SAN MATEO, Calif. - Somethinaboutlaura ($8.20) made her first start on the turf and around two turns a winning one as she captured the $75,650 at Bay Meadows on Saturday.
Somethinaboutlaura sat just behind Bad Anne, made a good move into the stretch and then held off odds-on Conveyor's Angel to with the 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length. Her winning time was 1:43.30.
The next phase in the education of Resident Alien takes place in the $60,000 CTBA Marian Stakes Monday at Fairplex. The 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-old California-bred fillies has lured a field of eight, and while some of her seven rivals may be more accomplished, Resident Alien comes into this with a ton of upside after some impressive summer races.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Always consistent but never before brilliant, Folklore broke through Saturday with a smashing 14-length victory in the Grade 1, $300,000 at Belmont Park.
Longshot Miss Norman rallied from well back to be second by a head over Along the Sea. Halo Humor, River's Prayer, Fifth Avenue, and India, the even-money favorite, completed the order of finish.
AUBURN, Wash. - Don't Ignore Me is the one to beat in Monday's top offering at Emerald Downs, a 5 1/2-furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies eligible to be claimed for $15,000.
Don't Ignore Me, a gray daughter of Petersburg, ran a strong second at the $15,000 level going 6 1/2 furlongs on July 28. She was claimed out of that effort by trainer Guru Darma Khalsa for owners Bill Bright and Mike and Jeff Pollowitz.
FLORENCE, Ky. - Alternately brilliant and disappointing in his 13 previous starts, Shaniko was all of the former and none of the latter recording his first career stakes victory Saturday in the $342,500 at Turfway Park.
Off a terrific last-out victory at Saratoga, Shaniko, under Rafael Bejarano, was sent away the even-money favorite before rolling home a convincing winner over nine rivals in the Grade 2 Classic, the showcase event in the 12th annual Kentucky Cup series.
Bossier City, La. - The 27th running of the Cajun Stakes got the Thoroughbred portion of this year's Louisiana Breeders' Festival underway on Saturday at Harrah's Louisiana Downs and it was defending champion Zarb's Dahar ($2.60) drawing clear from stubborn pacesetter and 50-1 longshot Runners Name through the stretch. The defending co-Horse of the Meeting extended his winning streak to nine over the local oval. The winner is trained by James Hodges and was ridden by Gerard Melancon. The final time for the six furlongs was 1:10.25 over a fast track.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Steve Asmussen chose to run Private Vow in Saturday's Grade 2 at Belmont Park to find out sooner rather than later if he had a horse good enough to point to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile here late next month.
After rolling to a nine-length win in the $300,000 Futurity, Private Vow will be staying in town a little longer.
Singhalese was 3-5, but it was Royal Copenhagen, another Californian, who had the last, best move in the Grade 3, $200,000 at Arlington Park on Saturday.
Singhalese, ridden by Mike Smith, stalked a swift pace in the Pucker Up, and that might have been her undoing. Royal Copenhagen and jockey Shaun Bridgmohan were eighth of 11 on the backstretch, moved up on the inside going around the far turn, and swung out four wide for the stretch run.
Under a ground-saving ride by Ryan Fogelsonger, Saratoga shipper Battle Chant turned the $150,000 John D. Schapiro Memorial Breeders' Cup Handicap at Laurel Park into a 4 3/4-length romp.
Breaking from post 4 in the 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds and up, Fogelsonger guided Battle Chant, the 7-5 second choice, to the rail. They settled in fourth up the backstretch, behind pacesetter Baron Von Trap and pace-pressers Triple X. and Tam's Terms, all of whom went off at 8-1 or longer.
Wild Speed had never won beyond six furlongs, had not run in three months, and was recuperating from both a lung infection and some foot problems. Despite all that uncertainty, she was still good enough to outsprint seven rivals to register a three-quarter-length victory over Midtown Miss in the $75,000 U Can Do It Handicap at Calder.
