ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Stopped cold a quarter-mile from the finish, Perfect Drift still made hash of the , winning the race for the second time in three years and setting a track record on Saturday at Arlington Park.
In other words, Perfect Drift remains the same high-class horse that racing fans have gotten to watch the last five racing seasons, a near eternity in this age of here-today, gone-tomorrow racehorses.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Trainer Gloria Buckridge made history on July 27, opening day of the Sonoma County Fair, when she saddled Taco Willy to win the inaugural race on the new turf course. She came back to win the next day on the main track with My Boomerang to be a perfect 2 for 2 at the meet entering the weekend.
She will try to keep her record on the turf course perfect Monday when she sends out 3-year-old Comics Dream in a one-mile allowance race against older fillies and mares on the turf.
Nightmare Affair could not overcome early trouble and some classy competition in the Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap on July 10, but he did not have a straw in his path en route to an easy 6 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $75,000 Groomstick Handicap at Calder.
One for Rose ($9.70) beat the boys for the second year in a row in the Grade 3 at Woodbine.
One for Rose pressed the 2003 Seagram winner, Wake at Noon, through slow fractions in the 1 1/16-mile contest. She drew alongside that rival on the far turn and began to edge away at the eighth pole, eventually winning by three-quarters of a length over a closing Honolua Storm.
New York invader, Cuba, the 1-2 favorite in the six-horse field, edged Wake at Noon for third after a four-wide trip. The final time was 1:44.18.
In a field scratched down from 14 horses to only four, L'Oiseau d'Argent led every step to win the $97,000 Sussex Handicap at Delaware Park by a length over Stage Call.
Sent off at even money under Abel Castellano Jr., L'Oiseau d'Argent was allowed to run uncontested on the front end. At no call before the wire was any rival closer than 1 1/2 lengths of him.
Mr O'Brien, the close second choice in the betting, swung off the rail with a wide bid on the far turn but had no stretch kick and finished third.
Leesburg Express won like a favorite should, tracking two pacesetters in the two path to the stretch, then taking command and drawing off to a 3 1/2-length victory in the $60,000 Tippett for 2-year-old fillies at Colonial Downs.
Whiteface gained the place, another 3 3/4 lengths ahead of pacesetter Red Liquor n' Lace, who hung on for third.
Leesburg Express, Horacio Karamanos up, ran the 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:04.54 and paid $5.80. The victory was her second in three lifetime starts for trainer Richard Trimmer and owner Mark Salomone.
Pepper Lang, disqualified from her first two career wins, reversed her fortunes and is now a stakes winner thanks to her effort in Friday night's $10,350 Inaugural Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Columbus. Pepper Lang rallied to the front into the stretch and scored by 3 3/4 lengths under Dan Beck.
Pepper Lang provided trainer Sally Muckey with her first career stakes win. She covered the six furlongs over a fast track in 1:15.60 and returned $4.20 while defeating five rivals. Justahamsandwich rallied to be second.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - The fillies division of the Stallion Stakes could turn out to be the best race on British Columbia Cup Day. The 1 1/16-mile event for 3-year-old B.C.-bred fillies drew seven horses and features a rematch between Regal Pusher and Slewpast.
Regal Pusher went to the head of the local 3-year-old filly division with a win over Slewpast in the Dikeakos Architects Mademoiselle Handicap on June 17, but by design has not raced since. Slewpast, who finished second by a half-length, came back with an overpowering win in the Liberation on July 16.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - A field of 11 has been entered for Monday's $100,000 Manitoba Lotteries Derby, the biggest race of the Assiniboia Downs meeting. Three other stakes are also carded on the eight-race program.
Wayzata Bay, Stormy Business, and Prime Time T.V. are the main contenders in the derby, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds.
Wayzata Bay had a two-race win streak stopped when finishing fourth, beaten 3 3/4 lengths, in the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows on July 1.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Three $40,000 stakes - the Winnipeg Futurity, Jack Hardy, and Wheat City - highlight the Manitoba Derby undercard.
The combination of the K 5 Stables Inc. and trainer Wendy Kruger will send out two of the five 2-year-olds entered in the six-furlong Winnipeg Futurity.
Kruger will saddle the filly Cat Rush, who won the Debutante Stakes at first asking by 4 1/2 lengths over Hey Hey Renee on July 17, and the colt Gone Wild, who was well-beaten in his only start on July 15.
