OCEANPORT, N.J. - English Channel continued his love affair with Monmouth Park on Saturday, winning the $750,000 United Nations Stakes for a second straight year with another course-record performance.
Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 5-year-old English Channel ran the 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:12.89, lowering the mark of 2:13.24 he set in last year's renewal. English Channel paid $3.20 to win as the heavy favorite of the crowd of 12,278.
MIAMI - Turf or dirt, it apparently doesn't matter these days to River's Prayer.
After registering her last four victories on grass, River's Prayer returned to the main track to post a half-length decision over 2-1 favorite Shaggy Mane in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A small opening helped Lady of Venice make a big impression in Fridays $1 million CashCall Mile at Hollywood Park.
Stuck behind rivals briefly on the final turn, Lady of Venice was guided through a gap by jockey Julien Leparoux and responded with a tremendous rally to win the Grade 2 race on turf for fillies and mares.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Mystery Classic showed a new dimension Wednesday night when he came from off the pace to win the $50,000 Lone Star Park Sprint. Usually a front-runner, he sat behind three dueling leaders before taking command of the off-the-turf race in the stretch. Eddie Martin Jr. rode the horse in place of regular pilot Bobby Walker Jr.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The live handle at Hastings is down considerably compared with last year. Part of the reason for the substantial decline is that there have been fewer racing days this year, 22 as compared with 26 last year, but the daily average all-sources average handle on Hastings races is also down, by 13.7 percent.
Comparing figures through July 2, the total live ontrack handle at Hastings this year is $6,475,146, while last year, with four more days, the total was $8,459,426. That's a 23.5 percent drop overall, a 9.5 percent drop in daily average.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - Suzzane made a very positive impression in her first U.S. start.
A 5-year-old mare bred in Argentina, Suzzane finished third, beaten only a neck, in a seven-horse field in the West Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 10.
Trainer Joe Orseno expects an even better effort here Sunday the $60,000 Blue Sparkler Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
"It was a great debut," Orseno said. "I knew we were a work or two away from really being ready. It was a short field, so we decided to take advantage of it.
AUBURN, Wash. - She's All Silk's speed is an awesome weapon, as she demonstrated when she blitzed her field in last month's Washington State Legislators Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, however, and that appeared to be the case in Wednesday's one-mile King County Handicap for fillies and mares.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Declan's Moon, the champion 2-year-old male of 2004, ended a seven-race losing streak with a come-from-behind victory in an optional claimer at Hollywood Park on Thursday.
Declan's Moon has run near the lead in most of his races, and the style of his Thursday victory pleased trainer Ron Ellis. Ellis and owners Mace and Samantha Siegel are considering Declan's Moon for the $300,000 Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar July 29.
The Grade 1 Bing Crosby is run over six furlongs, and Ellis said he wants to keep Declan's Moon at six or 6 1/2 furlongs.
ELMONT, N.Y. - After trying to resuscitate his career in Florida, New Jersey, and then California, Jorge Chavez is coming home to New York.
Chavez, who dominated the New York Racing Association circuit in the 1990s, will return to New York next weekend, where he will ride the final seven days of the Belmont summer meet and all of Saratoga.
Chavez has spent the last 11 months in Southern California, and though he had at one time planned to relocate there permanently, it was his family's wishes that he return to New York.