Sun, 09/24/2006 - 00:00

Better Talk Now takes Sky Classic

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Better Talk Now ($5.70) prevailed in a three-way win photo over Jambalaya and Last Answer in Sunday's Grade 2, $300,800 at Woodbine.

With Ramon Dominguez riding, Better Talk Now rated kindly about seven lengths off the lead going down the backstretch of the mile and three-eighth grass event. Last Answer set a slow pace over a yielding course while being stalked by Jambalaya, who joined him on the lead in mid-stretch.

Sun, 09/24/2006 - 00:00

Kentucky Downs reschedules again for Tuesday

Kentucky Downs has pushed back its Kentucky Cup turf series yet another day because of wet weather, delaying until Tuesday a 13-race card that initially had been rescheduled for Monday.

Ryan Driscoll, general manager at the Franklin, Ky., track, said an unrelenting Saturday deluge left the turf-only course too wet to attempt to run as quickly as Monday.

"Safety comes first," said Driscoll.

The Monday card fully displaces the Tuesday card, which will not be made up. As scheduled, the Kentucky Downs meet ends Tuesday.

Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

Albarado wins four of five stakes

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Jockey Robby Albarado returned to his homestate of Louisiana on Saturday and won four of the five stakes run on one of the richest cards of the Louisiana Downs meet, including the Grade 2, $500,000 with Don'tbotherknocking.

Albarado secured the mount Strong Contender earlier this week after jockey Edgar Prado was unable to make the trip because of commitments in New York. Albarado picked up the mount on Don'tbotherknocking on Saturday, when inclement weather foiled the travel plans of that horse's regular rider, Quincy Hamilton.

Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

Real Candy wins British Columbia Breeders' Cup Oaks

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Under a perfectly timed ride by Frank Fuentes Real Candy got up to nip Hurry an Notis by a nose in the Grade 3 $190,950 British Columbia Breeders' Cup Oaks at Hastings Saturday.

Hurry an Otis set very fast fractions of :22.71, 46.17, 1:10.79 and after turning away an early bid by heavily favored Chestnut Lady, she took a three-length lead into the stretch. It appeared Hurry an Notis had the race won inside the sixteenth pole but she couldn't hold off the late surge by Real Candy.

Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

Somethinaboutlaura dominates Pacific Heights

ALBANY, Calif. - Odds-on Somethinaboutlaura ($2.60) had things her own way as she set a fast but comfortable pace to score an easy victory in the $75,000 Pacific Heights Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

Strong Contender finishes fast in Super Derby

Reed Palmer Photography
Strong Contender wins the Super Derby on Saturday at Louisiana Downs.

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Strong Contender might have given his connections a reason to consider a start in the Breeders' Cup Classic after he overtook 4-5 favorite Lawyer Ron and went on to a one-length win in the Grade 2, $500,000 at Louisiana Downs on Saturday.

It was another 6 1/2 lengths back in third to Louisborg.

Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

Karen's Caper up in time

ELMONT, N.Y. - Karen's Caper ended a 17-month drought while keeping trainer Bobby Frankel red-hot at this meet with a three-quarter-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $155,366 at Belmont Park.

Pommes Frites, who got loose on the lead under Jose Santos, had to settle for second, three-quarters of a length ahead of European shipper Mauralakana.

It was the first North American stakes win for Karen's Caper, who had not won since taking the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket in April 2005.

Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

King of the Roxy improving with experience

Horsephotos
King of the Roxy wins the Futurity on Saturday at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. - The experience King of the Roxy gained when finishing second in last month's Saratoga Special paid dividends for the colt in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 at Belmont Park.

King of the Roxy rallied four wide on the turn, took over from Incriminate in upper stretch, and was able to fend off a late challenge from C P West to win the Futurity by three-quarters of a length before a crowd of 5,802.

It was three lengths back to Kong's Revenge in third. Incriminate finished fourth, followed by Sam P. and Fernando Po.

Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

Meadow Breeze produces $70.50 payoff in Matron

Horesphotos
Meadow Breeze wins the Matron on Saturday at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. - When Kent Desormeaux came to Belmont Park's paddock just prior to Saturday's Grade 1 , trainer Carl Deville told the Hall of Fame jockey not to look at the odds-board, but to just look at his filly, Meadow Breeze, and enjoy the ride.

Desormeaux did exactly that as he rode 34-1 longshot Meadow Breeze to a head victory over Featherbed and Octave, two Todd Pletcher-trained fillies who dead-heated for second in the $250,000 race for juvenile fillies. Cash's Girl finished fourth, followed by 6-5 favorite Magical Ride and Eternal Grace.

Sat, 09/23/2006 - 00:00

Tanta Suerte runs down favorite in Las Madrinas

Under a cool ride by David Flores, Tanta Suerte ($5.60) reeled in 6-5 favorite Allswellthatnswell in deep stretch to win the $97,000 Las Madrinas Handicap for fillies and mares on Friday at Fairplex Park.

The 2 1/2-length win by Tanta Suerte was the 58th Fairplex stakes win by all-time leader Flores, and the first stakes win since December for trainer Laura de Seroux.