STANTON, Del. - Soft turf, slow fractions, and having no room to run for a mile all proved to be minor inconveniences for Honey Ryder.
A 4-year-old filly ridden by Edgar Prado for trainer Todd Pletcher, Honey Ryder ($3.60) overcame every possible obstacle to draw clear to a 5 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $300,000 Robert G. Dick Memorial Handicap at Delaware Park.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - It's on to the Haskell for Park Avenue Ball, a dominant winner Saturday in the Grade 3, $150,000 for 3-year-olds at Monmouth Park.
The Long Branch is the traditional prep for the main event of the Monmouth season, the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 7.
Park Avenue Ball left no doubt he is Haskell material with a 6 1/4-length win over Chekhov, with Golden Man third.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - At the top of the Arlington Park backstretch late Saturday afternoon, Devilment and jockey Carlos Marquez ran into a tight spot - and that might have helped win the . Up close to the pace when he was beaten a neck in the Round Table prep, Devilment settled and finished this time, easily defeating Real Dandy and recording a record time in the $100,000 stakes race.
Saturday's $75,000 Nancy's Glitter Handicap at Calder proved the old adage that there is nothing certain in life but death and taxes.
Despite entering the Nancy's Glitter the undisputed leader of her division and starting as the prohibitive 1-9 favorite, Pampered Princess could not get by the pacesetting American Miss, who upset the odds-on favorite by 1 1/2 lengths under jockey Manoel Cruz. Gentille Alouette rallied to finish third.
Noble Stella ($22) held off Classic Stamp in the final furlong to capture the Grade 3, $340,800 at Woodbine.
Noble Stella raced about three lengths off a moderate early pace in the 1 1/8-mile turf event. Longshot Pandora's Secret set fractions of 24.93 and 48.74 seconds, pressed by favored Mona Rose, who won the 2004 Dance Smartly.
Noble Stella made a four-wide bid on the turn and hit the front early in the stretch en route to a one-length victory under Emile Ramsammy. She completed the distance in 1:49.95.
Accountforthegold made his first start in the state of his birth a winning one, taking the $168,400 Finger Lakes Derby for New York-bred 3-year-olds by three lengths. Gold and Roses finished second, 6 1/2 lengths in front of Naughty New Yorker, the 4-5 favorite, who closed from last to take third in the field of 10.
Kaylan's Rose won her second consecutive stakes, scoring a half-length victory over Strike Me Lucky in the $75,000 HBPA Handicap at Ellis Park.
Under Orlando Mojica, Kaylan's Rose rallied from the back of the pack to outfinish Strike Me Lucky and favored May Gator. She raced a mile in 1:39.05 over a "good" turf course slowed by rain throughout the week. She paid $31.60.
Strike Me Lucky closed strongly to grab the runner-up spot, 1 1/4 lengths in front of May Gator, who had taken the lead in early stretch.
Under Scott Spieth, Girlish Giggle rallied steadily through the stretch to make the lead at the sixteenth pole and draw off to a three-length win over six Ohio-bred rivals in the $75,000 Rose DeBartolo Memorial at Thistledown on Saturday. Barnsy, half of the 3-5 entry with Oh So Easy, finished second, three-quarters of a length ahead of the winner's stablemate Golden Tour. Oh So Easy failed to fire and beat one horse.
Girlish Giggle ($7), who was bred by her owner-trainer, John Bourke, got the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.76 over a fast track.
J. D.'s Blue Bayou picked up his second consecutive stakes win at Louisiana Downs with a strong rally down the center of the track under C.J. Woodley to win the $54,540 Alpine.
Logan's Draw also turned in a late charge to finish second, 1 3/4 lengths back, followed by Dreamsandvisions in third.
On Friday morning, the 3-year-old gelding Liveinthepresent looked tough to beat in the second race at Colonial Downs. By Friday afternoon, he couldn't lose.
When all four of his opponents were scratched, Liveinthepresent became the lone horse remaining in the second race, which became the first walkover in track history.
Liveinthepresent, under jockey Horatio Karamanos, toured the one-turn 1 1/16 miles in 1:51.75 - although not without some suspense. According to Clayton Beck, Colonial's director of racing, Liveinthepresent tried to bolt on the backstretch.
