SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Handicappers might not care to give a second look in Monday's $65,000-added John's Call at Saratoga because he is in a 1 5/8-mile turf race and coming off a year layoff.
Spanish Spur hasn't run since winning the John's Call last August, but trainer Jonathan Sheppard said he isn't very concerned that Spanish Spur is coming back in such a long race. A 7-year-old gelding, Spanish Spur was sidelined with a "slight tendon injury," according to Sheppard.
Racing continued at Monmouth Park on Saturday despite the refusal of many leading jockeys to ride because of intense heat and humidity.
Horses were in the saddling paddock awaiting the 1:15 p.m. first post as the riders met with stewards and track officials.
Top-ranked jockeys Stewart Elliott, Chris DeCarlo, and Aaron Gryder took off their mounts.
"We felt it was unhealthy for the horses and riders," DeCarlo said.
Management eventually convinced enough riders to remain and complete the program, which began at 2:01 p.m.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Trainer Patrick Biancone and jockey Gary Stevens long have maintained that Angara is a horse of top quality with a tremendous turn of foot, but the filly had not quite proven as much in several high-profile stakes.
Until Saturday, that is. Facing easily the best assemblage of female turf runners so far this year, Angara, with Stevens aboard, flew past most of the field and posted a neck victory over another late runner, Megahertz, to win the 16th running of the Grade 1 on Saturday at Arlington Park.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - King's Drama had to work harder than his trainer, Bobby Frankel, thought he would have to in order to win Saturday's Grade 1 , but he got the job done, nonetheless.
Facing unexpected pace pressure from Relaxed Gesture, King's Drama won a 12-furlong duel with that rival, taking the $500,000 Sword Dancer by three-quarters of a length before 28,596 at Saratoga. Relaxed Gesture held second by 3 1/4 lengths over Vangelis, also trained by Frankel.
Meteor Storm, Rochester, Dreadnaught, Silverfoot, and Request for Parole completed the order of finish.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Reluctant to load into the starting gate, Pomeroy was eager to run once the gates opened in the Grade 2 at Saratoga on Saturday. In a gate-to-wire victory, Pomeroy was a four-length winner over I'm the Tiger.
Pomeroy, ridden by Eibar Coa, covered six furlongs in a sizzling 1:08.69, the fastest time for the distance at the meet, and .65 off of Speightstown's track record set in last year's Vanderbilt. Spanish Riddle co-owns the track record with Speightstown.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - When trainer Nick Zito brings a horse to Saratoga's main track who had been training regularly on the Oklahoma training track, it means it's time to get serious. On Saturday, Bellamy Road was all business as he continued to work toward a return to the races.
Bellamy Road, the beaten Kentucky Derby favorite, cruised through a five-furlong workout in 1:00.27 Saturday morning over a main track turned sloppy by overnight rains. Exercise rider Maxine Correa was up for the move, the fastest by almost two seconds of seven works at the distance.
DEL MAR, Calif. - With claimers and one major stakes horse, racehorse owner Bob Bone is having a remarkably successful meeting at Del Mar this summer.
Through Friday, Bone led all owners with 10 wins, highlighted by Choctaw Nation's win in the $250,000 San Diego Handicap on July 24.
Choctaw Nation is Bone's hope in the $1 million Pacific Classic next Sunday.
"He's doing as good as he could be doing," Bone said.
MIAMI - In Summation remained undefeated and established a stakes record when splashing to a six-length victory in Saturday's $75,000 Dr. Fager Stakes, the first leg of the open division of Calder's Florida Stallion Stakes. The race was run over a track downgraded to sloppy because of a sudden downpour less than 30 minutes before post time.
In Summation completed a sweep of the afternoon's two Stallion Stakes races for jockey Manoel Cruz, who also guided Running Lass to a seven-length triumph in the $75,000 Desert Vixen Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Lemon Maid ($2.80) caught Hatpin in the stretch before drawing off for a 2 1/2-length score in the Grade 3, $165,550 at Woodbine.
Lemon Maid was boxed in among rivals on the turn in the seven-furlong event for 3-year-old fillies. Jockey Todd Kabel found room for her in the four path at the head of the stretch, and she overhauled Hatpin inside the eighth pole to prevail in 1:22.03.
"We were looking for an off-the-pace trip with her, to save her for the end, and hopefully, she would kick on nicely for us," said Kabel. "She did just that."
