SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Saratoga County, who developed into one of the top sprinters in the world this year with three stakes victories, was euthanized late Friday after developing laminitis, his connections said Saturday. He was 4.
Saratoga County had been in a local equine clinic for the last month after having a reaction following treatment by a local veterinarian. Owner Evelyn Pollard said Saratoga County had colitis, which developed into laminitis.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A mile to a mile and a sixteenth has been Sand Springs's best game, but on Saturday at Saratoga she became a Grade 1 winner and a millionaire in the 1 1/8-mile .
Under John Velazquez, Sand Springs, the 2-1 favorite, led from start to finish over the inner turf to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Que Puntual. Angara finished third, a head behind Que Puntual. Second choice Film Maker finished fourth, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by the winner. Winendynme, Delta Princess, and Shadow Cast completed the order of finish.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - He's Got Grit got the early jump and was never headed in the $60,000 Tyro Stakes for 2-year-olds Saturday at Monmouth Park.
The 5 1/2-furlong Tyro is the traditional prep for Monmouth's Grade 3, $150,000 Sapling Stakes on Aug. 20.
He's Got Grit ($4.20) is unbeaten in two starts. He won his debut at Churchill Downs for a claiming price.
Now he's made the transition to stakes winner.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Sporting a four-inch scar from a stall accident, Indian Breeze overcame two weeks of missed training to spring an upset in the Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park last month.
She will not be overlooked in Saturday's $150,000 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar. Even better for owner Bill Peeples and trainer Adam Kitchingman, the month since the Landaluce has been without incident. One of the highlights was a five-furlong workout in 59 seconds on Friday.
"She came back to work well yesterday," Kitchingman said on Saturday.
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.
