Smart Enough, coming off a course-record-setting performance at Pimlico, had little trouble picking up his first stakes victory in the $70,100 Beau Genius Stakes at Churchill Downs Saturday.
In front at every call, Smart Enough took early pressure from It's Handsome I Am, eased clear of that rival on the turn, then repulsed a bid from a re-rallying It's Handsome I Am in the stretch.
Ranging up three wide leaving the second turn, Play Bingo responded to brisk handling from Rodrigo Madrigal Jr. and drove to a two-length victory in the Sussex Handicap. The race was moved from the turf course to the main track after heavy rains hit the area overnight.
Trained by John R.S. Fisher, Play Bingo ($10.40) notched his first win in 2006, covering the 1 1/16 miles over a track labeled wet fast in 1:45.63. The victory was his seventh from 18 career starts, and the $60,000 winner's share boosted his earnings to $417,330.
Notimetoquit swung four wide into the stretch, then rallied past heavy favorite Trickle of Gold leaving the furlong marker for a one-length victory in the $100,000 My Juliet Stakes.
Trickle of Gold, who had gained a short lead into the stretch under Jeremy Rose, held on to finish second by a neck over Baldomera.
Notimetoquit, ridden by Harry Vega, paid $8 and notched her third win from five starts this year, and the 12th win of her career.
Trained by Ramon Preciado, Notimetoquit ran the six furlongs in the slop 1:10.89.
Odds-on favorite True Tails broke on top as expected and did not look back in winning the $50,000 Suthern Accent Stakes. Picata ran gamely for the place, outfinishing Space Cruise, while Tawnka was fourth.
Ridden by leading rider Carlos Gonzalez, True Tails ($3) dueled early with Genuine True before edging clear into the turn after an opening quarter in 22.03 seconds. The winner stepped through the half in 44.91 and slowly increased her advantage through the lane, crossing the wire 3 1/4 lengths the best in a time of 1:09.71 for the six furlongs over a fast strip.
Lonshot Bright Pyrite benefited from a clever ride by Ricardo Feliciano and widened out to a 3 1/4-length win over eight Ohio-bred distaff rivals in the $50,000 J. William Petro Memorial Handicap.
Bright Pyrite set the early pace in the 1 1/16-mile race, gave up the lead to Imahoneytoo, then re-took the advantage and drew off while being kept to pressure. Misty Tab finished third, three lengths behind Imahoneytoo.
Bright Pyrite is owned by Pyrite Stables and trained by Miguel Feliciano. She ran the distance in 1:45.86 over a fast track and paid $33.80 to win.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Fort Prado came back from a short layoff and a minor injury and won the Black Tie Affair Handicap for the second year in a row, but the other star of the Prairie State Festival on Saturday at Arlington, Original Spin, faded to sixth in her first start here since winning the Arlington-Washington Lassie last summer.
Fort Prado ($2.80) was more workmanlike than brilliant under Robby Albarado, who took the day off at Churchill Downs and won two of the six Illinois-bred stakes races here.
Striking mutuel clerks at Woodbine set up picket lines for the third consecutive day at 8 a.m. Saturday, causing delays to customers and employees entering the track.
The mutuel clerks have gone without a contract since Dec. 31. The dispute with Woodbine Entertainment involves scheduling and seniority issues. Woodbine is not using replacement workers, but is manning the mutuel windows with management and staff.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Juan Ochoa knew he had arrived as an apprentice jockey when he looked around the Hollywood Park jockeys' room earlier this year and realized who he was riding against.
"I'm learning from the big guys - Patrick Valenzuela, Victor Espinoza, Alex Solis," he said on a recent afternoon.
Ochoa is not alone. Fellow apprentice jockeys Martin Garcia and Saul Arias are having successful meetings at Hollywood Park this year, riding against some of the best riders in the nation.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Trainer Mark Glatt is convinced that a lack of experience cost New Joysey Jeff a chance at his first stakes win in the Will Rogers Stakes at Hollywood Park last month.
led in the stretch of that one-mile race while racing wide, but could not hold off the rail rally of Stratham.
"I think he's still learning," Glatt said. "I don't think he saw that other horse coming on the inside."
Recent lessons can be applied when New Joysey Jeff starts as the probable favorite in Sunday's $150,000 Cinema Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.
