ALBANY, Calif. - Jake Skate ($7.60) got a confident ride and handled a sloppy track with ease as he earned his initial stakes victory in the $78,150 Lafayette Handicap at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
Jake Skate broke alertly and bounded to the lead. He was headed briefly by Motel Staff at the half-mile pole before assuming command on the turn and pulling away in the stretch to defeat even-money favorite Adreamisborn by three lengths while covering one mile in 1:35.73.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Taking advantage of a surface switch and the withdrawal of four rivals, Truly a Judge won his second consecutive graded stakes in Saturday's $150,000 at Santa Anita.
Sent off as the 3-5 favorite, Truly a Judge stalked pacesetter Forty Suertudo to the middle of the backstretch, took the lead before the final turn and held off a late threat from Star Cross to win by a length.
Ridden by Martin Pedroza, Truly a Judge ($3.60) finished 1 1-8 miles in 1:48.90. "I had a lot of horse underneath me," Pedroza said.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - For the second time in less than a week, Buckram Oak Farm has purchased a horse privately from owner Peter Karches. Buckram Oak's latest acquisition is Dynever, the third-place finisher in the 2003 Breeders' Cup Classic who is currently in training at Payson Park with Christophe Clement.
Last week Buckram Oak bought Kissin Saint, who finished third behind Empire Maker and Funny Cide in the 2003 Wood Memorial. Kissin Saint is expected to be sent to Saudi Arabia.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Ron Anderson has a small problem. As the agent for two of the most successful jockeys in the world, Anderson has to find each of them enough business at Gulfstream Park to keep both of them happy and fulfilled.
Everyone should have such problems.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Over the last 20 years, few trainers in North American racing have set loftier standards than Shug McGaughey. Success at a very high level is not just expected, but demanded - from himself, his clients, his fans, and pretty much anybody who knows a little something about Thoroughbred racing.
That is why McGaughey was able to take a look back at 2004 and a look forward at 2005 and say with all honesty that he is one satisfied horse trainer.
Odds-on More Moonlight blasted three overmatched rivals at Fair Grounds in Saturday's $50,000 Letellier Memorial Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.
Trainer Steve Asmussen and jockey Donnie Meche connected on their fourth winner on the card with More Moonlight, the first time a trainer has won four races on at card at Fair Grounds in a decade. Tom Amoss was the last to win four, on Jan. 19, 1995. Asmussen also won with Diamonds for Dixie in the fourth race, Road Ruler in the sixth, and Skip Irish in the seventh.
Facing crack sprinters throughout much of 2004, Deer Lake went winless in six starts. Against a much softer group of runners Saturday in the Holiday Cheer Stakes at Turfway, Deer Lake reversed that trend. He surged to a clear lead in the midstretch and held on for a half-length win over Private Horde.
Although Deer Lake never won last year, he ran well in defeat on several occasions, such as when he was third to Cajun Beat in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Handicap and second to multiple stakes winner Coach Jimi Lee in an allowance at Keeneland in the fall.
Above the Wind proved his win in the 2004 Pelican Stakes was no fluke by posting a repeat victory. He rushed to the lead early and made every pole a winning one to take the 2005 version of the $60,000 .
With regular rider Federico Mata aboard, Above the Wind whizzed through an opening quarter in 22.33 seconds and a half in 45.23. He settled into the stretch with more than a two-length lead and won by 2 3/4 lengths while covering the six furlongs in 1:10.04.
More Smoke, the 4-5 favorite, rushed to the lead from post 1, set a quick pace, and then opened up in midstretch to win the $50,000 for 3-year-olds at Pimlico.
Timely Impulse, 6-1, saved ground while running fourth, angled out in the stretch and passed two horses to get the place, beaten 3 3/4 lengths. Primal Storm sat off More Smoke till the stetch, and backed up to third, 6 1/4 lengths behind Timely Impulse.
