Mon, 10/30/2006 - 00:00

Ontrack handle up

ARCADIA, Calif. - Attendance and ontrack handle figures showed an increase at the 26-day Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting that concluded on Sunday. The five-week meeting had an average attendance of 9,125, an increase of 5 percent over the 31-day meet in 2005, according to figures released by the track. The track announced that ontrack handle was $2 million per day, a 1 percent increase from 2005.

Sun, 10/29/2006 - 00:00

Beautyandthebeast wins Las Palmas

ARCADIA, Calif. - Beautyandthebeast continued her outstanding fall campaign with a hard-fought win in Sunday's $150,000 at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.

Beautyandthebeast ($6) closed from sixth in the final half-mile to win by a head over Clinet. Quemar, a 23-1 shot, finished third in the field of eight fillies and mares.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Beautyandthebeast finished a mile on turf in 1:33.33. Beautyandthebeast was more than eight lengths behind pacesetter Sandra's Rose on the backstretch before moving into contention on the turn.

Sun, 10/29/2006 - 00:00

Change Up captures Pocahontas

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Garrett Gomez started off his Breeders' Cup week at Churchill Downs the right way by riding both winners in the twin Grade 3 stakes for 2-year-olds on Sunday, opening day of the 21-day fall meet.

Both of the Gomez winners were favored. Tiz Wonderful was an emphatic winner of the . The pair of one-mile stakes highlighted the first of two "Stars of Tomorrow" programs this fall at Churchill.

Sun, 10/29/2006 - 00:00

Aqueduct cancels after first race

Aqueduct canceled the remainder of its Sunday card after the first race due to safety concerns created by high wind gusts.

"For the safety of everyone and the horses, we decided to cancel," said jockey John Velazquez, whose mount, Flushing Meadows finished fifth in the opener. "It's pretty rough around the turns and to have control of the horses, it makes it difficult. The track was beautiful. It's just that the wind was way too strong to have control of the horses.''

Sun, 10/29/2006 - 00:00

Dont Let Down captures Dash for Cash Futurity

Dont Let Down delivered in the Grade 1, $426,375 Dash for Cash Futurity for Quarter Horses at Lone Star Park on Saturday night, becoming the first favorite to win in the race in nine runnings. Sent to post at 3-5, Dont Let Down drove to a half-length win over First Freeze.

The race was one of two major Quarter Horse stakes on the card. Im a Ramblin Girl ($8.20) won the Grade 1, $193,300 Dash for Cash Derby.

Sun, 10/29/2006 - 00:00

Charming Socialite takes No Le Hace

Charming Socialite won the seventh stakes race of his career Saturday night, when he drove to a three-quarter length win over Moody Goose in the $40,000 No Le Hace at Retama Park near San Antonio. It was another two lengths back in third to Bullet Crane.

Charming Socialite ($9.20) was prominent throughout the seven and a half furlong turf race, running the opening half-mile in 46.87 seconds, and six furlongs in 1:11.19. He went on to cover the distance over firm turf in 1:30.02.

Larry Taylor rode the winner for trainer Bill Pettit.

Sat, 10/28/2006 - 00:00

Suva victorious in Fantasy

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Suva wrapped up the local 2-year-old filly championship with a 3 1-4 length win over Deadly Zone in the $114,550 Fantasy Stakes at Hastings Saturday.

Ridden by Pedro Alvardo, Suva was sent hard from her outside post to engage Chelseais Image for the first six-furlongs. She moved to the lead approaching the quarter-pole and was drawing away in the stretch.

Sat, 10/28/2006 - 00:00

Texcess wins California Cup Classic

ARCADIA, Calif. - Nearly two years after his last win, and nine months after he was purchased for $300,000, Texcess ended a 16-race losing streak in Saturday's $250,000 at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting.

Texcess rallied from fifth to beat pacesetter Cheroot by three-quarters of a length and cap a big day for jockey Victor Espinoza, who won three stakes on a program restricted to state-breds.

Sat, 10/28/2006 - 00:00

Dublin Dutchess shoots for title

MUSKEGON, Mich. - Dublin Dutchess will try to cement her status as the top 2-year-old filly in Michigan on Tuesday, when she heads a field of seven in the $48,000-added Juvenile Fillies at Great Lakes Downs. The race, at seven furlongs, will be the first offering on the eight-race card, which has a special post time of 4:30 p.m. Eastern.

Sat, 10/28/2006 - 00:00

Error keeps wagering open during race

An unusual set of circumstances led to the wagering on Beulah Park's first race Saturday remaining open until the horses were approaching the finish line.

Beulah's wagering pools are locked by Thistledown when the two tracks run a 7&7 program, under which the tracks rotate races on one simulcast signal. When Beulah began its first race Saturday, the tote personnel at Thistledown were working on a partial power outage at the track, and an error made by one of the workers left the machines open until the race went past midstretch.