SAN MATEO, Calif. - Neither of the two Cal-breds in the field for last weekend's at Bay Meadows was nominated to the Triple Crown. Yet they were co-favorites in the Grade 3, $200,000 race for 3-year-olds.
They ended up bookending the field; favored Uncle Denny scored a game 2 1/4-length victory, and local favorite Stellar Magic ran last after encountering trouble nearing the quarter pole.
Now, their paths separate.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Bring on the boys.
That was the rallying cry at Santa Anita on Sunday, after the champion filly Sweet Catomine earned a berth in the April 9 Santa Anita Derby by virtue of an overpowering victory in the Grade 1, $300,000 .
A crowd that braved a dreary, drizzly afternoon saw Sweet Catomine swoop the field while four paths wide on the far turn and roll home three lengths in front of runner-up Memorette, who was five lengths clear of She Sings. Charming Colleen, Feel The Heat, Cream Donut Keith, and Guaranteed Victory completed the order of finish.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Jockey Luis Quinonez completed a sweep of the two weekend Grade 3 stakes races at Oaklawn Park on Sunday when he guided Added Edge to a half-length win in the $125,000 .
Quinonez on Saturday won the $175,000 Azeri Breeders' Cup aboard Injustice.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Bill Mott has quietly had himself another good Gulfstream Park meeting, coming into the weekend's action second in the standings behind Todd Pletcher. But the nine time Gulfstream training champion made some real noise on Sunday when sweeping the $100,000 Canadian Turf and Honey Fox handicaps with Old Forester and Sand Springs.
Believe Im Special added blinkers and raced much closer to the pace than usual on Saturday night when he drove to a one-length win in the $50,000 Bayou State at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. Kim's Gem finished second, two and three-quarter lengths clear of third-place finisher Mister Ajax.
Thunderdoll remained undefeated in three career starts on Saturday night when she was up for a head win over Parisparis in the $40,000 Sam Houston Oaks at Sam Houston Race Park. It was another seven and a half lengths back in third to Timber Jones.
Thunderdoll ($4.60) stalked Parisparis through fractions of 25.98 seconds for the opening quarter, 51.68 seconds for the half-mile mark and 1:16.67 for six furlongs before going on to cover the one-mile distance over a fast track in 1:40.87.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Rockport Harbor on Sunday was considered day to day for Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn by trainer John Servis because an old laceration to his right hind foot has flared up. Rockport Harbor sustained a gash to the foot when he was stepped on by another rival during the running of the Grade 2 Remsen, a race he won on Nov. 27.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The pick six carryover at Santa Anita has reached record levels. Bettors failed to conquer the wager on Friday and Saturday, leaving a carryover of $500,473 for Sunday's 10-race program.
Sunday's pick six covers the fifth through 10th races. The first leg has a post time scheduled for approximately 2:41 p.m., Pacific.
Many bettors will consider the pick six to be a pick 5, with the presence of champion Sweet Catomine in the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks. Sweet Catomine is the 2-5 morning-line favorite, and has six opponents.
ARCADIA, Calif. - At 2, Tarlow was sometimes her own worst enemy, fighting nerves instead of rival fillies. But as she's grown older, Tarlow has developed into a top-class filly and a multiple stakes winner.
Saturday, Tarlow won the first Grade 1 of her career in the $300,000 at Santa Anita. She held off a late run from Dream of Summer to score by a nose.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Uncle Denny ($6.20) boosted himself into the Kentucky Derby picture with a solid victory in the $200,000 Grade 3 at Bay Meadows on Saturday.
Currently not nominated to the Triple Crown, Uncle Denny will probably be supplemented for $6,000 after earning $110,000 in the graded race. It boosted his career earning to $244,913 as he scored his fourth victory in five starts.
