HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Christmas Kid, whose breeding and race record suggests her future should be strictly on the turf, showed her versatility by switching back to the main track to register an impressive four-length victory over High Again in Saturday's $150,000 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
The race was marred when 4-5 favorite Meditations was pulled up by jockey Rafael Bejarano a half-mile into the Grade 2 event.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Summer Doldrums is certainly enjoying the winter in New York.
Summer Doldrums, a 3-year-old son of Street Cry, may have put himself on the Triple Crown trail Saturday with an authoritative 5 1/4-length victory in the $70,070 Whirlaway Stakes before 3,671 at Aqueduct. Sir Whimsey rallied to be second, three-quarters of a length ahead of Sports Town. Brass Run finished fourth while the previously undefeated Lawrence the Roman, the 1-2 favorite, finished fifth. Pink Viper, the Count Fleet winner, finished last.
NEW ORLEANS - Trainer James Hodges would rather not run his stakes-winning Louisiana-bred Chip Hunter against open company, but Monday's feature race at Fair Grounds, an entry-level allowance at a mile on the grass, is too inviting a spot.
That's because Chip Hunter's allowance and stakes wins against statebreds don't count under the conditions of the race, giving him a class edge. Lifetime earnings of $163,585 make the 5-year-old Chip Hunter the richest horse in the field.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Dream Rush gave trainer Rick Violette his second important stakes victory in less than 30 minutes, and did so at the expense of the previously undefeated Eclipse Award champion Dreaming of Anna, when she coasted to a 3 1/2-length victory in Saturday's $150,000 Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Violette also won Aqueduct's Whirlaway Stakes with his promising 3-year-old colt Summer Doldrums.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Nick Zito, who has already had a dozen second-place finishes during the opening five weeks of the Gulfstream Park meet, told his help earlier this week he needs a "Ruffian" to get out of the rut.
Silver Knockers may not be Ruffian just yet but the 3-year-old filly was good enough not only to get Zito back in the winner's circle but to keep her record perfect by beating a strong field of entry-level allowance rivals here Thursday. The field included the previously undefeated Panty Raid, a highly regarded Todd Pletcher filly.
NEW ORLEANS - The $75,000 Chou Croute next Saturday is one of the few stakes opportunities at the meet for older female route horses. One of the best of that group stabled here this winter, Ermine, has gone to California for a Grade 1 opportunity, and the shape of the Chou Croute will be in great part determined by what Todd Pletcher decides to do, since Pletcher has four of the 17 nominees to the Chou Croute. Fair Grounds racing officials hoped to learn from Pletcher this weekend which, if any, of his horses he might send.
Semaphore Man proved much the best in the $50,000 Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Friday, when he rolled to a 3 1/2-length win over Level Playingfield. It was another three lengths back in third to Rodeo's Castle.
The Hot Springs was rescheduled for Friday after inclement weather caused the cancellation of racing on its original date, Feb. 3.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A year to the day after her first win in a Grade 1, Balance will be after another milestone in Sunday's $200,000 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita.
The Grade 2 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies is run at 1 1/8 miles, an important distance in the 2007 plans for Balance, according to trainer David Hofmans.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The undefeated Hard Spun came out of last Wednesday's bullet five-furlong work in good order, his connections said, and remains on target for the $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 19.
The one-mile race is one of three stakes to be run here over the Presidents Day weekend. Also on deck is the $50,000 Pippin at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares next Saturday and the $50,000 Martha Washington for 3-year-old fillies at a mile next Sunday.
Turfway Park canceled its racing program Thursday night after two races, marking the fifth full or partial cancellation at the Florence, Ky., track since the winter-spring meet began Jan. 1.
Last year, the first winter-spring meet during which Turfway used Polytrack, there were no cancellations. Turfway president Bob Elliston said Friday morning the latest cancellation was made in consultation with jockeys, with the official reason being "frigid temperatures that made conditions unsuitable for racing."
