Classical Ryder stayed unbeaten in four career starts when she rallied from far back to post a one-length victory in the $50,000 Valdale Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.
Ridden by Eddie Martin Jr., Classical Ryder returned $18.40 after finishing one mile in 1:41.47 over Polytrack. The winner is owned by Gail Hughes and Gerald Selbach and is trained by Donald Hughes.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The Grade 2, $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap might still be a neat little turf race Sunday at Santa Anita, despite the defection of The Tin Man, who will aim instead for a race in Dubai. But instead of an attractive wagering contest, the San Luis Obispo has become an odds-on showcase for a powerful three-horse entry owned by Gary Tanaka.
Grade 1 winner King's Drama, Grade 2 winner Atlando, and Group 3 winner Aubonne will be coupled in the 1 1/2-mile San Luis Obispo. Seven others with marginal chances also were entered.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A primary question surrounding Spellbinder's appearance in Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap is how he will handle his first start at 1 1/4 miles.
Spellbinder has certainly conquered 1 1/8 miles, finishing third by a length in the Grade 3 Native Diver Handicap at Hollywood Park in December and winning the Grade 2 San Antonio Handicap here on Feb. 5, his first stakes win in his fifth stakes try.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Much the same way Achilles of Troy has developed into the top 3-year-old colt based in New York this winter, Daytime Promise has forged to the head of the 3-year-old filly class.
Gary Contessa, the trainer of , has gone as far as to consider his filly a potential starter in the Grade 1 Ashland, run at Keeneland on April 8. If she is that good, then Daytime Promise should be able to handle the competition in Sunday's $65,000 Busher Stakes at Aqueduct. The Busher, run at 1 1/16 miles, drew a field of seven.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Run me. That is what multiple stakes winner Rodeo's Castle is telling trainer Beverly Fowler, and that is what she will do on Sunday.
Rodeo's Castle will take on five others in the featured ninth, an optional claimer over six furlongs that has a purse of $40,000. Among his rivals are Grade 3 winner Level Playingfield and stakes winners Grand Bank and Bubba Gum.
Rodeo's Castle was not scheduled to race until next month in the $50,000 Hot Springs on March 19, but he has had other ideas of late.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Tom Two figures to go off as a solid favorite at Portland Meadows on Sunday when he takes on six other 3-year-olds in the $7,500 Greek Native Invitational Handicap at a mile.
Tom Two, a front-running son of Free at Last who races for trainer Delmer Webb, swept the first three stakes for his division at this meeting, including the Oregon Futurity at a mile on Dec. 31. Returning in the six-furlong Flying Lark Stakes on Feb. 4, Tom Two was outdueled by the undefeated Ballou Slew and had to settle for second at odds of 2-5.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Brownie Points split horses inside the final furlong and went on to a two and three-quarter length win in the $50,000 at Oaklawn Park on Friday.
The one-mile race is the first of two local preps for the Grade 2, $250,000 Fantasy.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Barbican, who missed his scheduled start in Oaklawn Park's Southwest Stakes after developing an ulcer on his epiglottis earlier this month, appears well on the road to recovery after working a half-mile in 48 seconds at Palm Meadows training center on Friday.
"He went very well," said trainer Eoin Harty. "I was very pleased with the work and he came back fine."
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Nick Zito has been looking for a second-level allowance race for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles since the beginning of the Gulfstream meet. He'll finally get his wish Sunday when he sends Hemingway's Key and Doc Cheney out against five rivals in the afternoon's $35,000 main event.
