Cryptograph, reprising his performance in the Oct. 15 Durham Cup over 1 1/8 miles, rallied strongly around the final turn en route to victory in the Grade 3, $165,600 .
Cryptograph, cutting back to 1 1/16 miles for the Woodbine Slots Cup, was kept closer to the pace than usual by rider Todd Kabel.
"It looked like there was going to be a hot pace in here, but nobody really pushed it," said Kabel. "That put us right in behind, just stalking perfect, and when I called on him he just exploded."
Escrow Account went from a $12,000 maiden claiming winner to a stakes winner in the $56,350 Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes at Philadelphia Park. An 18 1/2-length winner of his lone previous start, Escrow Account took the Pennsylvania Nursery, a seven-furlong race for statebred colts and geldings, by 1 1/2 lengths under jockey Nick Santagata.
Escrow Account rallied from eighth place in the field of 10 and ran down Valay Night, who had opened up by two lengths in midstretch. Valay Night held second by two lengths over third-place finisher Evening Meadow, the 5-2 favorite.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - They don't have trouble - not here in River City.
Three of the top contenders in the Sunday feature at Churchill Downs, the Grade 3 River City Handicap, have shown a particular fondness for racing over the Churchill turf, and a victory by any of them would come as little surprise.
America Alive, Honor in War, and G P Fleet are the trio whose previous feats over their home course make them solid threats to visit the Churchill winner's circle yet again.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As if a gigantic pick six carryover didn't lend enough eventfulness to the Friday card, the horse who finished first in the featured ninth race was not a winner - at least in regard to all pari-mutuel pools, including the pick six.
Funk, the winner, raced for purse money only after a snafu involving an inadvertent scratch early in the day led the Churchill stewards to order that he be declared non-eligible for wagering purposes.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The $100,000 Moccasin Stakes on Sunday at Hollywood Park is a neat little seven-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies, and a virtual chalk-fest - nine of the last 10 winners returned 3-1 or less, and six were favorites.
The Moccasin payoffs match its historical insignificance. Though it is run four weeks before the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet at 1 1/16 miles, the Moccasin has had a negligible impact on the juvenile filly division. Magical Maiden in 1991 was the last Moccasin starter to win the Starlet.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Rock Hard Ten, the top handicap horse in California this year, has been retired to stud after arthroscopic surgery conducted on Thursday revealed cartilage damage near the sesamoids of his left foreleg, trainer Richard Mandella said.
"It's a sad day, believe me," Mandella said Friday morning.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - In a mishap before the Grade 1 Matron Stakes on Sept. 17, India smashed her head into the doors of the starting gate.
On Sunday, India hits the comeback trail at Aqueduct in the Grade 3, $100,000 Valley Stream Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs. India will be making her fourth start and the first since the Matron.
India was the even-money favorite in the Matron, off a terrific maiden victory at Saratoga when she romped by 12 lengths and earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Mighty Cahill and Arizona Drifter stand out in the feature race at Hastings Sunday. Mighty Cahill will likely be the favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong allowance race for 2-year-olds that haven't won a stakes.
Mighty Cahill, who is trained by Harold Barroby, showed a lot of potential when he debuted in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race Sept. 5. With leading rider Justin Stein aboard, Mighty Cahill went right to the front and drew off to win by 11 1/4 lengths over Jack Diamond Futurity winner Sungold Wonder.
PORTLAND, Ore. - One Fast Trick will return to Portland Meadows on Sunday when she heads a field of seven 3-year-old Quarter Horses in the $6,000-added PM Fall Derby Finals at 400 yards.
One Fast Trick, a daughter of Dash Ta Fame who races for breeder and trainer Ron Raley, was little shy of sensational here last season. The filly won 9 of her first 10 starts, including 7 of 9 over this track, and missed collecting a $100,000 bonus by 1 1/4 lengths when she ran second to One Fast Okie in her only loss, which came in the rich Northwest Futurity last October.
OZONE PARK, N.J. - Kelly Breen, who won his first Monmouth Park training title this summer, has settled in for the winter at Belmont Park with 27 horses and has Fagan's Legacy on course for the Aqueduct's Grade 2, $200,000 Remsen Stakes for 2-year-olds next Saturday.
Fagan's Legacy made his debut at Monmouth in September and won at second asking. Breen then sent Fagan's Legacy to Belmont for the off-the-turf Pilgrim Stakes on Oct. 23, and Fagan's Legacy scored a 3 1/4-length win that earned him this shot at a graded stakes.
