HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Gasia overcame early trouble and launched a strong bid around the final turn to score a 1 3/4-length win in the $100,000 at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
The one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies was one of two undercard stakes supporting the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - One year after having a record-tying five starters in the Kentucky Derby, Nick Zito may not have even one this year. But that hasn't stopped the veteran trainer from enjoying a sensational spring in Kentucky.
Indeed, when Sun King came through with a blistering stretch run to capture the Grade 2 on the Saturday undercard at Keeneland, Zito broke into his familiar "I love Kentucky" refrain, singing the praises of springtime in the Blue Grass state.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Miraculous Miss took advantage of the scratch of morning-line favorite Teammate and a faster-than-expected early pace to run down Regal Engagement and win Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 at Aqueduct.
Under Kent Desormeaux, Miraculous Miss sat fourth early on, as Win McCool, racing well off the rail, set fractions of 22.79 seconds and 45.75 for the opening half-mile. Miraculous Miss advanced into contention along the inside and swung off the rail for the stretch drive.
In her first start in six months and first for new trainer Graham Motion, Sweet Talker had little trouble leaving 11 fillies and mares in her wake in the $85,000 Dahlia Stakes, Saturday's closing-day feature at Laurel Park.
Previously trained by Ken McPeek and then his former assistant Helen Pitts, Sweet Talker upset Keeneland's Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup as an 18-1 longshot last October, in her final start of 2005. She was no longshot in the Dahlia: Despite the long vacation, Sweet Talker was bet down to 4-5 favoritism in the one-mile turf race.
Passive Income ($4) took the lead from stablemate Dr. Einstein entering the stretch, and the two pulled away from the field in the $42,800 North Beach Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
Dr. Einstein set a solid pace and was re-rallying late but couldn't get past Passive Income in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds, shifted from turf to dirt. Passive Income won by a half-length in 1:42.87 over a muddy track. Soft Seventeen was another nine lengths back in third.
"I thought either had a chance to win," said Jerry Hollendorfer, who saddled the top pair.
Judiths Wild Rush, last year's Canadian champion sprinter, proved an authoritative winner of the $126,200 at Woodbine.
Judiths Wild Rush stalked the pace between rivals in the six-furlong dash, as front-runners High Volt Jolt and High Blitz vied through fractions of 22.20 and 44.51 seconds. Jockey Jim McAleney found room for Judiths Wild Rush nearing the quarter pole, and they hit the front at the top of the stretch before drawing off for a 2 1/4-length tally.
Dooze ($13.80) dueled outside 1-2 favorite Out of View until midway on the turn before drawing off to a 13 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Howard B. Noonan Stakes at Beulah Park.
Dooze was timed in 1:10.22 for the six furlongs while defeating eight Ohio-bred 3-year-olds. Luis Martinez Jr. was aboard Dooze, who scored his third career win from five starts. Dougie Cowans trains Dooze, a son of Anees, for his owner-breeder, Shazam Stables.
OLDSMAR Fla. - Springtime in the Thoroughbred world means two things: the Kentucky Derby and 2-year-old racing.
On Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs regulars watched the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes with keen interest, as three horses who raced in the March 18 Tampa Bay Derby competed in one of the final preps for the Kentucky Derby. Last Tuesday, youngsters went to the gate in the first 2-year-old race of the season here.
As is often the case with inexperienced runners, the race was an adventure.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Benefiting from a rail trip throughout, Stratham rallied through the stretch to win Saturday's $108,600 for 3-year-olds on turf at Santa Anita.
Fourth on the backstretch, Stratham ($8.40) was third in mid-stretch when he responded to urging by jockey David Cohen to reach the front.
"I think that was the difference," trainer Tim Yakteen said the rail-saving trip.
