OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Bob Baffert's inclination that Bob and John would prefer the East Coast tracks to the harder West Coat surfaces proved on the mark Saturday as Bob and John ran past Keyed Entry in midstretch and splashed home to a 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1, $750,000 on a sloppy track at Aqueduct.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Sweetnorthernsaint finished 12th last summer in his career debut. His second start, months later, came in a maiden claiming race. And now he is headed to Churchill Downs looking like a legitimate contender for the Kentucky Derby.
Sweetnorthernsaint came to Hawthorne Race Course for the Grade 2, $500,000 rather than staying closer to home in Maryland for the Wood Memorial in New York, and he annihilated a decent group of horses on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Bushfire took command soon after the start and never looked back, posting a 15-1 upset Saturday over heavily favored Balance and six other 3-year-old fillies in the Grade 1 at Keeneland.
Giving trainer Eddie Kenneally the biggest victory of his training career, Bushfire, owned by the Homewrecker Stable of Ricki and Ron Rashinski, returned $32.20 after prevailing by 6 1/2 lengths over Wait a While. Balance, the 1-2 favorite, was never a real threat in finishing third, another 4 1/4 lengths back.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Spun Sugar showed she will be a major player in the filly and mare division this year when she came back along the inside to win a photo over Happy Ticket and capture her first Grade 1 in the $500,000 at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
Happy Ticket finished second by a neck, while it was six and a half lengths back in third to La Reason. The order of finish was completed by Platinum Ballet, Star Parade and Hollywood Story.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Last fall, Bishop Court Hill was used as a rabbit for his younger but more talented stablemate Flower Alley in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Saturday, Bishop Court Hill joined Flower Alley in the ranks of trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Eugene Melnyk's roster of Grade 1 winners.
Trainer Kirk Ziadie scratched the odds-on favorite Whenthedoveflies from Saturday's Bob Slater Stakes at Gulfstream Park but still went home with the major share of the $50,000 purse when stablemate Jewels N Gems posted a neck victory over 12-1 outsider Pandora's Secret in the five-furlong turf dash.
Press Camp ($4), under Dennis Carr, narrowly defeated Bai and Bai in the $51,100 San Ramon Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.
Stretching out for the first time, Press Camp set the pace with Bai and Bai sitting close to her throughout the one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies. Bai and Bai challenged Press Camp in the lane, but Press Camp held her off. The finish was so close that Carr, apparently thinking Press Camp had lost, congratulated Roberto Gonzalez aboard Bai and Bai.
Hello Sara Lou took advantage of post 1 Friday night at Evangeline Downs, to lead wire to wire in the $75,000 Hallowed Dreams Stakes. My Silver Charm, favored at 7-5, settled for second, 2 1/4 lengths behind the winner. Cutie Sabrina was third. Under C. J. Woodley, Hello Sara Lou ($8) covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.61.
There may have been an abundance of early speed signed on for the $85,000 Primonetta Stakes at Laurel Park. But when the race was run, instead of a crowd up front, Flame of Love was all alone.
Flame of Love's assignment became easier when five of the original field of 10 filly and mare sprinters scratched because of sloppy conditions, including probable favorite Trickle of Gold.
OLDSMAR Fla. - When you learned the basics of training at the bullrings of the upper Midwest, where the jocks' room was the back of a two-horse trailer and the judges' stand was the flatbed of a pick-up truck, you learn, as Clint Eastwood said in the movie "Heartbreak Ridge, to "improvise and adapt."
