ALBANY, Calif. - Vaca City Flyer, who has become northern California's sprint queen, gets a chance to strut her stuff in Monday's Golden Gate Fields feature for fillies and mares at six furlongs.
Steve Sherman, who trains the northern California contingent for his father, Art, is glad the 5-year-old mare, who is 5 for 5 with four straight stakes victories in northern California, is getting a chance to run.
Okie Time, already a winner around one turn and two, should go favored Monday when he makes his turf debut in the $50,000 Red Earth Derby at Remington Park.
To be run at 7 1/2 furlongs, the Red Earth is restricted to 3-year-olds bred in Oklahoma.
Okie Time will be making his first start against statebreds after launching his career at Oaklawn. He won his debut in a six-furlong maiden race in February, and in his most recent start won the $79,000 Iowa Stallion Stakes at Prairie Meadows around two turns.
His connections feel he will take to the turf.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Gold Storm is a 6-year-old who missed more than a year of racing with a serious leg injury, but from all appearances, he is just as good now as he was on Aug. 28, 2004. That day, Gold Storm won the Arlington Breeders' Cup Sprint by three-quarters of a length, and Saturday, he won it again, beating Coach Jimi Lee by 1 1/2 lengths while setting a stakes record.
Brunilda got up by three-quarters of a length to win the $150,000 off-the-turf for fillies and mares Saturday at Monmouth Park.
Brunilda ($8.20) circled into contention with a three-wide move on the final turn and outdueled Rahy's Appeal and Prop Me Up for her ninth win in 29 starts.
Eddie Castro was aboard for the third of his four wins on the card. The time for the 1 1/16 miles on the sloppy, sealed track was 1:44 before 10,977 on an overcast day on the Jersey Shore.
The race, listed as a Grade 3, lost the grading because of the surface switch.
Le Cinquieme Essai held off a closing Becrux in the deep stretch to capture the Grade 2, $202,400 , a seven-furlong turf sprint and important prep for the Sept. 17 Woodbine Mile.
Le Cinquieme Essai tracked the leaders on the turn under jockey Steven Bahen, and hit the front at the eighth pole before opening up a daylight advantage. Becrux came from near the rear of the 11-horse field to finish a half-length back, a length ahead of Millfleet, who won a three-way show photo with Dalavin and My Lucky Strike.
Eternal Star settled just behind 8-5 favorite Sequoia King on the backside, passed that one straightening for home, and won the $54,000 Par Four for 2-year-olds by two lengths.
Cash Rich, the second choice, closed for second and Sequoia King held third. Eternal Star ran the six furlongs in 1:11.32 and paid $9.40.
Making her first start going a route of ground and her first on turf, Rich Fantasy relaxed under Jamie Theriot and led gate to wire in the $75,000 Lyrique Handicap. Favored Brownie Points finished a fast-closing second and Aly's Vow was third in the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-old fillies. The race is the final prep for the $200,000 Marie DeBartolo Oaks here on the Super Derby undercard, Sept. 23.
Rich Fantasy ($7.60) won by 2 1/4 lengths in a time of 1:42.04, and the $45,000 winner's share increased her earnings to over $207,000.
Trout River Red ($6.20) tracked the pacesetting Dee Jean, collared that rival at the top of the stretch, then drew off to a 3 1/4-length victory in the $40,700 Slight in the Rear Stakes for Illinois-bred 3-year-old fillies. Passionate Kip, the 8-5 favorite, rallied to finish second, a half-length ahead of Dee Jean.
Trout River Red ran six furlongs over a fast track in a quick 1:10.20.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Ashkal Way unleashed a strong closing kick under Garrett Gomez to outfinish Dreadnaught through the stretch and win Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 by a neck at Saratoga.
Dreadnaught finished second by three-quarters of a length over longshot Interpatation, who rallied up the hedge under John Velazquez. T.D. Vance, Leadwithyourchin, Etesaal, Quest Star, and Terrific Storm completed the order of finish.
The race lost two of its primary contenders when Badge of Silver (feet problems) and Fishy Advice (stifle injury) were both scratched.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Bill Mott was a little worried he might have been wheeling My Typhoon back a bit too quickly in Saturday's $200,000 at Saratoga, just four weeks after her fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Diana Handicap. As things turned out, he needn't have been so concerned.
