ALBANY, Calif. Fantastic Spain ($18.20) outfinished favored Notable Guest to win the Grade 3, $191,400 Golden Gate Fields Breeders Cup at 1 3/8 miles on the turf Monday at Golden Gate Fields.
Last early, Fantastic Spain began to move up in the field of eight on the backstretch, while far behind leaders Now Victory and Railroad.
I wasnt concerned about the runners up front, I just wanted to stay in contact with the pack, winning jockey Chad Schvaneveldt said.
INGLEWOOD, Calif.-The Tin Man did not act his age at Hollywood Park on Monday. What he did do was prove why he is one of the best turf horses in the nation.
Making his 9-year-old debut, The Tin Man won his fourth consecutive stakes in the $398,200 Shoemaker Breeders Cup Mile, a race that drew an outstanding field of turf milers, most of whom were 4- and 5-year-olds.
Benefiting from a perfect trip under jockey Victor Espinoza, The Tin Man won the Grade 1 Shoemaker by three-quarters of a length over Get Funky, who finished a nose in front of pacesetter Willow O Wisp.
Trainer Charlton Baker's dominance of the George W. Barker Handicap continued when Johnie Bye Night won just as easily Monday as he did a year ago.
The 5-year-old Johnie Bye Night ($5.30) gave Baker his fourth consecutive victory in the $50,000 Barker for New York-bred sprinters by cruising to a 6 1/2-length victory.
No one came close to challenging Johnie Bye Night, ridden by John Davila Jr., as he set fractions of 21.56 and 43.74 seconds. His time of 1:09.71 for six furlongs was only slightly slower than the stakes record of 1:09.34 he set in 2006.
Miss Tizzynow, last of seven following the first six furlongs, rallied to nip New Edition by a nose in the $61,895 St. Georges Stakes for 3-year-old turf fillies at Delaware Park on Monday.
The winner, ridden by Jeremy Rose for trainer Graham Motion, drifted in and bumped slightly with New Edition right at the wire, but the order of finish remained unchanged following a stewards' inquiry and a jockey's objection.
For Miss Tizzynow, it was her third win in nine starts and second in three races on grass.. She covered the 1 1/16 miles on a firm course in 1:43.31.
Racing on grass for the first time in her 14-race career, the New York-based Smart and Fancy ($6.40) took command in deep stretch and drew off to a 2 1/2-length victory in Monday's $100,000 Turf Amazon Handicap at Philadelphia Park, a five-furlong sprint for fillies and mares.
It was the third straight win - all in stakes - for the 4-year-old Smart and Fancy, ridden for the first time by Harry Vega. She is based in New York with trainer Tony Dutrow.
Cajun Mistress, also making her turf debut, finished second, a neck in front of Truly Blushed, who nosed out Wild Berry.
The betting public figured the Todd Pletcher-trained Bullara couldn't miss in Monday's Awad Stakes for 3-year-old grass horses at Arlington Park, but this time the public was way off.
Bullara got just the kind of wide trip one should have expected after breaking from the outside post in the one-mile Awad, and after a seven-wide run around the first turn, even-money Bullara - the only horse taking much money in the 11-horse Awad - had nothing left in the stretch drive.
Miss Macy Sue, with Eddie Razo Jr. aboard, made a winning move on the far turn before rolling to her third straight stakes victory in the $110,100 Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Owned by Roll Reroll Stables and trained by Kelly Von Hemel, Miss Macy Sue returned $5.60 as the second choice in a field of eight fillies and mares. She finished six furlongs in 1:08.68.
Cuaba rallied to finish second, 2 1/4 lengths behind the winner, while Morethanaprincess was third and Ready to Please, the 3-2 favorite, was fourth.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Bob and John fought off a surging Sweetnorthernsaint for a neck win in the Grade 3, $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap on Monday, giving his rider, Garrett Gomez, a sweep of the three graded stakes on the annual Lone Star Million Day card.
The Lone Star was the richest race of the meet and one of six stakes on a program worth more than $1.1 million. Gomez also won the Grade 3, $200,000 Ouija Board with Lady of Venice, and the Grade 3, $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup with Embossed.
Top Cross vaulted from fifth to first on the turn, then quickened to the wire to win the $60,000 Lamplighter for 3-year-olds on Monday at Monmouth Park like a 4-5 shot should - without a moment of anxiety.
Ridden clear of traffic and three wide up the backstretch by Chris DeCarlo, Top Cross made a spectacular move for the lead, passing the first four runners in matter of about 10 or 11 strides. He hit the wire 3 1/4 lengths ahead of 13-1 shot Chaluiwitcane, who beat the pace-setting 8-1 shot Encaustic for second by 1 1/4 lengths in the field of eight.