Voters in Hancock County, W.Va., approved a measure Saturday that will allow Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort to operate casino-type table games such as poker, blackjack, and roulette.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Any possible doubts of whether True Metropolitan was capable of competing with the best of his class in Ontario had to be permanently put to rest by his performance in Sunday's Grade 3 Dominion Day here at Woodbine.
With jockey Todd Kabel in the irons, True Metropolitan led throughout the 1 1/4-mile Dominion Day and showed true grit in prevailing by a half-length over the invading Mustanfar.
The Ron Geary era begins at Ellis Park when the Henderson, Ky., track opens a 46-day meet Wednesday.
The first week of the Ellis meet coincides with the final five-day stretch of the spring meet at Churchill Downs, marking a rare dates overlap on the Kentucky circuit. Officials with both tracks have said they intend to start their races at intervals that will make it easy for simulcast players to watch and wager on both tracks.
AUBURN, Wash. - Wild Cycle stalked the pace from the outside through six furlongs in 1:11, moved to take command entering the stretch and drew clear to win Sunday's $45,000 Tacoma Handicap at Emerald Downs for 3-year-olds by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:35.20 for a mile. Call on Carson got up for second after a poor break, while Mulcahy closed for third in the field of six.
ELMONT, N.Y. - It appears as if trainer Todd Pletcher's 2-year-old crop is as strong as ever as he won both juvenile stakes run at Belmont Park on Sunday. Jockey John Velazquez was aboard both winners.
Ready's Image, equipped with blinkers for the first time, rolled to a 7 3/4-length victor over longshot Izzy Speaking in the $110,600 Tremont for males. An hour earlier, Glacken's Gal won a three-way battle for the lead then fended off a challenge from odds-on favorite Dubit in the stretch to win the $109,300 Astoria for fillies by two lengths.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Once again Spaghetti Mouse, who is trained by Ned Sams, proved he's an exceptional horse when he stretched out to 1 1/8 miles with a convincing win in the Grade 3, $107,850 Lieutenant Governors for the second straight year at Hastings on Sunday.
Spaghetti Mouse has now won 5 of his 6 starts going 1 1/8 miles. His winning time was 1:49.61.
Under a well-timed ride by Dave Wilson, Spaghetti Mouse came from slightly off the pace to post a two-length win over longshot Timeless Passion.
PLEASANTON, Calif. - Run Brother Ron ($2.60) was never seriously challenged as he scored a wire-to-wire, three-length victory over Younique Cat in the $53,160 Everett Nevin Alameda County Futurity on Sunday.
His victory made it two straight wins in the Cal-bred 2-year-old stakes for trainer Jeff Bonde, who won the race with the filly Sharoana last year. Run Brother Ron's time in the five-furlong race was 57.34 seconds.
Mini Mom dominated a field of five other 3-year-old Ohio- accredited fillies in the $50,000 Cincinnatian at River Downs on Sunday.
Sent off as the 1-9 favorite, Mini Mom pressed the pace through slow fractions under jockey Cesar Camaque, took command entering the second turn, and drew off while in
hand as the rider pleased. The winning margin was six lengths, but could have been more as Camaque never used the whip. The winning time for 1 1/16 miles, moved to the fast main track from the turf because of a sprinkler system malfunction, was 146.3.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - True Metropolitan turned back a stern stretch bid from New York shipper Mustanfar to capture the Grade 3, $200,400 Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.
True Metropolitan led throughout the 1 1/4-mile race, setting moderate fractions of 23.97 and 47.52 seconds under Todd Kabel. Palladio, the 6-5 favorite, and Mustanfar both loomed into contention on the far turn, and Mustanfar tried True Metropolitan several times before coming up a half-length short. Palladio was third in the six-horse field.