SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - First Samurai came to Saratoga as simply a maiden winner. He leaves as arguably the top 2-year-old in the country.
First Samurai dominated Saturday's Grade 1 , taking over from pacesetting Too Much Bling turning for home and drawing clear to a 4 1/4-length victory over the previously undefeated Henny Hughes. It was one length back to Too Much Bling in third.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Leroidesanimaux may be a hard name to pronounce but it will become easier and easier to remember as he continues to win important races. His latest triumph came Saturday at Saratoga when he set a track record while defeating Silver Tree by 1 1/4 lengths in the Grade 2, $200,000 .
Leroidesanimaux, a 5-year-old Brazilian-bred son of Candy Stripes, led throughout under jockey John Velazquez, a late replacement for regular rider Jon Court. The victory was the seventh in a row for Leroidesanimaux, who is owned by T N T Stud and trained by Bobby Frankel.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Cold Cold Woman earned a trip to the major turf stakes for fillies and mares this fall with a grueling nose victory in Friday's $84,085 California Thoroughbred Trainers and Thoroughbred Owners of California Handicap at Del Mar.
With the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Belmont Park looming in late October, Cold Cold Woman is likely to make her next start in the $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 1, a key prep to the Breeders Cup.
"I will be inclined to run in the Yellow Ribbon," said trainer Neil Drysdale.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher said he could not find an excuse for why Ashado ran so poorly in Friday's Grade 1 Personal Ensign Handicap, and intends to press on with last year's champion 3-year-old filly for a fall campaign.
Ashado finished in a dead heat for fourth with Island Sand in the Personal Ensign, 14 lengths behind upset winner Shadow Cast. It was only the second time in 19 career starts that Ashado finished worse than third. Her previous largest margin of defeat was four lengths in the Grade 1 Frizette in 2003.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Fifteen Rounds had post 1 on Saturday in the Arlington Sprint Handicap, and nobody in his camp, Fifteen Rounds included, was happy about it.
"I didn't like it, he didn't like it," said jockey Chris Emigh.
But Fifteen Rounds is so good right now, so strong, that he won anyway, edging out the longest shot in the field, Elusive Jazz, by a neck while running six furlongs in a stakes-record 1:08.51.
English invader Vanderlin overhauled another longshot, Le Cinquieme Essai, in the final strides to capture the $234,000 on Saturday at Woodbine.
Vanderlin broke slowly from post 1 in the seven-furlong turf dash, and raced about three lengths off the pace along the rail on the turn.
Gilded Gold surged in deep stretch to win the $55,000 Incredible Revenge Stakes at Monmouth Park.
The Incredible Revenge for fillies and mares at five furlongs was originally slated for the turf, but was shifted to the main track prior to entries being taken in an effort to preserve the course until its scheduled closing after Labor Day.
The surface shift was a welcome development for Gilded Gold ($6.60). She has won two of her last three races, with both victories coming on the main track.
Holy Ground had not won a race on dirt since his career debut last November. But though he has raced exclusively on turf since April, the 3-year-old Holy Ground clearly loved getting back to the main track.
Facing just three rivals after seven horses scratched when the race was switched from the turf to a sealed wet-fast track, Holy Ground ($7.40) cruised to a 13 1/4-length victory in the $56,454 Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park.
Ridden by Mario Pino for trainer Michael Matz, Holy Ground covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:55.19 while recording his third victory in eight starts.
The appearance of Hall of Fame riders Pat Day and Sandy Hawley at Canterbury Park last weekend helped raise more than $120,000 for the construction of the Dean Kutz Memorial Chapel on the track's backstretch.
Day and Hawley signed autographs for fans on Saturday, then spoke at a fundraiser that evening in the track's Longshots Party Area. Track president Randy Sampson announced at the event that the Canterbury Park Minnesota Fund and the Sampson family would combine to match all donations dollar for dollar.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - has since become a Grade 1 winner, but the memory of her head loss to Lady Tak in last year's Ballerina Handicap still resonates for trainer David Vance.
"She had a tough trip," Vance said Friday from Monmouth Park. "She had a horse laying on her turning for home. She finally got away from her and came up between horses and just didn't get there. She got bounced around a little bit. There was a 10-minute inquiry, but they didn't do anything. We're coming to try again."
