One of the primary goals of the Claiming Crown series is to solicit recognition for the unsung heroes in racing, horses that are overshadowed by the sport's biggest stars.
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DRF Past Performances
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - As the field left the backstretch in last Saturday's Go for Wand Handicap, Ermine was in perfect stalking position along the rail to earn her second career Grade 1 victory. Instead, she retreated steadily through the final three furlongs, ultimately finishing sixth and last, much to the disappointment of trainer Ronnie Werner, who did not have to wait long to discover the reason for the sub-par effort.
The leaders in the 3-year-old division are gradually returning to the races after a mid-summer hiatus, and on Saturday 10 second-tier 3-year-olds will try to move up in the standings in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Race Track.
The field includes Delightful Kiss, the Ohio Derby winner and likely favorite, and four horses who ran in this year's Kentucky Derby - Sam P. (ninth), Dominican (11th), Zanjero (12th), and Bwana Bull (15th).
AUBURN, Wash. - In the wake of last Sunday's Mile Preview Day racing, it looks as though owner Ron Crockett could be fielding a three-horse entry in the Grade 3, $400,000 Longacres Mile on Aug. 19.
Two of Crockett's Mile hopefuls earned their berths in Sunday's $70,000 Mt. Rainier Handicap at 1 1/8 miles. Entrymates The Great Face and Don'twritemeoff finished one-two, with the Tom Wenzel-trained The Great Face leading throughout under a masterful ride by Juan Gutierrez and the Pat Mullens-trained Don'twritemeoff finishing strongly for second.
Magic Show Czech takes Governor's Cup Futurity
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Magic Show Czech, fifth in the $1.1 million Ed Burke Million Futurity in June, won his first stakes in Saturday's $400,000 Governor's Cup Futurity for 2-year-old Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos.
The Governor's Cup Futurity was the richest race on a 13-race program for California-bred Quarter Horses.
DEL MAR, Calif. - The debate over the merits and consistency of Del Mar's new Polytrack surface reached a new level of discourse on Monday morning when prominent horse owner Ahmed Zayat and Del Mar's president Joe Harper got into an animated, and at times profane, discussion near the stable area racing office that abruptly ended with Zayat saying he was going to immediately remove his horses from the grounds.
AUBURN, Wash. - Under a patient ride from Macario Rodriguez, Beaulena waited in fourth position while the heavily favored She's All Silk and longshot Light My Ducks dueled through six furlongs in a rapid 1:09.60, then moved strongly through the stretch to post a 1 1/4- length victory in Saturday's $45,000 Boeing Handicap at Emerald Downs.
Sudden Departure, the second choice in a field of five, closed well for second and She's All Silk held third.
Wayzata Bay ($6.80) successfully defended his title in the $78,375 Prairie Meadows Handicap but it was far from easy.
Sur Sandpit along the rail, Wayzata Bay between horses, and Real Dandy on the outside matched strides the entire length of the stretch before Wayzata Bay prevailed by a nose over Real Dandy with the hard-trying Iowa-bred Sur Sandpit another nose back in third.
It was so close that jockeys Carlos Montavlo on Wayzata Bay and Terry Thompson, who rode Real Dandy, took turns congratulating the other.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The Irish-bred Shermeen ($13.80) won a head bob from Gentle Charmer to capture the 37th running of the $56,985 Luther Burbank Handicap at the Sonoma County Fair on Saturday.
"When their heads go up and down, up and down as you approach the wire, you're lucky when you win," said winning jockey Frank Alverado.