SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Todd Pletcher capped his fourth consecutive Saratoga training title in style on Monday as Honey Ryder won the Grade 3 , the closing-day feature of the 36-day Saratoga meet.
The Glens Falls victory was the last of 22 wins for Pletcher this summer. Pletcher also won the training title in 1998. John Velazquez, who finished second in the jockey standings to Edgar Prado, rode Honey Ryder to his meet-leading 15th stakes win.
MIAMI - Bob's Proud Moment, frustrated by numerous near-misses in stakes races here over the past two seasons, finally had things go his way when he posted a neck victory over 21-1 Dancing Master in Monday's Grade 3, $150,000 at Calder. Southern Cal, the 7-5 favorite, finished third after tiring badly in late stretch.
Frank Brothers trains arguably the top 2-year-old in North America in unbeaten First Samurai. Monday, Brothers unveiled a highly capable backup when Laity, ridden by Corey Lanerie, romped to an 11 3/4-length victory in the $200,000 , the annual highlight of the summer meet at River Downs.
"You can never get enough good 2-year-olds," Brothers said.
Laity, a homebred colt by Pulpit, finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.60 over a fast track and returned $10 as third choice in a field of eight 2-year-olds.
As expected, the New York Breeders' Futurity turned out to be a romp. Not by the horse everyone expected to see, however.
Classic Pack ($8.70), who won his maiden in fast time before running into the sensational First Samurai, was easily best in the $248,400 Futurity - the richest run ever run at Finger Lakes.
The six-furlong stakes became wide open when One Way Flight, who would have been odds-on, was scratched.
Ready for Roses trailed the opening quarter, accelerated rapidly when set down, and drew off to a 5 1/4-length win in the 54th running of the $75,000 Governor's Buckeye Cup at Thistledown. Bernard's Candy finished second, a nose in front of Count on My Word.
Ready for Roses is trained by Tim Hamm, was ridden by Irwin J. Rosendo, and paid $5.20. The winning time for 1 1/4 miles was 2:05.24 over the fast track.
Stormy Roman rallied for a repeat victory in the $60,000 Bob Harding Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The Harding was the final race run over the course, which will be torn up this week and have new sod added later in the fall in preparation for the 2007 Breeders' Cup.
Stormy Roman ($8.80) won twice in eight trips over the course. Both times he rallied to capture the Harding, a one-mile race named for the late turf writer for the Newark Star-Ledger.
Onthedeanslist, ridden by Eddie Martin Jr., led the entire way to capture the $50,000 Tri-State Handicap on the closing-day card at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.
The win was the third straight for Onthedeanslist, who returned $9.60 to win. A 6-year-old Honor Grades horse, Onthedeanslist is owned by Team Valor and trained by Ralph Nicks.
Mighty Military finished second by 1 1/4 lengths and was followed by Saturday Deelites and B.A. Way.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The Halton has generally not been considered a stepping-stone to the Grade 1, $1 million Atto Mile. But for the second straight season, Mobil, who on Sunday won the Halton for the third year in a row, is slated to swing back in the Atto Mile, which will be run here Sept. 18.
A 1 1/8-mile turf race, the Halton was one of six $125,000 yearling sales stakes run Sunday at Woodbine.
Mobil's victory Sunday was his first since the 2004 Halton and ended a six-race losing streak.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Malcolm Pierce, who has torn a swath through the Woodbine turf scene this summer, will send
out two fillies - Foofaraw and Magnificentaproval - in Wednesday's feature, a seven-furlong preliminary allowance.
Foofaraw is winless in seven starts this year, but she managed to record back-to-back runner-up placings at Fair Grounds in February and March. She was fourth here in three consecutive starts in the spring and early summer, including the 6 1/2-furlong Alywow Stakes, but is coming off a poor showing over yielding ground.
