ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Reade Baker was celebrating his 58th birthday here last Saturday and Judiths Wild Rush provided the icing for the cake, winning the $166,100 Vigil Handicap.
The Vigil marked the fifth stakes start of the meeting for Baker, who had finished second with Judiths Wild Rush in the Jacques Cartier, second with Silver Bird in the Whimsical, and second with Gold Strike in the Star Shoot.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Unbeaten Bosskiri, arguably the best 2-year-old filly to race at Woodbine in 2004, will face older opponents in Wednesday's headliner, a six-furlong allowance for Ontario-sired fillies and mares.
The eight-race card, which is the first Wednesday evening program of the meeting, has a pick seven carryover of $9,758.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Short Route, who battled bruised feet earlier this year, won her graded stakes debut in Sunday's $109,700 at Hollywood Park, wearing down an unlucky Inspiring in the final furlong.
Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, Short Route finished seven furlongs in 1:22.99. The victory marked her first stakes win since the Cover Gal for state-breds last September and her first start since she finished seventh in the Sunshine Millions Oaks last January. Both races were run at Santa Anita.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Sweet Macaroni, idle since a win in the $125,000 Louisiana Premier Starlet Stakes at Delta on February 5, picked up right where she left off in winning Sunday's for Louisiana-bred fillies at Harrah's Louisiana Downs. Longshot Courtneys Doll finished second, two and a half-lengths back, followed by Raspberry Win. Indigo Girl, who was shooting for her third consecutive stakes win, failed to fire and finished fifth while Maid in China suffered her first local defeat after three wins here as a juvenile last season.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - King of Happiness ($6.80) won his first stakes in more than three years in Saturday's $107,200 at Hollywood Park, edging stablemate Red Fort in a thrilling finish.
The victory gave trainer Neil Drysdale his first win in the Grade 3 Inglewood and his 65th career stakes win at Hollywood Park. The Inglewood was one of the few turf races that Drysdale had not conquered.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - High Strike Zone was willing to stalk pacesetter Yessirgeneralsir early in the Grade 3, $300,000 and the tactics paid off late, when he overtook that one inside the final furlong and went on to a length and a quarter win over Supah Blitz on Saturday at Lone Star Park.
Twilight Road closed for third, a length in front of fourth-place finisher Yessirgeneralsir. The Texas Mile was one of four stakes on the card, with purses for the races being $625,000.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Wind Water ($7) opened through fast early fractions and was never challenged in winning the $75,850 Gregson Foundation Sprint Stakes at Bay Meadows on Saturday.
Wind Water and Elegant Ice bumped at the break, but Wind Water quickly recovered to open by one length through a 21.99 opening quarter in the six-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds. He increased his margin at each call as he beat favored Family Guy by five lengths in 1:10.06.
Bossier City, La - Crowned King broke out of a 14-month slump Saturday afternoon at Louisiana Downs as he turned in a furious rally on the far outside to capture the $50,000 Alliance Stakes. Run to the Border, the leader until the final strides, had to settle for second followed by Northern Scene. Gentlemen J J finished fourth followed by even money favorite Mauk Four, who was making his eighth start of the year and his first on the grass.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Equipment changes aren't the norm for horses running in the Kentucky Derby. Some trainers, such as Bobby Frankel, are reluctant to make any drastic changes before America's biggest horse race.
"I'm just not that brave," Bobby Frankel said earlier this week, explaining his decision not to put blinkers on High Limit for Saturday's 131st Derby.
In contrast, trainer Todd Pletcher believes that if you feel like your horse needs blinkers, "whether it's the Derby or a $35,000 claimer, you got to go with your gut feel."
STICKNEY, Ill. - If it is possible for a trainer to quietly win at a 40-percent clip, Wayne Catalano has done so during the National Jockey Club at Hawthorne meet. Catalano came here still piecing together his stable, but has wound up again the go-to guy for owner Frank Calabrese, and along the way won with 15 of the 36 horses he has sent out during the meet.
The 15 wins don't come close to leading trainer Tom Tomillo, who had 30 through Friday, but they show that Catalano has his house in order again, just in time for the Arlington meet that begins May 13.
