Favorites took it on the chin in a number of ways during Saturday's Aqueduct card, climaxed by a calamitous start for Evening Edition in the fifth race.
Evening Edition, the even-money choice in a field of New York-bred filly-and-mare allowance sprinters, threw her head as the gates opened and came out far behind the field. She eventually finished next to last, but the stewards ruled she was in the hands of an assistant starter at the start and therefore was a non-starter.
G P Fleet won the $125,000 Fair Grounds Breeders' Cup Handicap on Saturday under a heady ride from Jose Martinez Jr., who took advantage of a paceless race.
In a race that looked like a European turf marathon, all nine contestants left the gate in a dawdling chorus line, with none of the jockeys going for the early advantage. Donnie Meche finally went on with Warleigh, while Martinez was content to sit just inside of him going down the stretch for the first time in the 1 1/8-mile turf race.
Brett's Favrette remained undefeated in three starts when she came from off the pace to prove best in a three-horse finish in the $50,000 Valdale Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Turfway Park.
Ridden by Rafael Mojica Jr., Brett's Favrette ($6.80) defeated Patty Seattle, the co-second choice at 5-2, by a head. It was another three-quarters of a length to Touch of Splendor, who took command at the half-mile pole and led to deep stretch before being passed by the top pair.
Brett's Favrette and Touch of Splendor, the other 5-2 second choice, are both trained by Greg Foley.
Silver Bid picked up at age 7 where he left off at 6, with a convincing high-class sprint victory at Hawthorne Race Course.
Making his first start since Nov. 13, when he won the $100,000 Lightning Jet Handicap here, Silver Bid ($4) beat Stormy Impact by 1 1/4 lengths in a $42,000 overnight stakes race dubbed the Hula Chief. It the fifth victory at Hawthorne and 16th overall for Silver Bid, who was named champion Illinois-bred sprinter of 2004.
Silver Bid was timed in 1:11.10 for six furlongs. Stormy Impact finished a length clear of Silver Zipper for second.
NEW ORLEANS - Bubba Cascio sat at his desk in Barn 45 at Fair Grounds and surveyed the work sheet of all the runners in his barn.
"We've done all right so far," he said. Cascio's runners are 11-9-7 in 59 starts at the meet. "I've entered some to help fill races, so we could be doing even better. We've got a couple of good ones coming up."
OLDSMAR, Fla. - For the past year and a half a pretty good rivalry has been building between jockeys Terry Houghton and Jesus Castanon at Tampa Bay Downs.
With three victories on Thursday and a riding double on Friday, Houghton moved to the top of the jockey standings with 55 wins, two more than Castanon. If history holds true, the race for leading rider will continue to the final days of the meet. To illustrate just how dominant the pair has been this season, Castanon's 53 victories puts him 24 ahead of the third-place rider, Winston Thompson
OLDSMAR, Fla. - Overcoming some early traffic problems, Andromeda's Hero burst out of the pack under jockey Rafael Bejarano and blew by Summer Legacy leaving the furlong marker for a 2 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.
Part of the favored Nick Zito-trained entry with G P's Black Knight, Andromeda's Hero ($5.60) covered 1 1/16 miles over a fast but dull racing strip in 1:46.63 while posting his second win from four career starts.
Given the choice of running his standout mare Friel's for Real in the feature race in New York or Maryland, Philadelphia Park-based trainer Ned Allard opted for Laurel Park, where on paper she looked tons the best.
Friel's for Real ($3.60) justified Allard's decision by scoring an easy 5 1/2-length victory in the $50,000 Maryland Racing Media Handicap. She covered 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:52.81 for her 10th victory in 18 lifetime starts.
