Sat, 12/03/2005 - 00:00

Laurel: Cherokee's Boy cruises

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Travis Dunkelberger guides Cherokee's Boy to his 12th stakes win in the Jennings at Laurel.

Returning on short rest wasn't the least bit of a problem for Cherokee's Boy.

One week after easily winning a seven-furlong allowance at Charles Town, the 5-year-old Cherokee's Boy dominated five rivals to win the $75,000 Jennings Handicap at Laurel Park.

Ridden confidently by Travis Dunkelberger, Cherokee's Boy ($2.80) used a short burst of speed to take the lead between two horses with a half-mile remaining and drew off by 6 1/4 lengths without being asked for his best run the final eighth. He completed 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in 1:52.49.

Sat, 12/03/2005 - 00:00

Woodbine: Miss Concerto scores at 30-1

Michael Burns Photo Ltd.
Miss Concerto upsets in the Grade 3, $179,350 Bessarabian Handicap at Woodbine.

Miss Concerto split horses at the eighth pole and then drew clear to record a 30-1 upset in the Grade 3, $179,350 at Woodbine.

Miss Concerto raced about three lengths off the lead on the backstretch as her stablemate Stonington and favored Silver Bird dueled through lively fractions.

Miss Concerto reached contention exiting the turn under Corey Fraser and went on to prevail by two lengths. The final time for seven furlongs was 1:25. Colonial Surprise finished second, a neck ahead of Hatpin. Silver Bird faded to finish 10th in the 12-horse field of fillies and mares.

Sat, 12/03/2005 - 00:00

Evangeline: Voodoo Gold easily in Bayouland

Voodoo Gold ran his local record to 4 for 4 at Evangeline Downs on Friday, when he defeated 10 rivals by 12 1/4 lengths in the $50,000 Bayouland Sales Stakes.

Voodoo Gold covered the six furlongs in 1:11.74 over a fast strip. Lexi's Luck finished second, followed by Unofficial and early pacesetter Lanes Train.

Trained by Cole Norman, Voodoo Gold ($3) also won the John Franks Memorial Stakes and the D. S. "Shine" Young Futurity over the summer before finishing unplaced in a pair of stakes at Louisiana Downs this fall.

Sat, 12/03/2005 - 00:00

Silver Tree salvages day for Mott and Bailey

Jim Lisa Photos
Silver Tree (right), under Jerry Bailey, overtakes 41-1 Demeteor by a neck in the Tropical Park Turf.

MIAMI - A day that began on a sour note for the team of jockey Jerry Bailey and trainer Bill Mott ended in the Calder winner's circle after favored Silver Tree outfinished the 41-1 longshot Demeteor by a neck in Saturday's $100,000 .

Sat, 12/03/2005 - 00:00

What a Pleasure: Saint Augustus upsets

Jim Lisa Photos
Saint Augustus wins the $100,000 What a Pleasure Stakes at Calder on Saturday.

Saint Augustus gave trainer Todd Pletcher yet another stakes victory during his record-setting 2005 season when he rallied from off a hotly contested pace to post a 2 1/2-length victory over Big Lover in the $100,000 What a Pleasure Stakes. Flanders Fields, the surprising 7-5 favorite in the field of seven 2-year-olds, finished fourth.

Sat, 12/03/2005 - 00:00

Three Ring: Sentimental win for Plesa

Jim Lisa Photos
Stolen Prayer wins the $100,000 Three Ring Stakes at Calder on Saturday.

Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. has won more than his share of stakes during his career. But few, if any, have meant more than Stolen Prayer's one-length victory over the 8-5 favorite Capozzene in the $100,000 Three Ring Stakes.

Plesa trained the ill-fated Three Ring during her short but extremely successful career that ended tragically following a paddock mishap in New York.

"Of all the named races they have here I was just really glad to be able to win this race," said Plesa.

Fri, 12/02/2005 - 00:00

A first for Texcess

Benoit & Associates
The 7 1/2-furlong On Trust Handicap may be a tad too long for favored Areyoutalkintome.

Of all the curious aspects of the career of , including breaking through for his first victory in a stakes race, he has yet to run in a race around one turn. Sure, he sprinted in his debut at Fairplex, but that was around two turns.

Fri, 12/02/2005 - 00:00

Zippy Missy in first start for Asmussen

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Solid efforts by in two stakes caught the attention of sheets maven Jerry Brown, who advised Ro Parra to purchase her. Sunday, Brown's assessment gets its initial test when Zippy Missy makes her first start for Parra's Millennium Farms in the $75,000 East View Stakes at Aqueduct.

A New York-bred, Zippy Missy is one of 10 juvenile fillies who will have to prove themselves in a two-turn race at 1 1/16 miles. Zippy Missy, who is now trained by Steve Asmussen, will also have to overcome post 9.

Fri, 12/02/2005 - 00:00

Stormin Gold gets pace for late run

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Even though there is not a stakes at Fair Grounds at Louisiana Downs on Sunday, the card does not lack for quality thanks to a pair of high-dollar optional claiming affairs.

Fri, 12/02/2005 - 00:00

Sugar Swirl can continue her ascent

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sugar Swirl, the only Bobby Frankel-trained runner left at Woodbine, should be tough to run down in Sunday's $162,150 Ontario Lassie Stakes for Ontario-foaled 2-year-old fillies.

Sugar Swirl, a Stronach Stable homebred by Touch Gold, graduated second time out in a seven-furlong maiden special weight event in September. She was subsequently favored in the $251,600 Princess Elizabeth, a prestigious stakes for Canadian-breds, and led throughout to complete 1 1/16 miles in 1:50, receiving a Beyer Speed Figure of 70.