Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Invasor overcomes trouble for impressive Donn win

Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos
Invasor starts defense of his Horse of the Year title with a dramatic two-length victory in the Donn.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – In a performance more than worthy of his status as the reigning Horse of the Year, Invasor overcame a near-disastrous trip to register a heart-stopping two-length victory over Hesanoldsalt in Saturday’s $500,000 Donn Handicap. The Grade 1 Donn capped an outstanding day of racing at Gulfstream Park that featured five other graded stakes and included an impressive victory by leading Kentucky Derby prospect Nobiz Like Shobiz.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Keyed Entry hardly rusty

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Keyed Entry gave every indication he will be a force to reckon with in the sprint division the remainder of the year when he returned from a seven-month layoff and cruised to an impressive five-length victory over Sir Greeley in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Deputy Minister Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Crafty Bear sneaks through

Crafty Bear ($11.40), racing for the first time since he was moved to the barn of Mike Trombetta, registered his first stakes victory in the $50,900 Miracle Wood for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park.

Formerly trained by Hall of Famer Bud Delp, who died on Dec. 29, Crafty Bear was last of four for the first half-mile, advanced through an opening along the rail under Mario Pino to overtake pacesetter Saratoga Lulaby with a furlong remaining, and pulled away to a 3 3/4-length victory. He covered a mile on a fast track in 1:38.55.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Summer Cruise moves late

Well placed behind a spirited duel for the lead for five furlongs, Summer Cruise angled out four wide to challenge into the stretch and came away with a 1 3/4-length victory in the $60,000 Manatee Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

Ridden by Carlos Montalvo, Summer Cruise scored her fourth career win over the Tampa Bay surface, covering the seven furlongs over a track labeled good in 1:25.43. Gadolinium closed from well back to be second, a neck ahead of Zooming By, who had disputed the pace to midstretch.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Golden Gate: Vaderator hangs on

Vaderator ($8.20), outrunning Set Alight and Trickey Trevor early, opened up in the lane and had just enough left to hold off fast-finishing Britt's Jules by a nose, winning his stakes debut in the $59,350 Fairfax Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Mykindasaint gets perfect trip at 25-1

Mykindasaint, the longest shot on the board at 25-1, marched through the stretch Saturday to win the $75,000 Pan Zareta Handicap at Fair Grounds by 3 1/4 lengths.

Jockey Gerard Melancon had a bridle full of horse the whole trip and just waited for the moment to unleash Mykindasaint's devastating speed.

Donnie Meche sent Wild as Elle on a suicide mission through a quarter mile in 21.80 seconds. Others in the race tried but could not match that pace, but Melancon broke Mykindasaint alertly from her outside post and she tracked the pace without overextending herself.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Nobiz Like Shobiz moves to head of class

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - After getting off Nobiz Like Shobiz following his easy victory in the Grade 3, $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, jockey Cornelio Velasquez said what most everybody will now recognize.

"I think he's the best 3-year-old now," Velasquez said.

Nobiz Like Shobiz ($3.40) made his bid to be the pro-tem leader of the nation's 3-year-olds, and the current favorite for the Kentucky Derby, by overcoming seven rivals and a track that seemed to favor the inside to score a 1 1/2-length victory in the Holy Bull.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Sprinters step up for rematch

NEW ORLEANS - Primal Peak and Regwell, who finished one-two in a turf allowance sprint at Fair Grounds on Jan. 8, meet again in Monday's feature, a second-level allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass course.

Both horses are recent claims who have stepped up nicely into allowance competition. Cody Autrey claimed Primal Peak for $50,000 on Dec. 7, waited a month, and ran him on the grass even though he ran poorly at Churchill Downs in his only previous turf start. The 4-year-old Primal Peak turned in an impressive effort, running past Regwell late.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Smitty's Sunshine may try males

NEW ORLEANS - Next Saturday's Taylor's Special Handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass may be overshadowed by the four Grade 3 stakes on the Fair Grounds card but it is shaping up as a good betting event featuring several quality horses.

The Steve Asmussen-trained Gaff, winner of the Bonapaw Stakes on Dec. 23, is the likely favorite against such challengers as Gigawatt, Storm Surge, Venomous, and Yucatan.

Sat, 02/03/2007 - 00:00

Santa Anita carryover now $123,739

ARCADIA, Calif. – Saturday’s program at Santa Anita, a 10-race card that features three consecutive stakes, will have a pick six carryover of $123,739.

No one hit the pick six on Friday, creating the carryover.

Saturday’s pick six covers the fifth through 10th races, including the $100,000 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds, the $75,000 Thunder Road Handicap on turf, and the $300,000 Strub Stakes for 4-year-olds. They are run as the seventh through ninth races.