Mon, 07/02/2007 - 00:00

Spaghetti Mouse does his best at nine furlongs

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Once again Spaghetti Mouse, who is trained by Ned Sams, proved he's an exceptional horse when he stretched out to 1 1/8 miles with a convincing win in the Grade 3, $107,850 Lieutenant Governors for the second straight year at Hastings on Sunday.

Spaghetti Mouse has now won 5 of his 6 starts going 1 1/8 miles. His winning time was 1:49.61.

Under a well-timed ride by Dave Wilson, Spaghetti Mouse came from slightly off the pace to post a two-length win over longshot Timeless Passion.

Mon, 07/02/2007 - 00:00

Run Brother Ron romps

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Run Brother Ron ($2.60) was never seriously challenged as he scored a wire-to-wire, three-length victory over Younique Cat in the $53,160 Everett Nevin Alameda County Futurity on Sunday.

His victory made it two straight wins in the Cal-bred 2-year-old stakes for trainer Jeff Bonde, who won the race with the filly Sharoana last year. Run Brother Ron's time in the five-furlong race was 57.34 seconds.

Mon, 07/02/2007 - 00:00

Mini Mom much the best in Cincinnatian

Mini Mom dominated a field of five other 3-year-old Ohio- accredited fillies in the $50,000 Cincinnatian at River Downs on Sunday.

Sent off as the 1-9 favorite, Mini Mom pressed the pace through slow fractions under jockey Cesar Camaque, took command entering the second turn, and drew off while in

hand as the rider pleased. The winning margin was six lengths, but could have been more as Camaque never used the whip. The winning time for 1 1/16 miles, moved to the fast main track from the turf because of a sprinkler system malfunction, was 146.3.

Mon, 07/02/2007 - 00:00

True Metropolitan holds off Mustanfar

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - True Metropolitan turned back a stern stretch bid from New York shipper Mustanfar to capture the Grade 3, $200,400 Dominion Day Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

True Metropolitan led throughout the 1 1/4-mile race, setting moderate fractions of 23.97 and 47.52 seconds under Todd Kabel. Palladio, the 6-5 favorite, and Mustanfar both loomed into contention on the far turn, and Mustanfar tried True Metropolitan several times before coming up a half-length short. Palladio was third in the six-horse field.

Mon, 07/02/2007 - 00:00

Lava Man's next goal: Pacific Classic repeat

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - With his place in the Hollywood Park record book secure as the second three-time winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup, Lava Man will be pointed for another record-equaling accomplishment this summer.

He will try to become the third horse to win consecutive runnings of Del Mar's richest race - the $1 million Pacific Classic on Aug. 19. Lava Man won the 2006 Pacific Classic by 2o1/2 lengths and will try to join Tinners Way (1994-95) and Skimming (2000-2001) as repeat winners.

Mon, 07/02/2007 - 00:00

No Summit of Speed for Pussycat Doll

MIAMI - Saturday's Grade 1 Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder lost some of its luster after trainer Bob Baffert decided not to send his three-time Grade 1 winner Pussycat Doll for the race, as originally expected.

Pussycat Doll would have been the starting highweight under 123 pounds in the six-furlong Princess Rooney, part of the $2 million Summit of Speed program.

Mon, 07/02/2007 - 00:00

Pletcher sweeps Belmont stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - It appears as if trainer Todd Pletcher's 2-year-old crop is as strong as ever as he won both juvenile stakes run at Belmont Park on Sunday. Jockey John Velazquez was aboard both winners.

Ready's Image, equipped with blinkers for the first time, rolled to a 7 3/4-length victor over longshot Izzy Speaking in the $110,600 Tremont for males. An hour earlier, Glacken's Gal won a three-way battle for the lead then fended off a challenge from odds-on favorite Dubit in the stretch to win the $109,300 Astoria for fillies by two lengths.

Sun, 07/01/2007 - 00:00

$3.2M pick 6 carryover at Hollywood Monday

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Hollywood Park will have a pick six carryover of $3,274,505 for Monday’s eight-race program, the highest carryover in track history.

Bettors failed to solve the tricky wager for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday, a program that begin with a pick six carryover of more than $1.4 million. Bettors added $3.4 million on Sunday, but no one had all six winners, even though there were two winning favorites.

Monday’s eight-race program begins at 1:20 p.m. Pacific, and the first pick six race, the third race, will be run at approximately 2:20 p.m.

Sun, 07/01/2007 - 00:00

Lone Star cancels after sudden rainstorm

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Lone Star Park canceled the fourth through ninth races Sunday following a heavy, sudden rainstorm that left areas of the track unsafe for racing. According to officials, eight-tenths of an inch of rain fell within 15 minutes.

"When the riders went on the track, they felt there were some washouts, and that water was still draining off the track," said Drew Shubeck, president and general manager of Lone Star.

Sun, 07/01/2007 - 00:00

Night of upsets at Evangeline

OPELOUSAS, La. - The third annual Louisiana Legends Night turned into an evening of surprises at Evangeline Downs on Saturday. Favorites - six of them even money or less - were defeated in seven of the eight stakes events restricted to Louisiana breds.

Pinecrest Boy ($103.80) began the parade of upsets in the $75,000 B. B. "Sixty" Rayburn Stakes for 3-year-olds, defeating 1-2 public choice St. Zarb.