Sun, 09/10/2006 - 00:00

Lisa M victorious in Lassie

Benoit Photo
Lisa M (left) rallies from last at the top of the stretch to pass Sutra in the shadow of the wire to win the Arlington-Washington Breeders' Cup Lassie by a nose on Sunday at Arlington Park.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - On a muddy Sunday afternoon at Arlington, Carlos Marquez Jr. began his ride aboard Lisa M in the with six sets of goggles. He was down to his last pair at the end, but managed to see his way to a major upset, guiding 35-1 Lisa M to the slimmest of victories in the Grade 3, $150,000 race.

Sun, 09/10/2006 - 00:00

Pool Land takes Ruffian

ELMONT, N.Y. - Pool Land joined trainer Todd Pletcher's roster of Grade 1 winning older fillies and mares on Sunday by overtaking Take D'Tour in upper stretch and drawing off for a two-length victory in the $300,000 before 5,856 at Belmont Park.

Take D'Tour, who had won the Shuvee and Ogden Phipps handicaps over this course in the spring, settled for second, one-half length ahead of Miss Shop. Classy Charm and Summerly completed the order of finish.

Sun, 09/10/2006 - 00:00

Jockey Tracy Hebert injured

Jockey Tracy Hebert was injured Sunday afternoon at Louisiana Downs when his mount, Hunt Tex, kicked the veteran rider as he was being given a leg up just prior to the seventh race. Hebert received what was believed to be a shoulder injury and was taken by ambulance to nearby Willis Knighton Medical Center for x-rays.

Sun, 09/10/2006 - 00:00

Random Gold wins Chuck Taliaferro Memorial

Random Gold became a stakes winner on Saturday night when he led throughout to win the $50,000 Chuck Taliaferro Memorial at Remington Park. He won by two and a quarter lengths over Halo's Tiger. It was another half-length back in third to Crowning Victory.

Random Gold ($4.40) took the lead soon after the start of the six furlong race, and led the field through fractions of 21.61 seconds for the opening quarter and 43.73 for the half-mile mark. He went on to cover the distance in 1:08.86.

Jamie Theriot rode the winner for trainer Cole Norman.

Sat, 09/09/2006 - 00:00

Cacique rockets home for Man o' War victory

Horsephotos
Cacique wins the Man o' War on Saturday, running the final eighth of a mile in 10.95 seconds.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Before Saturday's Grade 1 , trainer Bobby Frankel was extremely resistant to point Cacique to the $3 million Breeders' Cup Turf, because he was skeptical of the colt's ability to go 1 1/2 miles.

But after watching Cacique display an awesome closing kick to win the $500,000 Man o' War by 1 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park, Frankel is now strongly considering a run at the BC Turf.

Sat, 09/09/2006 - 00:00

Creative Force latest Block top-shelf turfer

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Call it the House of Block, an unbroken line of male Illinois-bred turf horses running from Reno Rumble through Mystery Giver and Fort Prado, owned by the Block family, whose patriarch is Dave Block, and trained in Chicago by Block's son, Chris. And though Fort Prado still is going strong, and even Mystery Giver has gotten back to winning, Creative Force might be next in the line.

Sat, 09/09/2006 - 00:00

Derby Trial just the ticket for two trainers

Timing in racing is as important as location in real estate.

And the timing of Monday's $65,000 Derby Trial at 1 1/16 miles at Fairplex works perfectly for trainers Jeff Mullins and Doug O'Neill.

The race serves as a prep for the $100,000 Pomona Derby at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 23.

Mullins will send out Seven Nation Army, who comes off a victory in the $100,000 Real Good Deal at Del Mar on Aug. 11. It will be the 3-year-old gelding's first try beyond a mile. O'Neill is sending out Gimme S'mor, just claimed from a nose victory on Aug. 12 at Del Mar.

Sat, 09/09/2006 - 00:00

Closing day theme: turf and Catalano

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - The first Arlington Park meet in the post-Frank Gabriel era comes to an end on Tuesday, and Kevin Greely's initial season as racing secretary has produced a different look to the meet, the most prominent color of which is green.

Despite an unusually wet year in 2006, and a drought year in 2005, Arlington will run more grass races this season than last, and Greely has fully embraced that once-novel event in the Midwest - the turf sprint. In 2004, there were 10 such races here; this summer, there will be more than 50.

Sat, 09/09/2006 - 00:00

Brilliant adept on yielding turf in Kent

Brilliant, who has been nearly flawless since trainer Neil Howard switched him to the turf in late April, roared to a 6 1/2-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $492,500 at Delaware Park.

Ridden for the first time by Mark Guidry, Brilliant ($11) made a three-wide move to blow past tiring pacesetters Diabolical and Kip Deville moving through the final turn and drew away to prove much the best in a field of 10 3-year-olds.

New York shipper Carnera finished second, 2 3/4 lengths in front of 46-1 Kentucky invader Sea of Trees.

Sat, 09/09/2006 - 00:00

Pletcher's No. 2 filly 'Magnificent'

ELMONT, N.Y. - Magnificent Song may be the second-best 3-year-old turf filly in Todd Pletcher's barn, but in Saturday's Grade 1 at Belmont Park she was second to none.

Her closing kick seemingly getting better with each race, Magnificent Song rallied from last to win the $250,000 Garden City by two lengths over Take the Ribbon. It was a half-length back to Jade Queen, who like Magnificent Song is trained by Pletcher.