The Meadowlands Racetrack ended its 2004 Thoroughbred meet Saturday night with increases in ontrack and combined handle while experiencing a slight decline in attendance.
The 32-date meet saw the total handle wagered on Meadowlands races improve 5.7 percent over last year to average $2,204,704 daily. Ontrack handle on Meadowlands cards improved 2.7 percent to $418,276. Attendance, however, dipped 3 percent to 4,113.
ALBANY, Calif. - The 2-year-old filly A Lil' Alimony attracted plenty of local media attention when she won her debut last Wednesday. It's not that she is especially talented, rather it's her name and ownership group that made her a star on television sports reports.
A Lil' Alimony is owned by the First Wives Club, five divorced women whose jockey silks have a picture of five witches riding on a broom.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - One for Rose and Wando both displayed their championship form here last Saturday.
While One for Rose was doing her usual thing romping in the Maple Leaf, Wando was continuing in his new direction while scoring impressively in the Mt. Sassafras.
Wando, Canada's Horse of the Year and outstanding 3-year-old male in 2003, won his first stakes since concluding his sweep of the Canadian Triple Crown in the Breeders' here in August 2003.
Magoo's Magic rebounded from a dismal New York debut in the Cowdin Stakes by leading every step of the way to take the $82,950 Huntington Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct.
Storm Creek Rising chased Magoo's Magic around the track and finished second, one length ahead of Tani Maru, who encountered traffic trouble while finishing third.
Broadway View made his first turf victory a rewarding one when he held off a late-charging America Alive to win the inaugural running of the Commonwealth Turf by a nose Sunday at Churchill Downs.
Ridden by John McKee, Broadway View, an 18-1 shot, charged to a short lead in midstretch of the $171,150 Commonwealth, a 1 1/16-mile turf race restricted to 3-year-olds, and barely lasted. America Alive, an 11-1 shot ridden by Eddie Martin Jr., finished another 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Capo in a field of 10.
* Heavy favorites Bravura ($3.40) and Wild Remarks ($2.80) were easy winners in the two divisions of the West Virginia Futurity at Charles Town. Wild Remarks, who cruised by 13 lengths, covered the seven furlongs nearly four seconds faster than the filly Bravura with his time of 1:28.11.
Paisley Park ($18) turned the tables on favored Twist and Pop, getting up by a nose in the $60,000 College of New Jersey, one of three stakes for fillies and mares on the closing-night card at The Meadowlands.
In the previous start for both horses, Twist and Pop beat Paisley Park by nearly two lengths in the Lighthouse at Monmouth Park. This time, Paisley Park, ridden by Chris DeCarlo for trainer Joe Pierce, outfinished Twist and Pop in the closing yards of the mile and 70-yard race.
* Cologny ($4.80) romped by 7 1/2 lengths in the $60,000 Montclair State at six furlongs.
Added Edge got his second stakes win of the year with a gutty effort in the $103,100 Michael G. Schaefer Mile Stakes. With Ramsey Zimmerman aboard, Added Edge stalked a solid pace set by Perfect Cut. Coach Jimi Lee moved outside the pacesetter entering the stretch, while Added Edge took the rail route then outgamed Coach Jimi Lee in a duel through the final furlong to win by a nose.
Slow early fractions helped Discreet Hero score an easier-than-anticipated win over 6-5 favorite Sonic West in the $100,000 Mountaineer Mile. Discreet Hero ($5), the second choice in a field of five older horses, was pressed by Tour the Hive, but the fractions of 48.01 for a half-mile and 1:13:59 for six furlongs allowed jockey Chad Murphy on Discreet Hero to have plenty of horse left for the final quarter-mile.
Two Down Automatic ran to his 1-5 odds Sunday when he rolled to a two-length win over Russian Elite in the $53,100 at Sunland Park. It was another two and a quarter lengths back in third to Rollicking Caller.
Two Down Automatic ($2.60) settled in about four lengths behind Southern Twilight, who led the field through an opening quarter in 44.09 seconds. The eventual winner went wide into the stretch and rallied past the leaders, covering six and a half furlongs over a muddy track in 1:15.87.
