Sat, 04/01/2006 - 00:00

Wanna Runner gets Baffert a WinStar Derby

Jack Coady/Coady Photography
Wanna Runner wins the WinStar Derby by five lengths on Saturday at Sunland Park.

Bob Baffert didn't just break his winless streak in Sunland's $600,000 on Saturday, he smashed it, as his trainees Wanna Runner and Sky Diving finished one-two in the meet's marquee event.

Wanna Runner, the 4-5 favorite, showed speed to hound pacesetter Blaze It from the outside, pounced on that foe going to the far turn, took over, and extended his lead from there to win by five lengths under Victor Espinoza.

Sat, 04/01/2006 - 00:00

Bettarun Fast upsets Santa Paula

Horsephotos
Bettarun Fast upsets in Saturday's $105,650 Santa Paula Stakes at Santa Anita.

Bettarun Fast, the second-longest shot in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies, won her first stakes since September in Saturday's $105,650 at Santa Anita.

Sat, 04/01/2006 - 00:00

Laurel: Dress Grey romps

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Dress Grey speeds away from eight other 3-year-old fillies to win the $75,000 Smart Halo Stakes by 8-1/2 lengths at Laurel Park.

A half-mile into the $75,000 Smart Halo Stakes at Laurel Park, Dress Grey took the lead and never looked back, drawing off to an 8 1/2-length win in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies.

Ridden by Erick Rodriguez, Dress Grey ($10.40) broke well from the rail and stalked the 44-1 shot Citichurch through an opening quarter in 21.94 seconds. As Citichurch began to back up on her way to being eased, Dress Grey took the lead and extended it through the stretch, stopping the timer in 1:11.48.

Sat, 04/01/2006 - 00:00

Turfway: Gallant Secret rallies

Gallant Secret, third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in 2005, picked up the first stakes victory of her career by winning the $50,000 Fairway Fun at Turfway Park by 2 1/2 lengths over Cape Hope.

As is her custom, Gallant Secret fell far off the early pace before launching a rally. For much of the race she settled in 11th in the field of 12, as eventual third-place finisher Quite a Ruckus set fractions of 47.50 seconds and 1:12.65 in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Sat, 04/01/2006 - 00:00

Beulah: Money Card draws off

Tampa Bay invader Money Card ($18.20) dueled outside of 6-5 favorite Lillians Choice to the stretch before drawing off to an 8 1/2-length win in the $50,000 Royal North Stakes for 3-year-old Ohio-bred fillies at Beulah.

Sat, 04/01/2006 - 00:00

Lawyer Ron works a bullet

Jeff Coady/Coady Photography
Lawyer Ron breezed a half-mile in a bullet 48.03 seconds under regular rider John McKee on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

Lawyer Ron was one of four probables for the Grade 2, $1 million Arkansas Derby to work at Oaklawn Park on Saturday morning. He breezed a half-mile in a bullet 48.03 seconds under regular rider John McKee.

The move was the fastest of 46 at the distance Saturday.

Lawyer Ron has won his last five starts and is the favorite for the Arkansas Derby, which will be run April 15. Others on the track for works were Red Raymond, Steppenwolfer, and Well Said, who has committed to the Arkansas Derby, trainer Walter Bindner Jr. said Saturday.

Sat, 04/01/2006 - 00:00

Simulcasting halted at Suffolk

Suffolk Downs was forced to close for simulcasting indefinitely on Saturday because the two branches of the Massachusetts legislature were unable to agree on a bill allowing simulcasting before existing laws expired March 31.

Fri, 03/31/2006 - 00:00

Surf Cat looms large

Horsephotos
Surf Cat, 5 for 9 with earnings over $400,000, will carry high weight of 119 pounds on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The most likely winner on the Sunday card at Santa Anita is worth backing at odds-on. Well, maybe.

"I never bet on 3-5 shots," Surf Cat's trainer Bruce Headley cautioned. "But if everybody gets the same break, and there is no bad luck for anybody, then it's a good bet."

Fri, 03/31/2006 - 00:00

Sacred Light, Balance control their destiny

ARCADIA, Calif. - From California to Kentucky, owners John and Jerry Amerman and trainer David Hofmans will have a 3-year-old colt and filly in major stakes next Saturday.

How Sacred Light runs in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby and the brilliant filly Balance fares in the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland will determine where those two run in May.

It is possible that Balance could run in the Kentucky Oaks on May 5, a day before Sacred Light starts in the Kentucky Derby, although Hofmans stopped short of predicting that on Friday.

Fri, 03/31/2006 - 00:00

Some stakes purses cut

Hollywood Park released the stakes schedule for its spring-summer meeting on Friday, a day after an agreement was reached between track officials and the Thoroughbred Owners of California over the amount of money that should be dedicated to stakes. Hollywood wanted to reduce purses for overnight races from last year while essentially maintaining last year's stakes schedule, while the TOC wanted to reduce stakes purses and maintain overnight purse levels at previous levels.