Boots Are Walking split horses into the lane with a strong late kick and just managed to get up to upset favored Bang by a neck in the $50,000 Bill Thomas Memorial Handicap at Sunland Park.
Ridden by Brian Peck for trainer Steve Asmussen, Boots Are Walking ($14.40) ran the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.16. Full Moon Madness, an 11-year-old millionaire, powered home late to finish a nose behind in third.
ALBANY, Calif. - Favored Vaca City Flyer ($4), running in her second stakes race in eight days, took the lead early and held off the late charge of Allswellthatnswell to win the $40,350 Mount Tam Overnight Stakes by a nose Sunday at Golden Gate Fields.
The 5-year-old mare scored the first stakes win of her career in the six-furlong race over a sloppy track. Her winning time was 1:09.05.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Harriett Lane won her stakes debut in Sunday?s $109,450 for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita, extending her winning streak to 3.
Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Harriett Lane ($4.60) rallied from sixth to catch pacesetter Bettarun Fast in the final furlong and win by 1 1-4 lengths.
Bettarun Fast held second, finishing a length in front of Dance Daily, the winner of the Santa Ynez Stakes in January.
Harriett Lane finished about 6 1-2 furlongs on turf in 1:13.97.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - What a difference a month and a dry track makes.
In their last starts, run over a sloppy track on Feb. 4, Teammate finished 14 lengths behind Wait A While in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes and Miraculous Miss finished 7.5 lengths behind Misty Rosette in the Grade 3 Old Hat. But over a fast track at Gulfstream Park on Sunday, Teammate avenged that setback with a convincing six length win over Wonder Lady Ann L. And Wait A While in the Grade 2 .
National training powerhouse Steve Asmussen completed a sweep of the two stakes for 3-year-olds this weekend at Evangeline Downs after sending out More Than Regal to victory in Saturday night's $50,000 Sportsman's Paradise Stakes. Asmussen also trains Devine Laughter who captured Friday night's $50,000 Green Oaks Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Liquid Silver finished second in the Sportsman's Paradise, a length and a quarter behind More Than Regal while Sweetening reported home third. The final time for the one mile distance was rapid 1:38.56, just a fifth off the track record.
Kip Deville led throughout for a 1 1/2 length win over Majestic Note in the $40,000 Texas Heritage for 3-year-olds at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday night. It was another three lengths back to Slick City Nites in third.
Kip Deville ($14.40) took the lead soon after the start of the one-mile race, and led the field through fractions of 23.90 seconds for the opening quarter, 47.77 for the half-mile mark, and 1:12.93 for six furlongs. He went on to cover the distance over a fast track in 1:39.13.
ARCADIA, Calif. - In the span of a furlong in Saturday's $1 million , Lava Man went from running in third outside of two rivals to having a clear lead when the field entered the stretch.
At that moment, jockey Corey Nakatani and trainer Doug O'Neill had the same thought. "How much will he win by?" Nakatani recalled thinking.
Lava Man's quick rally was enough to hold a two-length lead with a furlong remaining. The early move turned out to be pivotal. Magnum, a 17-1 outsider, made a sustained rally but could not catch Lava Man, who won by three-quarters of a length.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Jimmy Jerkens was pretty much resigned to his fate as soon as the horses crossed the finish line and the inquiry sign went up following Saturday's $300,000 at Gulfstream Park. And sure enough several minutes later his worst fears were realized when his Corinthian was disqualified from first and placed third, elevating 3-5 favored First Samurai to victory in the Grade 2 stakes.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The distances will increase, the competition will get stronger, and the pressure will mount over the next few months for Brother Derek and his connections. For now, though, all they are concerned about is taking the proper steps toward the Kentucky Derby, and on Saturday at Santa Anita, Brother Derek did just what was required.
