The Fair Grounds turf course, if nothing else, is known for cutting down early-speed horses. Even when front-end types slow down the pace, they often find themselves overwhelmed by stretch-runners. So, in the middle of Saturday's Pago Hop Stakes, trainer Merrill Scherer was tuned into the fractional times jockey Lonnie Meche was setting on the Scherer-trained pace horse, Fiery Dancer.
"When I saw 46 and 4, I was ready to choke him," Scherer said.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Displaying the uncommon determination his sire showed six autumns ago at Churchill Downs, Tiz Wonderful fought back to score a dramatic victory Saturday in the Grade 2, $223,800 .
Ridden by John Velazquez, who rode three other winners on the closing-day program, Tiz Wonderful contested all the pace in the KJC Stakes. After briefly taking command in the far turn, he fell narrowly behind Any Given Saturday for much of the stretch run, but then roared back along the rail to prevail by a half-length.
MIAMI - On what day can the fifth race end before the fourth and nobody seems to care? On Extreme Day, of course.
The innovative folks at Calder Racecourse did it again on Saturday, pulling off Extreme Day II without a hitch, much to the delight of a crowd of 7,195 who came out to watch a 13-race program that included two races run simultaneously and another contested clockwise on the turf course.
LAUREL, Md. Good form on Polytrack doesnt always mean much when a horse returns to dirt. As far as trainer Helen Pitts is concerned, however, the last two races Leahs Secret ran on artificial surfaces set her up perfectly for going one mile on Laurel Parks main track.
Leahs Secret, the 18-1 upset winner of the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland in her last start, came from off the pace to defeat 7-5 favorite Baby Bird by three-quarters of a length in Saturdays $125,000 Anne Arundel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Jiggs Coz ($7.50) improved significantly with blinkers off in Saturday's $126,600 Display Stakes at Woodbine, winning the 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds by 1 3/4 lengths under David Clark.
Jiggs Coz raced six lengths off the lead in third on the backstretch, as C J's Lightning set rapid fractions of 23.70 seconds and 47.55 seconds. C J's Lightning began to shorten stride on the far turn, and Jiggs Coz and Approval Rating hit the front in unison at the head of the stretch.
Western Prize became a stakes winner on Friday, when he closed from last for a length and a quarter win in the $82,700 Eddy County for 2-year-olds at Zia Park. Bold Vow finished second in the one-mile race, nine lengths clear of third-place finisher Topper Power.
Western Prize ($3.80) raced about eight lengths off the pace set by Bold Vow, who was clear through fractions of 24 seconds for the opening quarter, 48 for the half-mile mark and 1:13.60 for six furlongs. Western Prize overtook that one late in the stretch, covering the distance in 1:41.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Railroad ($14) kept pacesetting favorite Wild Buddy in his sights before making a strong move into the second turn to win the $57,800 John Henry Handicap at Bay Meadows on Friday.
Under a strong hold early by jockey Roberto Gonzalez, Railroad sat behind Wild Buddy on the turf course labeled "good." Railroad easily went by Wild Buddy, getting the jump on Clipperdown. He was three in front in the stretch and beat Clipperdown by two lengths in the one-mile race in 1:38.10.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. Ashkal Way won his first Grade 1 race in Fridays $400,000 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park, overcoming an outside post to score a one-length win over 25-1 Hendrix.
Three Valleys finished third in the field of 10, with 9-5 favorite Rob Roy a non-threatening fifth.
Breaking from post 11, Ashkal Way ($9.80) ran 1 1/16 miles on turf in a quick 1:39.67. Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Ashkal Way was seventh for the first six furlongs, racing well behind the quick pace of 23.48 and 46.52 shared by Sweet Return and Silent Name.
After going 31 consecutive cards without being won, the pick seven was won Friday at Woodbine, returning a track-record $553,166 to one ticket-holder in Vancouver, British Columbia, who spent $144.
The pick seven carryover going into the card was $352,808, and $271,869 was bet into it Friday.
Delaware Park ended it 2006 meet last Sunday with declines in both ontrack and offtrack handle on its live races, according to a release the track issued Friday.
The total all-sources handle on Delaware's races declined 2.9 percent for the 135-day meet this year, to a daily average of $1,691,582. Ontrack handle dropped 7.5 percent, while outside handle on Delaware races was down 2.5 percent. The track attributed the declines to fewer starters per card "due to excessive late scratches."