Mon, 04/18/2005 - 00:00

Mare goes for fifth win in row

Rue des Reves turned into an unstoppable force on the Fair Grounds turf course this past summer, but it is many miles from New Orleans to Grand Prairie, Texas, and an entirely different game racing on the Lone Star grass. If Rue des Reves holds her form, she will have an excellent chance to notch her fifth straight win in the featured eighth race Wednesday at Lone Star, but there is also the chance that a change in circumstances will bring her streak to an end.

Mon, 04/18/2005 - 00:00

Two wins in one day for 'Shaky'

CALGARY, Alberta - A Shaky Start, confidently ridden by Leanne Painter, picked up where she left off by winning the $50,000 Sales Handicap for older fillies and mares at Stampede Park last Saturday.

Code Name Fred ($4) won the older colts and geldings division of the Sales with a strong stretch drive under Frank Gonsalves.

A Shaky Start ($3) carried high weight of 124 pounds, a pound more than she carried in her nine-length romp in the inaugural running of the filly and mare division of the Sales last fall.

Mon, 04/18/2005 - 00:00

Plesa proving he's among best on grass

Horsephotos
Second of June could run next in the Alysheba Handicap on May 6.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - When thinking about the top turf trainers at Gulfstream Park, names like Christophe Clement and Bill Mott immediately come to mind. But after sending out three grass winners from as many starters here Sunday, Eddie Plesa Jr. might have to be added to that list.

Plesa earned his turf hat trick with Man Made ($38.60), Looking for Loot ($10.60), and Unbridels King ($23.60), who captured the afternoon's $46,000 allowance feature. All three of Plesa's grass winners were ridden by jockey Richard Bracho.

Mon, 04/18/2005 - 00:00

Fonner: Dress Right by seven

LINSCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY
Dress Right wins the $30,900 Fonner Park Special Stakes.

Dress Right shook off her challengers through the far turn and drew off for a seven-length victory in Sunday's fillies division of the $30,900 Fonner Park Special Stakes for Nebraska-bred 3-year-olds.

Ridden by Perry Compton, Dress Right ($3.80) covered the six furlongs in 1:14.40.

Mon, 04/18/2005 - 00:00

Lone Star: Queena Corrina horse for course

Lone Star Park
Queena Corrina wins the $75,000 Irving Distaff at Lone Star Park on Saturday.

Trainer Donnie Von Hemel has been graced with high-class turf fillies the last two years, Bien Nicole in 2003 and Bedanken in 2004. Queena Corrina might not be in the same class, but she is plenty good over the Lone Star turf course, where she won the $75,000 Irving Distaff in her first start of the year.

Mon, 04/18/2005 - 00:00

Cajun Beat hurt, retired

Cajun Beat, winner of the 2003 Breeders' Cup Sprint, suffered a career-ending ligament injury Saturday when he finished last in the Commonwealth Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.

Trainer Bobby Frankel said the injury is not life-threatening but that the 5-year-old gelding's left hind leg was damaged to the point that he will not be able to race again.

Ramon Dominguez, who rode in the Commonwealth, said he did not notice anything wrong until he was pulling up the gelding to be unsaddled.

"I looked down at his leg and it did not look good," said Dominguez.

Sun, 04/17/2005 - 00:00

Megahertz last-to-first in Santa Barbara

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The brilliant Megahertz rallied from last to win the $200,000 before an adoring crowd for a record third consecutive year at Santa Anita on Sunday.

The win prompted trainer Bobby Frankel's to describe the performance as "unbelieveable."

Ridden by Alex Solis, Megahertz closed from 20 lengths off the pace to win by three-quarters of a length over Nadeszhda. Megahertz ($3.20) finished 1 1/4 miles on turf in 1:59.76.

Frankel listened to a call of the race in Kentucky. "She's just a great mare," he said.

Sun, 04/17/2005 - 00:00

Intercontinental wins Jenny Wiley off layoff

Bill Straus/Keeneland
Intercontinental wins the $200,000 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland on Sunday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Jerry Bailey had his hands full riding Intercontinental in the early stages of Sunday's Grade 3, $200,000 at Keeneland. But when it mattered most - in the stretch - it was her opponents that could not handle her.

Intercontinental, racing for the first time since winning the Grade 1 Matriarch in November, won the Jenny Wiley for the second straight year, winning by a length over Delta Princess. She gave Bailey his third consecutive Jenny Wiley victory, and trainer Bobby Frankel his fourth straight victory in the race.

Sun, 04/17/2005 - 00:00

Nashinda wires Whimsical Stakes

Michael Burns Photo
Nashinda wins the $184,100 Whimsical Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Nashinda led all the way in Sunday's $184,100 , a six-furlong dash for fillies and mares at Woodbine.

Nashinda broke from the one post in the nine-horse field, but jockey David Clark managed to get her off the dead rail soon after the start. She set slow splits of :23.17 and :46.62 seconds, and held off Silver Bird and Whispertoascream in the stretch to prevail by a length and three-quarters over the former.

Sat, 04/16/2005 - 00:00

Jonesboro captures Northern Spur

Jeff Coady/Coady Photography
Jonesboro wins the $75,000 Northern Spur Breeders' Cup for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Jonesboro completed a unique double on Saturday at Oaklawn Park when he rolled to a three-length win in the $75,000 Northern Spur Breeders' Cup for 3-year-olds. He won one of the first maiden races of the season, and the meet's final stakes. Prince T. closed for second, three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher Jazzy Gallop.