Mon, 12/27/2004 - 00:00

Calder adds rail for chute races

Calder Race Course unveiled a temporary safety rail on Sunday designed to keep horses from turning left and leaving the main course in races run out of the seven-furlong chute. Calder cards races at both 6 1/2 and seven furlongs out of the chute.

The innovative rail is an extension of the regular safety rail and replaces the pipe rail that is commonly used at racetracks throughout the country. The concept is the result of extensive research and development and is the only one of its kind, according to Steve Cross, director of racing surfaces at Calder.

Mon, 12/27/2004 - 00:00

Travelator starts off on wrong foot

Adam Coglianese/NYRA
Travelator, trained by Gary Gullo, will skip Saturday's Interborough Handicap.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Trainer Gary Gullo was hoping he could end 2004 and begin 2005 in the same manner: with stakes wins. But his hopes of starting 2005 with a victory in Saturday's Interborough Handicap were ruined when Travelator developed a problem that will keep her out of the race.

Coming off a head victory in the Garland of Roses Handicap on Dec. 11, Travelator would likely have been a strong favorite in the Interborough, run at six furlongs. But Gullo said she just doesn't seem to be doing well and will need more time.

Mon, 12/27/2004 - 00:00

Lost in the Fog relishes trip to desert

Shawn Coady/Coady Photography
Lost in the Fog sets a track record for 6 1/2 furlongs in the Arizona Juvenile at Turf Paradise.

ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer Greg Gilchrist went to his home away from home to pick up a stakes victory and $30,000 for his talented 2-year-old Lost in the Fog on Sunday at Turf Paradise.

All Lost in the Fog did in winning the $50,000 Arizona Juvenile Stakes was cruise home 14 3/4 lengths in front of Scottsbluff and break a 10-year-old track record for the 6 1/2-furlong distance with a 1:13.55 clocking, 0.25 seconds faster than G Malleah's previous record.

Mon, 12/27/2004 - 00:00

Pimlico: Perilous Night ends drought

Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Perilous Night angles three wide into the stretch and charges to victory in Sunday's $50,000 Squan Song Stakes for older fillies and mares at Pimlico.

Perilous Night ($9.20), winless in her last nine starts dating back to May, drove to a 1 3/4-length victory over Sea of Promises in the $50,000 Squan Song Stakes for Maryland-bred fillies and mares.

It was the first win for the 3-year-old Perilous Night, ridden by Jozbin Santana for trainer Dick Small, since she beat optional claimers on April 24.

Experts Only, the 2-1 favorite, showed no speed and rallied mildly to finish fourth in a field of 10.

Mon, 12/27/2004 - 00:00

Charles Town: 'Moonshine' draws clear

Malibu Moonshine ($8.60), responding to the addition of blinkers and a jockey change, drew off in the final furlong for a 4 3/4-length victory in the $51,150 St. Nick Stakes for 2-year-olds at Charles Town.

Mark Rosenthal chose to ride Malibu Moonshine for trainer King Leatherbury instead of sticking with recent maiden winner Sueno Del Mar. Malibu Moonshine and Sueno Del Mar were separated by only a head at the eighth pole when Rosenthal got his mount to summon a late burst of speed.

Wild Remarks, the 2-1 favorite, finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Sueno Del Mar.

Mon, 12/27/2004 - 00:00

Turfway: Angel Trumpet scores as choice

Despite losing his irons at the start, Rafael Bejarano guided Angel Trumpet to a popular three-length victory in the 20th running of the $50,000 Gowell Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Angel Trumpet, bred and owned by Dreabon Copeland and trained by Bernie Flint, caught the eventual runner-up, Coronado Rose, entering the far turn in the six-furlong Gowell, then steadily drew clear for her first stakes victory, and third win overall, from eight lifetime starts. Flint also sent out the third-place finisher, Im a Dixie Girl, in the field of eight 2-year-old fillies.

Mon, 12/27/2004 - 00:00

Mountaineer: High Blitz upsets

High Blitz ($15), fourth at 50-1 in his only previous stakes appearance, blew past 1-5 favorite Danieltown inside the sixteenth pole to earn a 1 1/2-length victory in the $75,000 Christmas Stakes.

The 4-year-old High Blitz, trained by Justin Nixon and ridden by Joe Stokes, had spent most of the year racing against optional claimers at Fort Erie and Woodbine in Canada. He was coming off a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure in the Distorted Humor at Churchill Downs, a race in which he was beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Strength and Honor.

Sun, 12/26/2004 - 00:00

Cajun Pepper remains undefeated

Bill Pitt, Jr.
Cajun Pepper reports home a 4 1/4-length winner of the $161,331 Riley Allison Futurity at Sunland Park on Sunday, the undefeated Colorado-bred gelding's fifth straight win.

The undefeated Cajun Pepper responded to the biggest test of his career with a powerful effort, dominating Sunday's $161,331 at Sunland Park by four and a quarter lengths and running his career record to 5-for-5.

Voronin finished second in the six and a half furlong race, four and a half lengths clear of third-place finisher Leverage.

Cajun Pepper ($3.20), who was the 3-5 favorite, stalked pacesetter Railroad through an opening half-mile in 43.71 seconds. Cajun Pepper then took over and drew clear through the stretch, covering the distance in 1.15.15.

Sun, 12/26/2004 - 00:00

Mongoose Jet Eye sets world record

Bill Pitt, Jr.
Mongoose Jet Eye speeds to a new world record of 19.01 seconds for 400 yards winning the Grade 1, $400,000 Championship at Sunland Park on Sunday.

According to Sunland officials, Mongoose Jet Eye set a world record for 400 yards when she won the $400,000 for Quarter Horses in 19.01 seconds on Sunday. She was two and a half lengths clear of second-place finisher Push the Pace, who finished a neck in front of third-place finisher and favorite Slm Snowman.

Cash for Kas, winner of the Champion of Champions, finished fourth in the Championship.

Sun, 12/26/2004 - 00:00

Rock Hard Ten last-to-first in Malibu

Horsephotos
Rock Hard Ten makes his return to the races a winning one with a half-length win over Lava Man in the Grade 1, $250,000 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - He's big, he's bad, and he's back. Rock Hard Ten, the imposing colt with the bad-boy attitude, showed that he will be a force in 2005 with a stirring, last-to-first run to capture the Grade 1, $250,000 on Santa Anita's opening-day card Sunday.

A raucous crowd of 31,874, lured by a weekend opening, a six-day break since the closing of Hollywood Park, and a sensational card of racing - the most important ingredient - watched Rock Hard Ten knife between rivals and get up in the closing strides to beat a trio of runners from Doug O'Neill's barn.