ARCADIA, Calif. - Surf Cat's sprint division rivals will be glad to be rid of him after Sunday's $128,000 at Santa Anita.
In winning his second sprint stakes of the meeting, Surf Cat expended little energy, rallying from fourth to win by 2 1-4 lengths under a hand ride from jockey Alex Solis. Surf Cat ($2.40) ran 6 1-2 furlongs in 1:15.
ALBANY, Calif. - Odds-on Smokey Stover ($2.80) had no trouble scoring the first stakes victory of his career, winning the $41,650 Stinson Beach Stakes by seven lengths at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday.
The talented 3-year-old gelding had not broken well in his first two starts but did on Sunday. He let Midwesterner go to the front, shifted outside him after the half-mile pole and went on to win as he wished in 1:09.33 for six furlongs in the overnight stakes for 3-year-olds. Midwesterner held off Spunky Harry by a head for second.
Lissa's Star became a stakes winner on Saturday night, when he rallied for a half-length win over Rain On Monday in the $40,000 Citgo at Sam Houston Race Park. It was another five lengths back in third to Majestic Note.
Lissa's Star ($8.60) stalked the pace, as Upstream set fractions of 23.07 for the opening quarter and 45.85 for the half-mile mark. Lissa's Star rallied in the stretch, and covered the seven furlongs for 3-year-old Texas-breds in 1:23.63.
"He's got a real good late kick," said Ted Gondron, who rode the winner for trainer Michael Stidham.
Seabreeze Blvd. successfully made the transition from recent maiden winner to stakes graduate Saturday night at Evangeline Downs as he kicked well clear to win $75,000 Inaugural Stakes. Pacesetter and 6-5 favorite Chief What It Is proved no match for the winner in the drive and finished second followed by L. S. Fast Jack, Direct Splash, Premier Dance and Catonight.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Preachinatthebar, who has won four allowance races in the last year, ended an eight-race losing streak in stakes in Saturday's $110,600 Tokyo City Handicap at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Jon Court, Preachinatthebar stalked pacesetter Truly a Judge for the first seven furlongs, took the lead with a wide move in early stretch and scored by a length over Texcess. Preachinatthebar ($16.20) ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.14.
CHICAGO - Sweetnorthernsaint will race next weekend in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne rather than the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, and will ship from his home base at Laurel Park to Chicago by van on Tuesday, trainer Mike Trombetta said Sunday afternoon.
Trombetta had closely monitored the expected composition of both races during the last week before making his choice, and said he had picked out the Illinois Derby because it offered Sweetnorthernsaint a better chance to pick up graded stakes earnings he could need to get into the Kentucky Derby.
ALBANY, Calif. - Eleanor Rose ($9.80), who had not finished off the board since arriving in Northern California in late 2004, scored her first stakes victory Saturday, winning the $100,000 at Golden Gate Fields.
The 1 1/16-mile race for Cal-bred fillies and mares was switched from the turf to the main track leading to the scratch of morning-line favorite Moscow Burning.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Barbaro answered the question about his ability to handle a fast track and will head into the Kentucky Derby undefeated after outfinishing a game Sharp Humor to post a hard-fought half-length victory in Saturday's $1 million at Gulfstream Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The groundwork has been duly laid for a huge year for Bandini. After his 3-year-old season ended prematurely when he suffered an ankle injury in the Kentucky Derby last May, the flashy colt has returned with a vengeance, as he won his second start of a new campaign with frightening ease Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Honey Ryder won the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes in her 2005 finale. But even trainer Todd Pletcher admitted that effort may have paled in comparison to Honey Ryder's performance in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 , in which she exploded to a four-length victory over Olaya and set a course record in the process.
