Lagging in ninth after the first three furlongs of a 5 1/2-furlong sprint, Tompest ($5.80) rallied strongly to win his turf debut by 1 1/4 lengths in the $60,000 Chenery Stakes at Colonial Downs.
Ridden by Jose Betancourt for trainer Todd Pletcher, Tompest was making his first start since finishing fourth of five in the Grade 3 Flash on the main track at Belmont.
Key Issues joined the ranks of some legendary Minnesota-bred 3-year old runners when he won the $62,800 Minnesota Derby.
A winner of the Victor S. Myers Jr. Stakes earlier this month, Key Issues was attempting to pull the rare double of also winning the Derby, a feat achieved only by J. P. Jet and Crocrock in the last 10 years. Sent off at 7-5, Key Issues dictated the pace in the mile-and-70-yard race, winning by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:41.16. Longshot Bisquick held for second.
* Glitter Star upset favored Oh You Again in the $61,800 Minnesota Oaks.
Flip Side ($4.80) cemented her claim on the Ohio-bred 3-year-old filly title with a 1 1/4-length victory in the $75,000 Queen City Oaks.
Under a confident ride by Lori Wydick, Flip Side set a slow early pace of 25 and 49.80 seconds. Bold Passage, the favorite, grabbed the lead from Flip Side on the far turn. But shifting off the rail at the top of the stretch, Flip Side rallied outside of Bold Passage, caught that rival inside the final furlong, and drew clear, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:53.
Silver Axe ($3) overcame a slow early pace and rallied to score a 1 1/2-length victory in the $75,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap at 1 1/8 miles.
Silver Axe rallied to take the lead 50 yards out before drawing clear late. Azucar, who pressed the pace throughout, edged Tricky Mocha by a head for the place.
AUBURN, Wash. - Flamethrowintexan will be the local favorite for the Grade 3 Longacres Mile on Aug. 21 after registering an impressive 2 1-4 length victory in Sunday's $100,000 Mt. Rainier Breeders' Cup Handicap at Emerald Downs.
Under Gallyn Mitchell, who was subbing for injured rider Ricky Frazier, Flamethrowintexan led throughout to defeat Poker Brad and four others in 1:47.40 for 1 1-8 miles. Flamethrowintexan, a 4-year-old son of Way West who races for Grasshopper Stable, is trained by Jim Penney. He paid $4.40 to win as the solid favorite.
ARCADIA, Calif. - A string of beaten favorites and medium-priced longshots on Sunday has created a pick six carryover of $213,997 for Monday's eight-race program at Del Mar.
The card begins at 2 p.m., with the pick six covering the third through eighth races. There are four races on the main track and two on turf.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Greg's Gold, who had never won a stakes or raced in a graded stakes, pulled an upset in Sunday's $300,000 at Del Mar.
Greg's Gold ($19) won the Grade 1 Crosby by 1 1-4 lengths over Kentucky invader Battle Won, who finished two lengths in front of 18-1 Taste of Paradise.
Pico Central, a top sprinter from 2004, finished last of nine as the 5-2 favorite in his first start since March.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Bonfante ($4) got a dream trip, making his patented move on the turn and cruised through the stretch to record an easy four-length victory over Tonco in Sunday's $65,625 Ernest Finley Handicap at the Sonoma County Fair.
Bonfante was fourth as Trickey Trevor and Flying Supercon battled for the lead with El Dorado Shooter sitting third. El Dorado Shooter was done heading into the turn and Flying Supercon, who broke from the rail inside Trickey Trevor, began to falter midway around the turn.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - In the most visibly impressive performance of her career, Ashado powered away to a 9 1/2 length win over Bending Strings in Sunday's Grade 1 at Saratoga.
The victory affirmed Ashado's status as the leader of the filly and mare division.
Ashado, the even-money favorite, drew away from her four rivals as she turned for home in the 1 1/8 mile Go for Wand and was never threatened during the stretch run.
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Be a Bono, the reigning Quarter Horse of the Year, defended his title in a stakes named after his 93-year-old owner in Saturday's $153,514 Spencer Childers Handicap at Los Alamitos.
Ridden by G.R. Carter, Be a Bono ($3.40) ran 400 yards in 19.48 seconds, beating Catchmeinyourdreams by a neck. Owned by Childers and trained by Dan Francisco, Be a Bono has won 10 of 13 starts and $990,662.
There were three other major stakes on a 14-race program dedicated to California-breds.
