SAN MATEO, Calif. - This is the week of the 3-year-olds in northern California, where the Grade 3, $250,000 El Camino Real Derby will be run Sunday at 1 1/16 miles.
The race has had an impact on past Triple Crown races, producing winners in each of the races, as well as two Eclipse winners and one Horse of the Year. It has also produced two Kentucky Derby runner-ups and one Belmont runner-up.
ALBANY, Calif. - An innovative spring schedule of eight stakes races, each with a minimum purse of $100,000 for a total of $1.25 million, has been released by Golden Gate Fields racing secretary Sean Greely.
Highlighting the schedule is the Grade 2, $400,000 San Francisco Breeders' Cup Mile on April 29. The $400,000 purse, which includes $100,000 from Breeders' Cup funds, equals the highest stakes purse ever offered in northern California and more than doubles last year's $150,000 purse. From 1990-92, the Golden Gate Handicap's purse was $400,000.
Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., drew 56,878 patrons over its three-day opening weekend, and they bet $4,237,843 on the track's live races. Oaklawn handled another $7,312,918 offsite, bringing opening weekend handle on the track's races to $11,550,761.
Daytime Promise ($3.70) made a strong three-wide rally turning for home and cruised to a 1 1/4-length victory in the $68,517 for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct. Last Romance finished second, 2 3/4 lengths ahead of Mississippi Madam.
Daytime Promise is now 2 for 3 for owners Darlene Bilinksi and Harry Patten and trainer Gary Contessa.
Daytime Promise will most likely run next in the $65,000 Busher Stakes here on Feb. 26.
There were four stakes races on closing day at the Fair Grounds meet at Louisiana Downs, but the biggest story was not who won, but who didn't run, as Grade 1 winner Happy Ticket was scratched from the $104,650 Lagniappe Ladies Sprint after the track came up sloppy.
"I just didn't want to take a chance running her in that," said trainer Andy Leggio. "When you got a nice filly like this, you don't take any chances with her."
Peppers Pride stalked the pace and finished strongly on the outside to win the $125,000 La Senora at Sunland Park. Owned by H. Joseph Allen and trained by Joel Marr, Peppers Pride, a 3-year-old daughter of Desert God, made it four wins from as many starts, pulling clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths as the 3-2 favorite under Carlos Madeira.
Peppers Pride ($5) traveled the six furlongs in 1:10.29.
The pacesetting Zzzs Ghost settled for second, with Foolish Fortune third.
Hey Slick ($13.60) rallied from dead last to pass all nine of his rivals in the $40,000 Rattlesnake Stakes for 3-year-olds at Turf Paradise. Hey Slick swung wide going into the far turn and circled the field, ending up three-quarters of a length clear at the wire after a mile in 1:37.86.
Heavy favorite Karlee's Kitten was in complete command of the $40,000 Sun Devil Stakes at Turf Paradise, opening up a five-length lead in the final furlong, when she suddenly veered in and then out again late, unseating rider Michael Baze. That suddenly opened the door for Nezi O, who had been on the lead and inherited it again when Karlee's Kitten dumped Baze. Nezi O retook the lead from her riderless rival and drew off to win the mile event for 3-year-old fillies by almost four lengths.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Jockey Francisco Torres escaped serious injury in the sixth race on Sunday at Oaklawn Park, when his mount, who appeared to be a clear winner, ducked in and unseated him about 30 yards from the finish line of the maiden race for 3-year-old fillies.
Ermine, who was second choice in the wagering, had led throughout during the one-mile race.
Torres was taken to St. Joseph's Mercy Health Center in Hot Springs, and will stay there overnight for precautionary reasons, said his agent, Lenny Pike.
