Sun, 01/28/2007 - 00:00

Ramazutti shows new dimension

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Ramazutti, whose best previous races have all been on the lead, showed a new dimension on Sunday when rallying from off the pace to a 1 1/4 length victory over Dreadnaught in the $150,000 Mac Diarmida(G2) Handicap.

Ramazutti was rated off the early pace of Mending Fences and Gin And Sin by jockey John Velazquez. A 5-year-old son of Honor Grades who had been winless since November of 2005, Ramazutti engaged for the lead entering the stretch, forged clear nearing the sixteenth pole then withstood the final bid from the hard luck Dreadnaught.

Sun, 01/28/2007 - 00:00

Student Council best in Maxxam Gold Cup

Favored Student Council rallied for 3 1/4-length win over highweighted Mr. Pursuit in the $100,000 Maxxam Gold Cup Handicap at Sam Houston on Saturday night.

The 1 1/8-mile race is the meet's premier dirt stakes for older horses, and was one of two stakes on the program. Christmas Lily ($10.40) captured the $50,000 Sam Houston Distaff.

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 00:00

Bishop Court Hill ends battle early

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Officially, it took 69.20 seconds for Bishop Court Hill to win Saturday's $69,225 Paumonok Handicap at Aqueduct. In reality, it took about four seconds to decide this six-furlong dash.

With Bishop Court Hill easily outbreaking Attila's Storm for the early lead, Bishop Court Hill opened up a huge early advantage and cruised to a 2 1/4-length victory under Jose Santos. Attila's Storm, under Chuck Lopez, chased all the way and finished second, three lengths ahead of Super Fuse. Pavo nosed out Wild Jam for fourth.

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 00:00

Nowandforevermore solid on either surface

NEW ORLEANS - The feature race on Monday's Fair Grounds card is an entry-level allowance sprint slated for the turf, but it will likely be moved to the main track after heavy rain inundated the grass course over the weekend.

The surface switch won't bother Nowandforevermore, who has won both of his starts at the meet for trainer Pat Herbert, who has won five races from only eight starters.

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 00:00

Gun Salute back after layoff of nearly a year

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Gun Salute will make his first start since finishing third as the betting choice in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Breeders' Cup Stakes last February when he tops a strong field of eight turf routers in Tuesday's headliner at Tampa Bay Downs.

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 00:00

Miss Shop scores for Jerkens

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Rafael Bejarano became the eighth jockey to ride Miss Shop. He might be the last. After working Miss Shop a few days before the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, Bejarano came back with an enthusiastic report for trainer Allen Jerkens.

That confidence was rewarded on Saturday, when Miss Shop - ridden in a race for the first time by Bejarano - rallied to win the race by 1 1/4 lengths over Memorette, with Charmsil another half-length length back in third.

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 00:00

Lava Man adds to California streak

ARCADIA, Calif. - The comfort of home has made Lava Man nearly unbeatable in California.

Saturday, the 6-year-old gelding won his 10th career stakes in California in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Turf for California-breds and Florida-breds at Santa Anita. The victory stretched his unbeaten streak in his home state to eight wins, all of which have come in stakes.

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 00:00

McCann's Mojave springs Classic upset

Eleanor Gustafson/Horsephotos
Under Frank Alvarado, McCann's Mojave captures the Sunshine Millions Classic, paying $69.80.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - McCann's Mojave capped off a Sunshine Millions Day full of upsets when he held tenaciously through the stretch to post a well-deserved three-quarter-length victory over fellow longshot Summer Book in Saturday's $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 00:00

Barkley Sound gets up

Always prominent under Enrique Jurado, Barkley Sound rallied outside pacesetter Steelix through the final furlong and came away with a hard-earned one-length win in the $60,000 Pasco Stakes.

Trained by Joan Scott, Barkley Sound remained undefeated in three outings with his Pasco win and probably earned a spot in the $150,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes with the victory.

Sat, 01/27/2007 - 00:00

Lexi Star upsets Yolanda B. Too

Yolanda B. Too again shipped to Laurel from New York, again was bet down to odds-on favoritism, and again was defeated, this time running third behind second-choice Lexi Star and the 7-1 It's True Love in Saturday's $91,400 Nellie Morse for fillies and mares.

Marco Groom, 9-1, stalked the pacesetting 53-1 shot My Girlie early in the one-mile race, took the lead turning for home, and opened a 1 1/2-length gap. But Lexi Star, under Ryan Fogelsonger, and Yolanda B. Too, under Jeremy Rose, were moving fast side by side and closing in.