Red Warrior pulled an upset in the $300,000 , a race marred by the breakdown of pacesetter Green Team.
Green Team, a multiple stakes winner and the 9-2 third choice, was pulled up just before the quarter pole while leading. A 6-year-old California-bred, Green Team fractured sesamoids in his right foreleg.
Hot Storm gave Florida-breds an early victory with a hard-fought win in the $250,000 . Her victory marked a rare occasion when a mount ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey was let go at 21-1 and prevailed.
Bailey was never able to save ground on Hot Storm ($44.40). Breaking from post 12, Hot Storm stalked pacesetter Eleventh Street through an opening quarter-mile in 21.26 seconds, and was outside of a four-filly duel on the turn before taking the lead in early stretch.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A week ago, trainer Craig Lewis was flat on his back at a California hospital, temporarily paralyzed with a bulging disk in his back. He got out of the hospital Monday, and on Saturday he completed his emotionally draining week by watching Valentine Dancer win the $500,000 for the second straight year.
Lost in the Fog ran away to his third straight victory and may now run straight to a Kentucky Derby prep race, following his overpowering win in Saturday's $250,000 for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.
Until now, trainer Greg Gilchrist and owner Harry Aleo have resisted the temptation to sell Lost in the Fog and have been circumspect of stretching him out around two turns. But the unbeaten Lost in the Fog won the Dash by 4 1/2 lengths and with such ease that Gilchrist conceded he and Aleo will have to have a serious talk about the question everyone wants to know - what's next?
Alix M didn't make it to the races until the summer of her 4-year-old campaign, but she has crammed a lot of success into a very short time, culminating Saturday with a 3 1/2-length victory over prohibitive favorite Bear Fan in the $300,000 .
Alix M, a Florida-bred daughter of End Sweep, has won six of her 10 starts since launching her career at Calder last July. Trained by Ron Spatz, Alix M paid $11.40 after covering six furlongs in 1:10.40 over a fast track.
James Leatherman has been named racing secretary at Retama Park near San Antonio. He replaces Larry Craft and Mike Shamburg, who have resigned for positions with Magna Entertainment.
Craft, who was the director of racing for Retama and its racing secretary for the Thoroughbred meet, will continue to serve as the director of racing and racing secretary at Lone Star Park, a post he has held since the track opened in 1997.
NEW ORLEANS - Midway Road, the most accomplished handicap horse in Neil Howard's barn, was sent to Kentucky for surgery after X-rays revealed a small fracture in his left leg.
"I don't know how it happened," said Howard. "He must have taken a bad step and the torque caused the injury. He worked, came back to the barn, and had his bath before he showed any signs. He has a fracture in his cannon bone."
A 5-year-old by Jade Hunter, Midway Road won two Grade 3 races at Keeneland last year, the Ben Ali and Fayette. He also finished second in the Grade 1 Pimlico Special.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Scott Lake's pre-race proclamation that Don Six could win the Breeders' Cup Sprint may not be so far-fetched after all.
While the $82,700 in January is a long way from the Sprint in October, Don Six served notice that he is developing into one of the better sprinters on the East Coast with an easy win in the 97th Paumonok at Aqueduct.
