Naughty New Yorker took advantage of a hot early pace to wear down Accountforthegold in the stretch and win Sunday's $69,720 Alex M. Robb Handicap by 2 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct.
Who What Win got up in the final strides to nip 6-5 favorite Accountforthegold by a head for second. It was 6 1/2 lengths back to Carminooch in fourth. Indian Hawke completed the order of finish.
King's Drama ended a layoff of nearly seven months with a gritty win over Railroad in Sunday's $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap at Santa Anita.
The victory was the third stakes win for trainer Bobby Frankel in the first five racing days of the meeting.
Belmont Stakes winner Jazil will make his long-awaited return to the races in a second-level allowance race over Aqueduct's inner track on Friday. Seven horses were entered against Jazil in the 1 1/16-mile race, which carries a purse of $48,000.
Jazil has not run since winning the Belmont on June 10. He was sidelined for two months with bruising to a hind cannon bone and did not return to training until early September. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is hoping to use Friday's race as a prep for the Gulfstream Park Handicap on March 3.
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - Palm Meadows is where Barbaro and Bernardini trained last year on their way to superstardom. That pretty much says it all about how the 1 1/8-mile training center, now in its fifth year of operation, is the flash point for a winter circuit that frequently is a fertile spawning ground for top 3-year-olds.
Sir Five Star held off a late surge from Song of Navarone to win the $136,499 Riley Allison Futurity by a neck Sunday at Sunland Park. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third to The Zipster.
The Riley Allison was one of two stakes on the card. Tempting Date ($14.40) led throughout to win the $50,000 Bold Ego.
Sir Five Star ($5.20) raced with Kit Jr. through an opening quarter in 21.96 seconds in the Riley Allison, then went on to cover the 6 1/2 furlongs for 2-year-olds in 1:17.72. Glen Murphy rode the winner for trainer Scott Blasi.
Ky's Quest proved much the best in the $125,000 Red Hedeman Mile at Sunland Park on Saturday, when he stormed to a six-length win in the race for 2-year-olds bred in New Mexico. Band Champ finished second, two lengths clear of third-place finisher Blazing Rockstar.
Ky's Quest ($4.20) was with the pace throughout and covered the distance in 1:40.22. Casey Lambert rode the winner for his father, Cliff Lambert Sr., who bred, owns, and trains Ky's Quest.
The Red Hedeman was the third stakes victory for Ky's Quest, who has won 4 of 10 starts and $213,620.
Excellerant ($14.40) put away 4-5 favorite Country Diva at the top of the stretch and drew off to earn her first stakes victory, scoring by 3 3/4 lengths in the $75,000 New Year's Eve at Mountaineer Race Track.
Ridden by Hector Rosario Jr. for trainer William Connelly, Excellerant ws coming off a troubled trip last time out in the Holiday Inaugural at Turfway Park. Her previous best performance in a stakes came when she was a distant second in the $100,000 OBS Championship for fillies at the Ocala Training Center.
ARCADIA, Calif.-Kings Drama ended a layoff of nearly seven months with a gritty win over Railroad in Sundays $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap at Santa Anita.
The victory was the third stakes win for trainer Bobby Frankel in the first five racing days of the meeting.