INGLEWOOD, Calif. - No track records are safe this fall on the new synthetic surface at Hollywood Park.
With cooler temperatures in recent weeks, the track has quickened noticeably, often producing six-furlong times well below 1:10. In Saturday's Grade 3 Vernon Underwood Stakes, Sailors Sunset led throughout, finishing in 1:07.79. The time was the fastest of the meeting at the distance, and the fastest on the Cushion Track synthetic surface installed last summer.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Bob Tiller has been first or second in the trainer standings at the last five Woodbine meetings, but this fall, he endured a six-week span in which his horses did not win a single race.
"When you go through that, you think you forgot how to do it," said Tiller. "It becomes very frustrating. We lost at least a dozen horses through serious injuries, and it showed this fall. But we're back doing it again, and I'm very pleased with our year when you consider all the ups and downs we've had."
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Even though she ran for a $32,000 claiming tag in her debut, Dixie Magic impressed trainer Bill Morey Jr. For her second start, Morey has entered Dixie Magic against 10 rivals in a $40,000 starter allowance race at six furlongs Wednesday at Bay Meadows.
A 3-year-old filly, Dixie Magic scored by 3 1/2 lengths in her debut and paid $35.20. The victory was something of a surprise, since Dixie Magic is by Dixie Dot Com, a young sire who has not had much success with first-time starters.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - My Kitty prevailed in a thrilling stretch drive, outfinishing Laurentide Ice and Visual Candy to win Sunday's $70,070 East View Laurentide Ice nosed out Visual Candy for second. American Dream'a, Court and Spark, and Twistaway, the 8-5 favorite, completed the order of finish.
My Kitty's victory completed a weekend sweep of Aqueduct's stakes for trainer Gary Contessa, who on Saturday won the Garland of Roses with Magnolia Jackson and the Coyote Lakes with Successful Affair.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The experiment of trying the turf stakes winner Foxysox on the main track in Sunday's $150,000 was not only a success, but may lead to a change in her 2007 campaign.
After the race, trainer Carla Gaines said Foxysox would be pointed to the three-race La Canada Series for 4-year-old fillies of 2007 during the upcoming Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.
Foxysox certainly took to Hollywood Park's synthetic surface in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Arch Hall ($4.30) captured the mile and a sixteenth Sir Barton Stakes for the third year in a row at Woodbine Sunday.
Arch Hall trailed the six-horse field of Ontario-sired runners on the backstretch, while racing about three lengths off the leaders. His stablemate, Schooner Bay, and Millfleet dueled through moderate fractions, and were joined up front by Executive Choice on the far turn.
Valiant Hero held off First Prize Perry by a neck to win Saturday night's Grade 1, $1,053,912 Texas Classic Futurity for Quarter Horses at Lone Star Park and give his trainer, Jack Brooks, and his rider, G.R. Carter Jr., a sweep of the three stakes run closing night at the track. The Texas Classic was the richest race held this year in Texas.
Valiant Hero ($6.60) covered the 400 yards in 19.72 seconds, and for the victory earned $468,991.
HOUSTON - Sandburr registered the biggest win of his career on one of the biggest nights of racing at Sam Houston Race Park, driving to a length and a quarter win over Private Fight in the $100,000 Star of Texas Stakes.
The mile and a sixteenth race was the richest of eight divisional stakes for Texas-breds on the annual Texas Champions Day program. The purses for the stakes totaled $475,000, making the card the richest of the meet at Sam Houston.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Sundays nine-race program at Hollywood Park will begin with a pick six carryover of $169,348 after a string of longshots pulled upsets on Saturday.
Sundays pick six covers the fourth through ninth races, a span that includes three races around two turns. First post time is 12:30 p.m.
There were no scratch time withdrawals on Saturday for Sundays pick six races. Here is a rundown of the fourth through ninth races.
Exhale, a promising maiden, will be favored in the fourth race, which is run over 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Sailors Sunset, the longest shot in a field of five, won his first graded stakes in Saturdays $100,000 at the expense of the 2004 champion Declans Moon and the Grade 1 stakes winner Siren Lure.
Ridden by Jon Court, Sailors Sunset ($28.80) ran six furlongs in 1:07.79, finishing 1 3/4 lengths in front of Siren Lure, who rallied from last in the field of five. Declans Moon, who raced near the front through a pace of 21.99 and 44.11 seconds, finished third.