ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A Bit O'Gold ($7) reaffirmed his fondness for the grass with a decisive victory in the Grade 2, $345,600 Chinese Cultural Centre Stakes at Woodbine Sunday.
A Bit O'Gold, the 124-pound highweight, assumed a stalking position in the two-path in the mile and three-eighth turf event. Niigon, who defeated A Bit O'Gold in the 2004 Queen's Plate, led through honest fractions while being pressed by Burst of Fire, one of three Sam-Son Farm runners in the lineup.
VALLEJO, Calif. - Taking advantage of the scratch of morning-line even-money favorite Lunachick, Luck and Fame ($11.40) was never seriously challenged in a wire-to-wire victory in the $54,250 Fairfield Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at the Solano County Fair on Saturday.
Claimed for $32,000 two starts back at Hollywood Park by trainer Troy Bainum for Jerry Jamgotchian, Luck and Fame earned $30,200 for her first stakes victory. The filly, who finished fourth in her two previous stakes attempts, has now won three of eight starts and earned $62,397.
DEL MAR, Calif. - The major turf stakes for females at Del Mar are becoming an annual career saver for Amorama.
Last year, Amorama won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 19-1, ending an eight-race losing streak. Saturday, in her first start at Del Mar since that race, Amorama pulled a 7-1 upset in the $400,000 , ending a five-race losing streak.
To trainer Julio Canani, her price was a surprise. "She never gets any respect," he said.
Ridden by Martin Pedroza, Amorama ($17.60) won the Grade 1 Mabee by a head over Island Fashion, finishing 1 1-8 miles on turf in 1:48.01.
Pirates Bite, a 28-1 shot ridden by Calvin Borel, led from start to finish to defeat 10 other 3-year-olds Saturday in the $75,000 Regaey Island Stakes at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky.
Pirates Bite, bred and owned by Walts David Stable, returned $59.20 after finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.66 over a firm turf. Slammin' Sam finished 1 1/2 lengths behind the winner in second, while Mesami, the 9-5 favorite, was another neck back in third.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Smuggler's 3-year-old campaign got off to a later start than trainer Shug McGaughey would have preferred. But, she has been well worth the wait.
Smuggler continued her ascension in the 3-year-old filly division by beating graded stakes winners Summerly and Spun Sugar in a Grade 1 race for a second time, taking Saturday's $500,000 by a convincing 3 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park. Summerly, third behind Smuggler in the Mother Goose, finished second, a head in front of Mother Goose runner-up Spun Sugar.
DEL MAR, Calif. - After winning three consecutive races during the winter at Santa Anita, Courtly Jazz has struggled against tougher competition in three starts in the spring and summer.
Bad luck has played a role in two recent defeats, which is why trainer Gary Mandella is optimistic that Courtly Jazz can play a leading role in an optional claimer worth $70,000 over 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Monday.
"I'm not worried about his effort," Mandella said. "He tries hard every time."
DEL MAR, Calif. - The demand for $125,000 claimers in Southern California is apparently higher than anyone imagined.
Friday, Smoocher, the runner-up in an optional claimer at seven furlongs, was taken by owners John and Allegra Ernst and trainer Dan Hendricks. To gain ownership of the 4-year-old colt, they had to prevail in a three-way shake with owners represented by trainers Mike Machowsky and Doug O'Neill.
The price broke a track record of $100,000 for a claim that had been achieved five times from 1995 to 2003.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Bellamy Road, who injured a splint bone while running seventh as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, is being pointed to a return in the Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga on Aug. 27, trainer Nick Zito said Saturday.
The seven-furlong King's Bishop is also scheduled to be the next start for the undefeated Lost in the Fog. Roman Ruler, who won the Dwyer and is scheduled to run next in the Haskell, is also possible for the King's Bishop.
Dynamic Cat, far back early, closed with a rush to overtake pacesetter All Dolled Up just before the wire in the Mrs. Penny, one of six stakes for Pennsylvania-breds on Saturday's program at Philadelphia Park.
The 4-year-old Dynamic Cat ($4.20), ridden by Victor Molina for trainer Jonathan Sheppard, was 11th of 12 after the first quarter-mile of the 1 1/16-mile Mrs. Penny and still had only two horses beaten a half-mile into the turf race for fillies and mares.
Eddie Broome was hoping to pick up a solid racehorse when he claimed Silver Moose back in March at Gulfstream Park.
Broome got his wish, and more.
Silver Moose ($8.40) became a stakes winner when he took the $55,000 Anderson Fowler for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
The $30,000 investment by owner-trainer Broome has produced two wins in four starts for the new barn, and the latest was the sweetest.
Julian Pimentel gave Silver Moose a patient ride in the five-furlong sprint on firm turf.
