Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

Sweet Return captures Whittingham

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Loose leads and slow paces in major stakes at Hollywood Park have produced the highlights of Sweet Return's career.

Sweet Return led throughout the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby to score a 16-1 upset in November 2003. Saturday, the same tactics led to Sweet Return pulling a minor upset in the $350,000 .

Left alone to set fractions of 26.08 and 50.62 seconds, Sweet Return ($10) held off a late run from even-money Red Fort to win by a head.

Ridden by Alex Solis, Sweet Return finished in 2:01.35.

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

Desert Boom goes wire-to-wire in Grade 3 Berkeley

ALBANY, Calif. - Desert Boom ($12.60) broke sharply and controlled the pace as he captured the $100,000 Grade 3 by two lengths over stablemate Easy Million at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

Trainer Art Sherman said he entered both in the race because they were training so well. He plans to run both in the Claiming Crown Jewel on July 16 at Canterbury Park.

Desert Boom won the 1 1/16-mile race in 1: 40.94. Easy Million, who closed well from last, was six in front of Yougottawanna at the wire.

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

Forrest G. upsets in TTA Sales Futurity

Lone Star Park
Forrest G. pulls a 33-1 upset in the $135,450 colts and geldings division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Forrest G. pulled a 33-1 upset in the $135,450 colts and geldings division of the Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Futurity at Lone Star Park on Saturday when he rallied to an authoritative, two and a half length win. Lord Vicar finished second, a nose in front of third-place finisher D Denton.

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

Silver Haze best in Bossier City Handicap

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Silver Haze picked up his third straight win on the grass and second in stakes company with an impressive effort in Saturday's Bossier City Handicap. Bob O's Boy finished second followed by South Beach Boy and He's Royal Dee. The winner survived a claim of foul lodged by Quincy Hamilton on board the runner up for alleged interference exiting the final turn. The stewards judged that there was insufficient evidence for a disqualification.

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

No cigar for Lost in the Fog's foes

Horsephotos
Lost in the Fog (right) was put to the test by Egg Head (left), but gradually drew clear to score a 1 1/4-length win in Saturday's Riva Ridge.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Imagine a 12-round fight in which the champion has to fend off a fresh challenger every four rounds. That's what Lost in the Fog was faced with in the Grade 2, $170,000 on Saturday at Belmont Park, and the nation's best 3-year-old sprinter scored a knockout to remain unbeaten after seven starts.

Starting from post 2, Lost in the Fog was hooked early by Going Wild. When that colt dropped away midway on the turn, Middle Earth took up the chase. And after Lost in the Fog turned back Middle Earth, Egg Head loomed menacingly at the top of the stretch.

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

Limehouse finds Brooklyn the proper spot

Horsephotos
Limehouse, John Velazquez aboard, justifies his connections' decision to send him in the Brooklyn Handicap with a 1 1/2-length victory Saturday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher and Cot Campbell, head of the Dogwood Stable syndicate, debated for most of the week whether to run Limehouse in Saturday's $250,000 at Belmont Park or next Saturday's $750,000 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

Despite Limehouse's affinity for Churchill - he's 3 for 4, with the loss a fourth-place finish in the 2004 Kentucky Derby - the decision was made to run in the Grade 2 Brooklyn. It turned out to be the right call as Limehouse rolled to a 1 1/2-length victory over Gygistar in the 117th Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont Park.

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

Good Reward takes Manhattan

Horsephotos
Good Reward, ridden by Jerry Bailey, wins the Manhattan, his second Grade 1 stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

ELMONT, N.Y. - When Good Reward runs in a Grade 1 race at the distance of 1 1/4 miles, he can do no wrong.

Good Reward put in a tremendously game effort to win his second Grade 1 in the at Belmont Park on Saturday. Good Reward was a half-length winner over Relaxed Gesture, who finished a nose in front of the 9-5 favorite, Artie Schiller.

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

Sand Springs beats Intercontinental

ELMONT, N.Y. - Sand Springs and Intercontinental are both talented and temperamental fillies. On Saturday, Sand Springs's talent won out over Intercontinental's temperament in the $300,000 at Belmont Park.

Despite being pressed while racing on the lead and in the center of the turf course, Sand Springs spurted clear turning for home under John Velazquez and easily held off Intercontinental, the 7-10 favorite, to win the Grade 2 Just a Game by 2 1/2 lengths. It was another half-length back to Wonder Again in third.

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

True North: Woke Up Dreamin scores

When the name Holy Bull came up during Belmont Week it was in connection with one of his sons, this year's Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, who was running in the Belmont Stakes. But another son of Holy Bull, Woke Up Dreamin, generated buzz earlier Saturday, winning the Grade 2 .

Sat, 06/11/2005 - 00:00

White Carnation: Madonna Lily via DQ

A game performance by Judy Soda went for naught as the stewards disqualified her from first place for bumping Madonna Lily twice in deep stretch of the $69,300 White Carnation Stakes. Madonna Lily ($16.40), who finished a half-length behind Judy Soda, was placed first.

It was the third straight victory for Madonna Lily. A 4-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality, she is owned by John and Susan Moore and trained by Jimmy Jerkens.