INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Diplomat Lady seized the lead soon after the start, repelled an early challenge from speedy Meetmeinthewoods, then safely held off favored Balance in the stretch to score a 39-1 upset in the Grade 1, $457,000 for 2-year-old fillies on Sunday at Hollywood Park.
The victory keyed a pick six carryover of $147,515.05 to Monday's closing-day card at Hollywood Park. Because Monday is the final day of the meet, the pick six will be subject to a mandatory payout.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Onthedeanslist, left to his own devices on the front end in Sunday's Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap at the Fair Grounds meeting at Louisiana Downs, had enough left in the late going to hold off heavily favored and starting highweight Fort Prado. Middleweight finished third in the grassy mile and a sixteenth headliner followed by Northern Scene.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Trainer Dan Hendricks, who was paralyzed in an off-road accident in July 2004, scored his biggest victory since that tragic day on Saturday when Brother Derek captured the Grade 1, $407,250 for 2-year-olds at Hollywood Park.
MIAMI - Meteor Storm, winless since capturing the Grade 1 Manhattan Handicap in June 2004, ended his 18-month drought in high style by outgaming 2-1 favorite Revved Up to register a neck victory in Saturday's $200,000 at Calder.
The Grade 2 McKnight was the highlight of Calder's Grand Slam II program, which also included the Grade 2 La Prevoyante, the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper, and the seven-furlong Kenny Noe Jr. handicaps.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - So far, has not lived up to the potential of an A.P. Indy colt.
Crocker Road, 4, has won 2 of 8 starts in his career, but finished second or third in four consecutive allowance races earlier this year.
Those frustrating results could be behind Crocker Road. He won his last start, an allowance race at Del Mar on July 31, and returns in a $49,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles at Hollywood Park on Monday.
Monday is the final day of the Hollywood fall meeting. Santa Anita opens its winter-spring meeting on Dec. 26.
ALBANY, Calif. - Crafty Ang, who has been his own worst enemy, will try to close out the Golden Gate Fields meet with a victory Monday. He will break from post 8 as he meets seven rivals in a six-furlong sprint for 2-year-old maidens.
Trainer Jeff Bonde surprised a lot of people when he entered Crafty Ang, coming off a 14 1/2-length loss at Del Mar, in the Bay Meadows Juvenile. Bonde knew Crafty Ang, a $90,000 Barretts purchase in May, had talent but was trouble-prone and hadn't really figured things out yet.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Top European jockey Kieren Fallon said on Saturday that he will not ride at Santa Anita when that track's winter-spring meeting opens on Dec. 26.
Fallon's statement is a reversal of a plan announced last Thursday by jockey agent Ron Ebanks. At the time, Ebanks indicated that Fallon would ride at Santa Anita until the start of the European flat turf season in late March.
Reached by phone on Saturday, Fallon said, "I don't think I'll be able to ride in California. I was looking forward to going, but I've had second thoughts."
MIAMI - Film Maker, who has held her own against the best filly and mare turf horses in the world in the last two editions of the Breeders' Cup, asserted her class to post an easy 3 1/2-length victory over Kate Winslet and 10 other rivals in Saturday's $200,000 at Calder.
The La Prevoyante was one of four stakes on Calder's Grand Slam II program.
OLDSMAR Fla. - Gotta Rush has been carrying on a winning family tradition for her owner-breeder, Inwood Farm and partners, and trainer Pete Palmer.
Gotta Rush, a daughter of Silver Stockings, who was also campaigned by Inwood and trained by Palmer, has won more than $208,000. A winner of 4 of 16 starts, including the Polly's Jet Stakes at Delaware Park last summer, she was third in last spring's Florida Oaks here behind R Lady Joy, who went on later to take the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks.
STICKNEY, Ill. - Chris Block doesn't focus on 2-year-old races, but Creative Force left him no choice. Bred and owned by Block's family, which races as Team Block, Creative Force didn't even make his career debut until Nov. 3, but Saturday at Hawthorne he impressively won the $105,950 Jim Edgar Illinois Futurity.
"He was kind of slow to come around," Block said. "My dad kept asking me, 'When are you going to stop on him?' But he really started training well this fall."
