Mon, 01/23/2006 - 00:00

Turf Paradise: Nezi O picks up a win

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.

Sun, 01/22/2006 - 00:00

The Tin Man best in San Marcos

Horsephotos
The Tin Man, Victor Espinoza up, wins the $150,000 San Marcos by a length at Santa Anita on Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Three years ago, The Tin Man was beaten a nose by stablemate Johar in the San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita, a loss followed by The Tin Man's eye-catching win by 9 1-2 lengths in the San Luis Obispo Handicap.

Sun, 01/22/2006 - 00:00

Torres escapes serious injury

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.

Sun, 01/22/2006 - 00:00

Middleweight rallies to win Maxxam

Coady Photography/Jenifer Juelsgaard
Middleweight rallies to win the $100,000 Maxxam at Sam Houston Race Park on Saturday.

Middleweight made a splash on the move back to dirt on Saturday night, when he rallied for a length and a quarter win over Matched in the $100,000 , the richest dirt race of the meet for older horses at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston.

Seainsky finished third in the mile and an eighth race. Dixie Meister, the highweight and favorite off his runner-up finish in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap, was scratched from the Maxxam because the horse has been sold, according to officials with Sam Houston.

Sat, 01/21/2006 - 00:00

Major Success captures Palos Verdes

Horsephotos
Major Success (center) wins his first stakes in Saturday's $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Major Success scored his third consecutive win, and first in a stakes, in Saturday's $150,000 at Santa Anita, but had to rally between two determined rivals to reach the milestone.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Major Success ($8) ran six furlongs in 1:09.23, winning by a neck. Jet West, who rallied wide in the stretch to challenge for the lead, finished second, a head in front of Attila's Storm, who raced on the rail throughout. The three were within a length of each other through the final furlong.

Sat, 01/21/2006 - 00:00

Seam Seeker captures Burlingame

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Seam Seeker ($9.60) sat behind pacesetting Cinderella Liberty, took the lead on the second turn and then drew clear to win the $75,000 Burlingame Handicap at Bay Meadows on Saturday.

Making her first start around two turns, Seam Seeker relaxed nicely down the backstretch while in hand. She made a strong move on the second turn of the one-mile race and opened a 2 1/2-length advantage into the stretch. She defeated a troubled Crystal Event by two lengths, winning the one-mile race on a wet fast track in 1:35.81.

Sat, 01/21/2006 - 00:00

Mighty Martha cruises to third victory

Pat Lang
Mighty Martha wins her first stakes in the $48,500 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway Park on Saturday.

Mighty Martha cruised to her third victory from four career starts, and her first stakes triumph, when leading from the start Saturday in the $48,500 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Ridden by Jason Lumpkins and trained by Eric Reed, Mighty Martha returned $4.20 when finishing 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Anna Dana in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Money Code, a 91-1 shot.

Sat, 01/21/2006 - 00:00

Business as usual for Team Block

Lou Hodges Jr.
Fort Prado, ridden by Robby Albarado, gives Team Block its fourth victory in the Fair Grounds Breeders

Fair Grounds at Louisiana Downs? There's no difference, as far as the Illinois-based owners Team Block are concerned. Team Block won the three years in a row when it was run in New Orleans, and they won it again Saturday in Bossier City, La. Only the horse was different.

While the three-time Fair Grounds BC winner Mystery Giver rehabs in south Florida from serious injury, Fort Prado proved a perfectly capable substitute this season, turning the tables on Onthedeanslist, who had beaten him last out in the Colonel E.R. Bradley Handicap on this same grass course.

Sat, 01/21/2006 - 00:00

Happy Hunting keeps improving

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - While Happy Hunting continues to learn his lessons, Evening Attire is starting to forget his.

Making his stakes debut, Happy Hunting came back after being passed by Mr. Whitestone in midstretch to record a one-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $110,000 before a crowd of 4,038. After breaking slowly for the second consecutive race, the 8-year-old gelding Evening Attire rallied for second by a head over Mr. Whitestone.

Sat, 01/21/2006 - 00:00

Smokey Glacken runs off with First Lady

Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Smokey Glacken and Javier Castellano cruise to victory in the $100,000 First Lady Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Smokey Glacken turned what appeared to be a wide-open race into a one-mare affair, drawing off through the stretch to an easy 4 1/4-length victory over 37-1 Kuanyan in Saturday's $100,000 at Gulfstream Park.

A 5-year-old daughter of Forestry, Smokey Glacken rated just off the early pace set by Trickle of Gold and Lunachick. Smokey Glacken wrested command three wide on the turn, edged clear in early stretch, and increased her advantage under steady urging from jockey Javier Castellano.