Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Sweet Talker nips Karen's Caper

Horsephotos
Sweet Talker (right) gets her nose on the wire, with Karen's Caper only inches behind.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Rafael Bejarano can do little wrong at Keeneland these days. Riding Sweet Talker, the longest shot in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies, Bejarano put a perfectly timed ride to maximum use when Sweet Talker lasted by the barest of margins Saturday in winning the $500,000 .

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Blazing Rate denies In Summation by nose

Horsephotos
Blazing Rate (foreground) gets the best of a head-bob against In Summation in Saturday's In Reality Stakes.

MIAMI - In Summation's quest to sweep the open division of the Florida Stallion Stakes fell inches short on Saturday when Blazing Rate got the best of a head-bob to post a thrilling nose victory in the $400,000 .

The 1 1/16-mile In Reality was the highlight of the eight stakes races on Saturday's $1.6 million Festival of the Sun card at Calder.

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Consider Thesource pays $106

Horsephotos
Consider Thesource rallies from far back to post a stunning upset in the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes at Calder on Saturday.

MIAMI - Consider Thesource, who won her maiden for a $25,000 claiming price and had never even raced against allowance company in her first three starts, pulled off one of the most stunning victories in Florida Stallion Stakes history when finishing full of run to register a 1 3/4-length victory over Stolen Prayer and pay $106.20 in Saturday's $400,000 at Calder.

Running Lass, who had captured the opening two legs of the filly division of the Stallion Series, tired badly as the 2-1 favorite in a field of 10 2-year-old fillies and beat only Pyrite Beauty, who was eased.

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Dazzling Dr. Cevin captures Derby by neck

MIAMI - The heavy rain that hit the local area Saturday morning may have put a damper on Calder's $1.6 million Festival of the Sun, but it played right into the hands of Dazzling Dr. Cevin. He proved the major beneficiary when all three scheduled grass races on the card, including the $200,000 and Calder Oaks, were switched from the turf to the main track because of the inclement weather.

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Oklahoma Derby falling into place

The $150,000 Oklahoma Derby was taking shape on Saturday, with Real Dandy and Military Major among the leading contenders expected for the 1 1/8-mile race that will be run at Remington Park in Oklahoma City on Friday night. Entries will be drawn Tuesday.

Golden Rainbow, who is in sharp form, is a possible for the race, according to Tim Ritchey, who trains the horse for the Cash Is King syndicate that also races Afleet Alex. In his last start, Golden Rainbow stormed to a 5 1/4-length win in a two-other-than allowance at Delaware Park on Oct. 9.

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Thunder Touch placed first in Moscarelli

Thunder Touch finished second but was placed first by the stewards in the $100,000 Vincent A. Moscarelli Memorial Handicap on Saturday at Delaware Park.

Forest Park, seeking his ninth win in 11 career starts, finished first but was disqualified and placed second for interfering with Thunder Touch a furlong from the wire in the six-furlong race.

It was a tough loss for Forest Park, the 9-5 second-choice who survived an early duel with 8-5 favorite Toscani, the two going neck and neck through quick fractions of 21.58 seconds for the quarter-mile and 44.26 for the half.

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Woodbine: Cryptograph up in time

Michael Burns Photo Ltd.
Cryptograph rallies to win the Grade 3, $161,050 Durham Cup Handicap at Woodbine on Saturday.

Cryptograph rallied strongly from last in a six-horse field to capture the Grade 3, $161,050 at Woodbine.

Cryptograph raced about seven lengths off fractions of 24.17 and 47.96 seconds set by Honolua Storm. Forever Rush and Sky Diamond joined Honolua Storm on the lead after three-quarters in 1:12, as Cryptograph and Niigon both commenced a wide bid.

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Clear skies for races to resume

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The sun finally broke through over the weekend, a welcome development at the soggy Meadowlands that ran only three races last week.

"I'm so happy the sun is back out, I can't even tell you," said trainer Kim Laudati. "It was awful. The only ones who didn't seem to mind were the horses. I hope we don't see another storm like that for quite a while."

The continuous, at times torrential, weeklong rain flooded the area and forced the cancellation of all or parts of six straight programs at The Meadowlands. The track last ran a complete card on Oct. 7.

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Gun Salute survives inquiry

Four-Footed Fotos
Heavy favorite Gun Salute digs deep to win Saturday's Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby over Cosmic Kris after a messy stretch run.

STICKNEY, Ill. - In horse races, what looks black and white on paper often turns into something much blurrier in reality. Gun Salute was favored at 1-5 to win the $250,000 . His presence in a five-horse field created a negative show pool of more than $47,000. And it wasn't hard to see why. Gun Salute had beaten the high-class English Channel in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes the last time he raced. On paper, he looked five lengths the best.

Sat, 10/15/2005 - 00:00

Asti takes Athenia in dirt bow

ELMONT, N.Y. - Asti made an amazing recovery to win the off-the-turf Saturday at Belmont Park.

The $111,300 race for fillies and mares, originally slated for 1 1/16 miles on grass, was shifted to the muddy and sealed main track at the same distance. Bohemian Lady, My Lordship, and Zosima, the three main-track-only entrants, figured to hold a solid advantage in the six-horse field.

That edge seemed even more pronounced when Asti ($16.20) broke poorly and dropped way behind the pack on the run down the backstretch.