DEL MAR, Calif. - Lava Man beat up on seven rivals while putting a scare into trainer Doug O'Neill during Sunday's $1 million at Del Mar.
Under jockey Corey Nakatani, Lava Man ($4) fought for the lead throughout and cruised away from the field on the final turn so convincingly that he led by three lengths with a quarter-mile remaining. Lava Man went on to win by 2 1/2 lengths, but he gave O'Neill an anxious moment when Good Reward made a brief move in early stretch.
Lost in the Fog, diagnosed Friday with inoperable terminal cancer, returned to his stall at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday.
Dr. Don Smith, the colt's veterinarian, said the Eclipse Award sprinter was his normal, aggressive self when he returned to the barn and had eaten well after his arrival.
Lost in the Fog's trainer Greg Gilchrist decided to return the colt to his barn so that he would be in familiar surroundings and familiar people during his final days. He said the colt would be "pampered" and would not be euthanized as long as he showed no pain.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Art Sherman has Declan's Moon's number. For the second straight time, a Sherman trainee upset the 2004 champion 2-year-old male. This time it was with Siren Lure, who won his third straight race, and sixth in his last seven starts, with a prototypical, late-running victory in the Grade 2, $298,000 on Sunday at Del Mar.
Financingavailable blew away her Ontario-sired opponents in the $125,800 Victoriana Stakes, winning the 1 1/16-mile grass race by 5 1/4 lengths under Jim McAleney.
Financingavailable was a distant third on the backstretch, closed the gap on the turn, took control after six furlongs, then kicked away in the stretch to prevail in a final time of 1:42.78.
Financingavailable returned $5.30 as the favorite, earning $75,000 for owner K.K. Sangara and trainer Lorne Richards.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - After Mother Nature cooperated, Auguri did the rest in Sunday's $75,300 John's Call Stakes at Saratoga.
Overnight rains forced the John's Call Stakes, scheduled for 1 5-8 miles on the Mellon Turf Course, to be transferred to the main track and run at 1 3-16 miles. Though his connections didn't designate him as a main-track only when they supplemented him to the race for $200 on Friday, Auguri was only going to run if the race was moved to the dirt.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A drug-testing laboratory funded by the racing industry at the University of California-Los Angeles is up and running, racing officials said at the Jockey Club Round Table on Matters Pertaining to Racing on Sunday in Saratoga Springs.
AUBURN, Wash. - She's All Silk went to the front at the start, opened a 4 length lead on the backstretch and held that margin around the turn, then dug in to stave off the late bid of heavily favored Chestnut Lady to win Saturday's $100,000 Emerald Breeders' Cup Oaks at Emerald Downs by a head.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Costa Rising's star keeps rising. He won his sixth straight race Saturday, when he powered to a two-length win over Chromite Soldier in the $100,000 Louisiana Breeders' Derby at Louisiana Downs.
The race, for 3-year-olds, was one of 13 stakes on the card for Louisiana-breds. Purses for the Louisiana Downs Champions Day program totaled $1.3 million, making the card the richest of the meet.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Arravale's second trip to California this summer resulted in a major stakes win in Saturday's $400,000 and left jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr. in awe.
"She's a monster," Valdivia said. "She put me into the race early. I had to be patient when I could get out and then she flew around the field."
An invader from Canada, Arravale ($8.60) closed from fifth to win the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks by 1 1-2 lengths over Take the Ribbon, who was disqualified and placed fourth for causing interference in the stretch.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The lessons Pine Island learned in a pair of Grade 1 losses at Belmont Park paid off big Saturday at Saratoga.
Launching a bid leaving the half-mile pole, Pine Island split horses around the turn, then ran down a game Teammate in deep stretch to win the Grade 1, $600,000 by 1 1/4 lengths. It was 8 1/2 lengths back to Kentucky Oaks winner Lemons Forever in third.
Unbridled Belle finished fourth and was followed by Adieu, Wonder Lady Anne L, Miss Shop, Ex Caelis, and Pyramid Love.
