at Del Mar figured out from the start.
Bejarano guided his mount, Precious Kitten, into a stalking position behind Dancing Edie in the first few strides of the Grade 1 turf race, a strategy that led to an ideal trip. Precious Kitten, who was expected to be near the front, rallied three wide on the final turn to take the lead in the stretch before pulling away to score the most prestigious victory of her 15-race career.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Relaxing nicely on the lead, defending champion Now Victory ($3.40) had no trouble repelling a brief challenge by Saratoga's Magic at the quarter pole to score an easy victory in the $50,930 Joseph T. Grace Handicap on Saturday at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds.
Now Victory had an open lead on Saratoga's Magic, taking command as the field of six raced to the first turn. He relaxed nicely under Frank Alvarado and still hadnt been asked when Saratogas Magic crept within a half-length at the quarter pole.
HENDERSON, Ky. - John Witte ran into the winner's circle trembling. "This is my greatest day in racing," said Witte. "Here we are, in my old Kentucky home. This is the best."
Witte had just watched a horse he owns in partnership, Unplugged, get up in the final stride to win one of the seven Claiming Crown races run amid sweltering conditions at Ellis Park. For the first time in its nine-year history, the Claiming Crown was run in Kentucky, and Witte, a Delaware resident who is a partner in J.D. Racing Stable, was ecstatic to have made the trip.
Stormello was scratched from Sunday's $1 million Haskell Invitational after developing colic.
The winner of the Grade 1 Hollywood Futurity last December, Stormello arrived at Monmouth Park from California late Friday afternoon and showed signs of distress later that evening.
He was vanned to the Midlantic Equine Clinic in Ringoes, N.J., for treatment.
Swifty Victress extended her win streak to three at Evangeline Downs as she outdueled even-money favorite Iknowuthinkimsexy to win the filly division of the John Franks Memorial Sales Stakes. Longshot Sefapiano finished third, followed by Do the Tiger.
Tres Dream became a stakes winner Friday night at Remington Park, when she closed from well back and went on to a 5 1/4-length win in the $50,000 Ponca City. The six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies was the first stakes of the meet that opened Thursday. Gallant Dreamer finished second in the race, 3 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Irish Party.
Mini Mom made it look easy beating the boys in the $50,000 Horizon on the turf at River Downs.
Breaking from the 11 post in the field of 12, jockey Cesar Camaque took Mini Mom to the hedge and bided his time to the stretch. Mini Mom was steadied briefly entering the far turn, but Camaque didn't panic. She responded nicely when asked and drew clear by 2 1/2 lengths in midstretch. Camaque just showed her the whip late, and held on to win by a length.