High Moment capitalized on an error by jockey Pablo Fragoso on apparent winner Meribel to nip J'ray by a nose in Wednesday's $100,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial Handicap at Philadelphia Park.
Fragoso and Meribel, the 2-1 second choice, had a clear-cut lead in deep stretch of the 1 1/16-mile turf race when he apparently misjudged the finish line and stopped riding inside the sixteenth pole, turning the race into a duel between the Maryland-based High Moment and New York shipper J'ray.
First Class Brass and Bevys Dazzler both pulled minor upsets in winning their respective divisions of the $17,500 State Fair Board Stakes on Wednesday's holiday card at Lincoln.
First Class Brass ($12.80) took the first divison with a four-wide rally under Armando Martinez to claim a 1 1/4-length win over High Dice in the day's seventh race. First Class Brass, trained by Martinez's wife, Kelli, covered the mile and 70 yards in 1:42 over a fast track.
Under a patient ride from Douglas Portillo, Sudden Departure lagged half a dozen lengths behind the heavily favored She's All Silk through six furlongs in 1:08.60, then reeled in that rival inside the sixteenth marker to prevail by half a length in Wednesday's $45,000 King County Handicap for fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.
Sudden Departure got the mile distance in a stakes-record 1:34.20 and paid $15.80 to win as the second choice in the field of nine. She's All Silk, who was bet down to even money, held second by three-quarters of a length over Beaulena.
Snowdrop ($25.40) was hustled to the lead, controlled the pace nicely, and pulled away in the lane despite lugging out as she captured the $50,390 Alameda County Fillies and Mares Handicap at the Alameda County Fair on Wednesday.
With odds-on Bai and Bai sitting in a stalking position, Snowdrop maintained a one-length margin down the backstretch. When Bai and Bai tried to make a move on the turn, Snowdrop's jockey, Roberto Gonzalez - who had ridden Bai and Bai in all her previous starts - asked Snowdrop for a quick move.
Mystery Classic powered up the rail for a 1 3/4-length win over favorite Orphan Brigade in the $50,000 Lone Star Park Sprint on Wednesday. The five-furlong race was originally scheduled for turf, but after rain in the area it was moved to a muddy main track. Toga Too finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Orphan Brigade.
The Stars and Stripes Handicap is run on Arlington Park's turf course at 1 1/2 miles, but the race came down to a bob of the head. And the way things have gone this year for Robby Albarado, you knew which horse had gotten his head down. Albarado and Always First prevailed by inches over Ramsey Zimmerman and Cloudy's Knight, who took a tough loss in a game effort.
Idiot Proof broke the track record in the Grade 3, $150,000 Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes one race after Joe Bravo got his 4,000th win to highlight a festive July Fourth holiday card at Monmouth Park.
Bravo reached the milestone aboard Alotofappeal in the eighth race.
"I want to thank all the agents I had in the past, the trainers and the owners that helped me to 4,000," said Bravo, who had four wins on the card.
Idiot Proof ($10.60) was the equine star before a crowd of 15,791.
Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. was concerned that wet weather would force Wednesday's $100,000 Mecke Handicap to be taken off the grass, preventing Magic Mecke from defending his title in Calder's traditional July Fourth feature.
Not to worry.
Sure enough, heavy showers Tuesday evening moved the Mecke from the turf to the main track. So Plesa went to Plan B, scratching Magic Mecke and then sending out Electrify to register a 3 1/4-length decision over 9-5 favorite Cheiron. Golden Strategy finished third.
Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, won his first race in a year Wednesday in the $100,000 Wadsworth Memorial Handicap at Finger Lakes in Farmington, N.Y.
Management at Finger Lakes doubled the Wadsworth purse from $50,000 in order to attract Funny Cide - and, to the chagrin of his seven rivals in the 1 1/8-mile race, it worked.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Imagine if Todd Pletcher took Octave to Australia to run in one of that country's richest races, and you can start to wrap your head around what trainer David Hayes and his filly Anamato will try to accomplish Saturday in the Grade 1, $750,000 American Oaks at Hollywood Park.