Red Lifesaver jumped right into a duel with heavy favorite Dee Dee's Diner, was able to get the best of that rival, cleared off into the lane, and had just enough left to fend off Blue Song in the $50,000 Santa Teresa Handicap at Sunland Park. Her connections, trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Brian Peck, swept Sunland's weekend stakes.
A 5-year-old daughter of Victory Gallop, Red Lifesaver covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.73 and paid $7.40.
Magnolia Jackson continued her and her trainer's torrid winter by wearing down a stubborn Sweet Sweet to win the $70,995 Broadway Handicap for New York-bred fillies and mares at Aqueduct.
It was the third consecutive victory for Magnolia Jackson, who last month took the Correction Handicap versus open company. It was the meet-leading 53rd victory of the winter for trainer Gary Contessa, who owns a 21-win advantage over Bruce Levine.
Adverse weather conditions stopped racing at two tracks at the beginning of the week.
Turf Paradise canceled racing on Sunday and Monday after the Phoenix area was inundated with approximately two inches of rain.
The $40,000 Cactus Cup will be brought back on the Saturday, March 18, card. Racing at Turf Paradise was scheduled to resume Tuesday.
ALBANY, Calif. - Strong Faith ($12.20), claimed for $32,000 in her last start, sat off a brisk pace and made an explosive move in the stretch to capture the $42,850 Muir Woods Overnight Stakes on Sunday at Golden Gate Fields.
Strong Faith was last early as Marla Bay set the pace under pressure from Eleanor Rose in the 1 1/16-mile race switched from the turf to the sloppy main track. She wound up beating Eleanor Rose by three lengths in 1:42.11 with her strong stretch run. Marla Bay was third.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Whatever debate there may have been over whether Balance or Wild Fit was the best 3-year-old filly in California, let alone the nation, was put to rest on Sunday when Balance scored a powerful, 2 1/2-length victory against Wild Fit and seven other rivals in the Grade 1, $300,000 .
Balance ($5.20) was forced to race four paths wide the entire trip over a track that seemed to favor inside lanes all day. Yet she made a bold, resolute run under jockey Victor Espinoza on the far turn and came home strongly.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Purim, who is a graded stakes winner on turf, expanded his resume Sunday when he won the Grade 3, $150,000 at Oaklawn Park.
Purim was a two length winner of the mile and a sixteenth dirt race, with Arch Hall finishing second. It was another two and a half lengths back in third to Thunder Mission, while Rockport Harbor, the 2-5 favorite, set the pace and finished fifth in the Razorback.
Sweet Idea won her third straight race Saturday night when she powered to a four and a half length win in the $40,000 Sam Houston Oaks at Sam Houston Race Park. Seven Anns finished second, while it was two and three-quarter lengths back in third to Cora Zon d'Oro.
Chit Chat Pam, the favorite, finished fourth in the Sam Houston Oaks.
ALBANY, Calif. - Cause to Believe ($3) took another big stride toward the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, capturing the $100,000 at Golden Gate Fields.
Cause to Believe was last early as Sinister Minister set brisk early fractions of 22.19 and 45.26. He moved along the rail on the second turn and was second about five lengths behind Sinister Minister as the field of five turned for home.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - In a race that will go down as one of the most exciting in the history of Oaklawn Park, Round Pond edged Happy Ticket by a neck after a stretch long battle to win the Grade 3, $175,000 before a crowd of 22,908 on Saturday.
"Somebody made the comment it reminded them of Easy Goer and Sunday Silence at the eighth pole and it did," said John Servis, who trains Round Pond. "Two quality horses and they weren't giving an inch."
