Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack in Canandaigua, N.Y., canceled its live racing cards on Monday and Tuesday after an assistant starter, Leon Reed, died of injuries he sustained during an accident at the starting gate last Saturday.
Miraculous Miss rallied from last in a five-horse field to extend her unbeaten streak to three with a two-length victory in the Grade 3, $107,200 for 2-year-old fillies.
Miraculous Miss ($21.20) stretched out to six furlongs for her stakes debut. She had posted wins at 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 furlongs at Delaware Park.
She showed great determination in the Valley Stream, having hit the starting gate at the break.
It also helped that India, the 9-10 favorite, went to the front and was hard pressed by Princess Sweet through a 21.75-second opening quarter.
Iosilver gave the field the slip heading up the backstretch and cruised home to a 16-length win in the $104,100 Schaefer Mile at Hoosier Park for the biggest payday of his career.
Ridden by Eusebio Razo Jr., Iosilver ($5) gained a short lead through the first turn as No Tolerance gave pursuit. By the time the field reached the far turn, Iosilver had opened the advantage to four lengths and widened the margin at each pole to cover the mile in a meet-best 1:37.52 over a fast track.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Size doesn't matter. True Xena dwarfed the smaller Private World as they charged to the wire in Sunday's $100,000 at Hollywood Park, and even gave her tiny rival a solid bump in the closing yards, but Private World kept her head in front and prevailed by a nose in the seven-furlong stake for 2-year-old fillies.
The victory was the third in as many starts for Private World, who also captured the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting in October.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Top Notch Lady, benefiting from a hotly contested pace, rallied smartly into the home lane and was up in time for a neck victory in Sunday's $146,575 Glorious Song Stakes here at Woodbine.
Angel On Watch, prominent throughout as the 4-1 second choice, ran well but had to settle for second, a neck to the good of odds-on favorite Gumboots, who also battled for the lead from the outset.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Leestown Light made her first start on the turf a winning Sunday afternoon as she held off 40-1 longshot Royal Madame to win the Sarah Lane's Oates Stakes on day two of the Fair Grounds at Louisiana Downs meeting. Supreme Trick finished third followed by favorite McKella.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A last-gasp surge by America Alive was just enough to overcome a gutsy effort by defending champion G P Fleet when the proverbial cavalry charge thundered to the wire Sunday in the 28th running of the $167,700 at Churchill Downs.
With just a quarter-mile to go in the 1 1/8-mile River City, the entire field of eight turf veterans was separated by less than three lengths. G P Fleet, who set a moderate pace under Jesus Castanon, was hanging grimly to the lead while fending off challenge after challenge.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Due to heavy fog, Hastings cancelled the entire Sunday card. It was the second straight day races were cancelled at Hastings. When fog set in late Saturday, the final two races were also called off.
Hastings will close out the 2005 live season next weekend. According to Director of Operations, Raj Mutti, post time for Saturday has been moved up to 11:30 am, Pacific Time.
"We want to run as many races as possible to help make up for the lost races," he said.
Post time for Sunday will also be 11:30 am.
Brownie Points became a stakes winner on Saturday night, when she rallied for a three length win over favorite Jazzy Okie in the $40,000 Cimarron at seven and a half furlongs on turf at Remington Park in Oklahoma City. It was another four lengths back in third to Sky Miles.