Mon, 07/23/2007 - 00:00

River Downs: Cold Trial stalks, pounces

Cold Trial sat behind the dueling leaders before being angled out and drawing away to win by two lengths in the $50,000 Hoover Stakes for 2-year-old Ohio-breds at River Downs.

Ridden by Luis Martinez, Cold Trial ($4) ran the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:06.00. O'Rian and Gold Rush Casey, the early duelers, finished second and third, with O'Rian a neck in front of Gold Rush Casey.

Mon, 07/23/2007 - 00:00

Horsemen's Park: Tepexpan romps

Tepexpan closed out the four-day festival of racing at Horsemen's Park by taking the early lead and romping home by 6 1/4 lengths in the $50,000 Omaha Stakes.

Tepexpan, the 5-2 second choice with Trey Agilar aboard for trainer Leo Gabriel, covered the mile in 1:37.60 over a fast track and returned $7.60. First Class Brass rallied to be second with Bye Bye Beylen another four lengths back in third. The 2-1 favorite, Scaramouche, was sixth.

Mon, 07/23/2007 - 00:00

How Santos cut Cordero's reign short

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When it came to Saratoga, jockey Angel Cordero thought he was invincible. And for 11 straight summers he was exactly that, topping the jockey standings each year from 1976 to 1986.

But in the summer of 1987, a then upstart 26-year-old named Jose Santos did the unthinkable. He unseated Cordero as the top gun, winning the Saratoga riding title 26-22.

Mon, 07/23/2007 - 00:00

Dreaming of Anna back to old ways

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Certainly it was nothing to rival her triumph last fall in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, but Dreaming of Anna's good win Saturday in the Virginia Oaks was cause for celebration among her connections.

Mon, 07/23/2007 - 00:00

The dream Travers: Street Sense vs. Curlin

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense arrived here Sunday morning and took up residence in Barn 6 on the Clare Court side of the main track. Preakness winner Curlin has been here for more than a week, and is housed in Barn 65 on the Oklahoma training track, a good mile or so away.

Whether they get any closer to each other than that during the next six weeks at Saratoga remains to be seen.

Sun, 07/22/2007 - 00:00

Sky Conqueror scores Northern Dancer repeat

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sky Conqueror made a case that he is perhaps the leading turf runner on the continent with a decisive victory in the Grade 2, $698,200 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Turf at Woodbine Sunday.

Earlier this year, Sky Conqueror won the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs. Sunday's victory was his second straight in the mile and a half Northern Dancer.

Sun, 07/22/2007 - 00:00

Del Mar carryover of $206K for Monday

DEL MAR, Calif. -- The $133 upset victory by the improbable Echezeaux in the seventh race at Del Mar on Sunday helped produce a one-day carryover of $206,864 into the pick six for Monday's card.

 First post Monday is 2 p.m. Pacific. There is an eight-race card, with the third race the first leg of the pick six. Post time for that race is approximately 3 p.m.

 

Sun, 07/22/2007 - 00:00

After Market runs 'em down in Read

DEL MAR, Calif. -- In his two previous wins, After Market got made-to-order setups for his late kick. His rivals in the Grade 1, $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap on Sunday at Del Mar tried a change of tactics by slowing down the pace, then attempting to dash clear on the turn.

But pace seems to matter not to After Market. Fast, slow, he can adjust. He reeled in both Out on Control and Rob Roy in the final furlong of the Eddie Read and pulled away late for a 1 1/2-length victory that should serve as an ideal prep for next month’s Arlington Million.

Sun, 07/22/2007 - 00:00

Rags to Riches pulled up during workout

ELMONT, N.Y. - A five-furlong workout by Rags to Riches was aborted shortly after it began Sunday morning when exercise rider Lauren Robson thought she felt something amiss with the 3-year-old filly. But after being examined on the track and then back at the barn, trainer Todd Pletcher said he could not find anything wrong with the Belmont Stakes winner and is hopeful he dodged a bullet.

Sat, 07/21/2007 - 00:00

Sun Boat flies late in San Diego

DEL MAR, Calif. - Sun Boat, claimed for $50,000 in April, proved his second in the Grade 2 Californian Stakes in June was no fluke when he rallied from last to win Saturday’s $300,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.

Among Sun Boat’s victims in the Grade 2 San Diego was Buzzards Bay, the winner of the Californian, who could only finish eighth of nine as the 3-2 favorite.

The victory put Sun Boat on course for the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 19, according to trainer Mike Mitchell.