Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

'Victress' streak at three

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.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Tres Dream gets stakes

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.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Mini Mom bests boys

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.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Gold Like U draws off

Saratoga-based shipper Gold Like U, off at 4-5, vied for the lead with 8-5 second-choice Miss Silver Image on the turn and shook loose when roused in the lane, drawing off to win the $50,000 Arctic Queen at Finger Lakes by a widening 6 1/2 lengths.

Gold Like U, ran the six furlongs in 1:10.76 under John Grabrowski for trainer Gary Contessa and owner Winning Move Stable. She paid $3.60. A 6-year-old mare, she has now won 11 of 30 starts and rised her lifetime earnings to $389,403.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Unbridled Behavior scores

Unbridled Behavior, the second-longest price at 11-1 in a scratch-reduced field of five, took advantage of a three-way pace duel to close fastest of all and win the $60,000 Chesapeake at Colonial Downs.

Ridden by Erick Rodriguez, Unbridled Behavior sat fourth while stalking a contested pace, rallied four-wide on the turn, gained the lead in midstretch, and won by 1 1/2 lengths, paying $24. Time for the six furlongs was a quick 1:09.30. The first quarter was run in a 22.08 seconds and the half in 44.70.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Donato Hanover wins Hambo

Donato Hanover, the dominant 3-year-old trotter, won harness racing's biggest prize Saturday, the $1.5 million Hambletonian before 26,115 at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

Driven by Ron Pierce, Donato Hanover ($4) beat Adrian Chip by 1 1/4 lengths with Laddie third. The time for the mile was 1:53.40.

Donato Hanover ran third in his debut last year. He has not lost since, stretching the winning steak to 13.

Donato Hanover took charge down the backstretch in a race with very little pace that went in 58.40 seconds for the first half-mile.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Excessive Heat wires Dash

Excessive Heat used her high speed to dominate the $75,000 Georgia Juvenile Filly Turf Dash, leading throughout to post a decisive 4 3/4-length triumph over Arealhotlover. Salty Wave, who entered the five-furlong grass race undefeated in two previous starts, finished a tiring fourth as the even-money favorite.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Social Queen rallies

Social Queen stormed home from last in a seven-horse field to win the $60,000 Staybridge Suites of Eatontown Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf at Monmouth Park.

Social Queen ($7.40) edged 3-2 favorite My Golden Quest by a neck with Limoncella third. The time was 1:42.73 for the 1 1/16 miles on the firm course.

Jockey Chuck Lopez showed great patience, letting the race unfold despite a moderate pace.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Executrix closes in Nandi

Executrix overtook a determined Dancing Doris in the stretch and went on to notch her first stakes win in the $126,600 Nandi for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

Executrix settled in fourth on the backstretch after breaking from post 8 under Ray Sabourin, as Authenicat, Dancing Doris, and Better Than Bitter dueled through honest fractions in the six-furlong sprint. Executrix closed four-wide on the turn, and hit the front at the eighth pole en route to a half-length victory in a time of 1:12.31.

Sat, 08/04/2007 - 00:00

Favored Starvinsky cruises

Even-money choice Starvinsky cruised to his fourth straight victory, on Saturday at Delaware Park, streaking to the lead and staying there in the $75,000 Nick Shuk Memorial for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Ridden by Jeremy Rose for trainer Bruce Jackson and owner Richard Schultz, Starvinsky cut soft fractions of 25.65 seconds for the quarter-mile, 49.58 for the half, and 1:13.25 for six furlongs. His final time was 1:42.89 and his margin of victory was 3 1/4 lengths.