GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas Toga Too slipped through an opening along the inside nearing the quarter pole and darted to a length and a half win over Lissas Star in the $50,000 Carter McGregor Memorial Stakes at Lone Star Park on Saturday.
It was another length back in third to War Bridle. Nuttyboom, who was favored, closed for fourth in the race, which was restricted to horses bred in Texas.
The Potters Hand needed the entire River Downs turf stretch, but got by Catlaunch nearing the wire to win by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile $50,000 Sydney Gendleman Memorial at River Downs.
Jockey Edgar Paucar stalked the pace early from the hedge aboard The Potters Hand before angling out on the far turn and rallying into the stretch. The Potters Hand ($6), trained by Marie Vaught, has now won 7 of 14 times on the grass. The 2-1 favorite, he ran the distance in 1:14.40.
After half of the eight-horse field in the Jostle was scratched, Akronism - the longest shot on the board - went quickly to the lead, beat back a challenge by 2-5 favorite Cantrel at the quarter pole, and won the $100,000 race for 3-year-old fillies by 7 3/4 lengths.
Trained by Tim Ritchey for Cranes Racing Stable, Akronism ran the 6o1/2 furlongs on a fast strip in a slow 1:15.08 under Anthony Black and paid $21.60. Akronism raised her record to 4-1-2 from 9 starts and her earnings to $158,977.
Cantrel held second by 2 3/4 lengths over Richwoman.
Bear Now ($3.10) dueled with Femmina through an opening quarter of 23.65 seconds in 1 1/16-mile race. She opened up a clear lead on the backstretch, while setting fractions of 47.03 and 1:11.21, and then drew off for a 9 3/4-length win, in a time of 1:43.78.
Like a Gem finished a clear second, and Top Notch Lady nailed Roving Angel on the wire for third in the seven-horse field. Silver Highlight was pulled up on the backstretch.
Trainer Reade Baker said Bear Now would make her next start in the $500,000 Delaware Oaks.
Moon Catcher, a 13-1 longshot, and Winning Point, the 6-5 favorite, ding-donged for the lead throughout the 1 1/16-mile Susan's Girl Breeders' Cup at Delaware Park, a $175,000 race for 3-year-old fillies.
Winning Point trailed by a head and was rallying in midstretch when Moon Catcher suddenly edged away, opened up, and won by a widening two lengths.
Winning Point had run second, 8 1/4 lengths ahead of fourth-place Moon Catcher, in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan on May 18 at Pimlico.
Leading trainer Jon Arnett could not be happier with the post Cajun Pepper drew for the $25,000 Aspen at Arapahoe Park on Monday. He will break from the outside post in a field of six, the extreme opposite of his last start, when he had a troubled trip from the rail in the Arapahoe Sprint.
"The worst thing that can ever happen on this horse is to draw the one hole," said Arnett. "If he draws the one hole, it's just like the kiss of death for him."
Summer Doldrums, a Triple Crown contender early in the spring, has found renewed life on the grass.
In a thrilling finish, Summer Doldrums with Jose Lezcano aboard, edged Strike a Deal Saturday to capture the $750,000 Colonial Turf Cup for 3-year-olds at Colonial Downs.
Summer Doldrums ($9.60) moved into Triple Crown consideration with an impressive front-running win in the Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct in February, but he did not move forward off that effort, running third in the Gotham Stakes and fourth in the Wood Memorial.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As Michael Matz watched the stretch run unfold in the Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Stakes, he and his family grew increasingly quiet in their third-floor box at Churchill Downs. Chelokee, the even-money favorite representing Matz and owner Centennial Farms in the Grade 3 race, had been passed by Zanjero, who seemed poised for victory.
But then Chelokee re-rallied near the rail, and as he nudged ahead in the final 20 yards to post a neck victory in the $223,800 Northern Dancer, Matz and his clan were rooting with fervor.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - One concern entering Arlington Park's first season of Polytrack racing was the consistent failure of speed horses at Keeneland, which has exactly the same kind of Polytrack as Arlington. But don't tell Lady Belsara you can't win on the lead here.
Popping out of the gate and taking a clear early advantage, Lady Belsara fought back gamely when challenged in the stretch by favored Trendy Lady, and won the Grade 3, $175,000 Chicago Handicap by a half-length. Making just the seventh start of her career, Lady Belsara won a stakes in her first try.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Indian Vale entered Saturday's Grade 2, $327,600 Fleur de Lis Handicap as a mare hoping rejoin the ranks of the nation's best fillies and mares with a victory against top-level stakes competition.
Consider her task accomplished. In an impressive display of speed and courage, Indian Value turned back bids from Apple Blossom winner Ermine and Spinster winner Asi Siempre to win the Fleur de Lis by 1o1/2 lengths.