EDMONTON, Alberta - It was ultra-sweet for Vancouver trainer Lance Giesbrecht to return to his long-ago home track and achieve his long-time dream of winning the $300,000 Canadian Derby with Alabama Rain here Saturday.
Alabama Rain, opening up in the stretch, won by 4.75 lengths over 20-1 Ding Dong Dandy, who finished a neck ahead of Alberta Derby champion Knight's Covenant.
Alabama Rain, who earned $189,000, was sent off as a slight 2-1 favorite over Ontario invader Out From Africa.
Passion Fever drove to a three-quarter length win over entrymate Racing Sundown in the $40,000 Black Mesa at Remington Park on Saturday night. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Rammers Best.
Passion Fever ($5.60) was prominent throughout the six furlong race for Oklahoma-bred fillies and mares, pushing pacesetter Tickin Okie through fractions of 21.50 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.09 seconds for the half-mile. Passion Fever went on to cover the distance in 1:10.40.
Nena Matz rode the winner for owner-trainer Larry Brown.
Whiskey For Me was up for a neck win over favorite Ready Ruler in the $40,000 Jim Bowie at Retama Park on Saturday night. It was another half length back in third to Justa Red Bird.
Whiskey For Me ($10.20) settled off the pace set by Sumbstorm, who led through fractions of 24.18 seconds for the opening quarter and 47.97 seconds for the half-mile mark in the seven and a half furlong turf race for 3-year-olds. Whisky For Me rallied through the stretch for the win, and covered the distance in 1:29.27.
Nakayama Kun, ridden by Eddie Martin Jr., rallied from last before driving to a one-length victory Saturday in the $50,000 Governor's Handicap at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.
Owned by Miho Izumi and trained by Akiko Gothard, Nakayama Kun returned $15.80 as the second-longest shot in a field of seven older horses. Paging, part of a favored Bernie Flint entry, also rallied from well back to finish second, three-quarters of a length before Artemus Sunrise.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Wild Fit, coming back on just 13 days rest after a debut win, stepped right into Grade 1 company and overcame a traffic-filled trip to capture the $250,000 on Saturday.
Jockey Alex Solis had Wild Fit wide on the turn, but he was behind a wall of horses and could not save ground. Solis finally tipped Wild Fit to the five path for the stretch run, and the 2-year-old filly ran past her rivals to win going away by two lengths.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Todd Pletcher can now cross "Winning the Travers" off his Things To Do List.
Flower Alley validated his powerful Jim Dandy performance last month by overtaking Bellamy Road in upper stretch and edging clear to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $1 million on Saturday at Saratoga before a crowd of 42,841.
Bellamy Road, making his first start in 112 days, held second by 2 3/4 lengths over Roman Ruler, who was a slight 2-1 favorite. He was followed in the order of finish by Don't Get Mad, Andromeda's Hero, Reverberate, and Chekhov, who was eased.
Bossier City, La. - Zarb's Dahar, riding a seven race local win streak, made it eight in a row on Saturday at Harrah's Louisiana Downs with a determined effort in the Folklore Handicap. That Tat, one of three that leading trainer Cole Norman sent out in the six and a half-furlong sprint, finished second followed by longshot Nuttyboom. Favored Joe Six Pack, also trained by Norman, finished fourth.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - It's hard to imagine Bobby Frankel getting too excited over a Grade 3 turf stakes during the final week of the Saratoga meet, but the Hall of Fame trainer is eagerly awaiting Monday's $200,000 Ballston Spa Breeders' Cup Handicap, which marks the United States debut of his newly acquired grass filly .
DEL MAR, Calif. - With two wins at Hollywood Park in May and June, the 3-year-old filly was expected to have a big meeting at Del Mar this summer.
The campaign was postponed by a bout with sore withers last month, which resulted in her being treated by back massage. "She got cranky," McAnally said.
Charm the Giant is now a happy filly, McAnally said, and ready to try for her third consecutive win in a $68,000 optional claimer over a mile on turf on Monday.
The race could lead to Charm the Giant's stakes debut later this year.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Lost in the Fog, who has wowed his growing legion of fans from coast to coast all season long, put on another dazzling display of speed and class when he cruised to his ninth consecutive win, an easy 4 3/4-length victory in Saturday's $250,000 at Saratoga. The victory was the first Grade 1 win of his career.
