Tonight Rainbow opened his 2007 campaign with a strong 3 1/4-length win in the $10,550 Grasmick Stakes at Fonner Park, successfully defending his title and winning the race for the third time in five attempts.

With Chad Benjamin aboard for trainer Boyd Caster, Tonight Rainbow took charge entering the stretch of the half-mile Grasmick and drew off for the win in 45.60 seconds as the 4-5 favorite in the field of five.

Tonight Rainbow has been a dominant force at Fonner Park and improved his record over the track to 12-1-3 from 21 starts.

Takedown, ridden by Glen Murphy, bided his time off the pace, found a seam between horses into the lane, and drove home to win the $100,000 Borderland Derby at Sunland Park by 1 1/4 lengths. This earns him a spot in the $600,000 WinStar Derby at Sunland on March 18. A horse who wins the WinStar Derby, the Santa Anita Derby, and Kentucky Derby wins a bonus of $500,000.

Tie Rod firmly established himself atop the local 3-year-old pecking order with a demonstrative victory in the $100,000 Turf Paradise Derby.

Trained by Joe Johnson, Tie Rod dueled with R Big Stuff in the 1 1/16-mile event, got the better of that rival going to the far turn, spurted clear into the lane, and had no trouble keeping favored Gregorian Bay safe through the final furlongs, coming home 2 3/4 lengths clear. Tie Rod ($6.60) covered the distance in 1:43.91 under Juan Rivera.

Banquo pulled a 30-1 upset in the $125,000 Jim's Orbit division of the Texas Stallion Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park when he closed for a 1 1/4-length win over Daddy Warbucks. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to favored Power Surge.

Banquo ($63.20) trailed the field at one point in the one-mile race for 3-year-olds, made the lead in the late stages, and went on to cover the distance over a fast track in 1:40.56. Jose Figueroa rode the winner for Steve Asmussen.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Devil House won her fifth straight race Sunday in the $50,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park, when she led throughout in her two-turn debut for a five length win over Spartan Queen. It was another length and three-quarters back in third to Time’s Mistress.

Devil House ($9.80) broke sharp and moved to the lead easily in the one-mile race, as her main pace rival, Cat On a Cloud, stumbled to her nose at the start and lost her rider, Calvin Borel, who walked away from the incident.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Bedlam Bertie took advantage of a field devoid of early speed to lead five rivals from start to finish in the $134,375 Sensational Star Handicap for California-bred turf sprinters on Sunday at Santa Anita.

The speedy Proud Tower Too, who would have been a heavy favorite in the Sensational Star, ran on Saturday in the Grade 2 San Carlos Handicap. His absence benefitted Bedlam Bertie, who was able to comfortably dictate the pace under jockey David Flores.

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Proud and Bold and Art of Diplomacy both shoot for their third straight wins but face a host of challengers, including several talented runners from south Florida, in a field of nine for Tuesday's headliner at Tampa Bay Downs. The optional claiming race is slated for about 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

LAUREL, Md. - Oprah Winney turned back all challenges to notch her third straight stakes triumph, and first in a graded race, when she led virtually every step of the way Saturday in the Grade 2, $285,000 Barbara Fritchie Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Oprah Winney returned $8.20 to win after turning back a bid from Silmaril to prevail by three-quarters of a length. Smart and Fancy finished third, another length back, while Leah's Secret, the 2-1 favorite in a field of eight fillies and mares, was away poorly and was never a factor, coming in fifth.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Going Ballistic is the most proven closer in the $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Monday, and it appears there will be ample speed to fuel his late run. He has already won two stakes at the one-mile distance of the race, having come to hand quickly last year when he began running around two turns in July.

"He'll be off the pace, no doubt," said Donnie Von Hemel, who trains Going Ballistic for Mike and Mary Kindred. "I think that he just likes to settle in early in the race, and then do his running later on.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The weather felt more like what trainer Barclay Tagg might expect back home in New York in mid-February rather than in south Florida. With the temperature in the low 40's, he sent out leading Kentucky Derby contender Nobiz Like Shobiz to work five furlongs in 1:00 under jockey Cornelio Velasquez here Saturday morning.

Nobiz Like Shobiz is pointing for the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 3.