Mon, 10/18/2004 - 00:00

Cash Counter upsets in Lady Luck

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Longshot Cash Counter kicked down favored Ready to Live in the final strides Sunday afternoon to pull off the upset in the Lady Luck Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Tocha finished third followed by Magic Streak.

Mon, 10/18/2004 - 00:00

Slew's Saga wins Cup and Saucer Stakes

Michael Burns Photo Ltd.
Slew's Saga wins his turf debut in the $250,000 Cup and Saucer Stakes at Woodbine on Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Slew's Saga, a Seattle Slew colt trained by Bob Tiller, made quite a splash in his turf debut Sunday at Woodbine, taking the $250,000 in a romp.

Slew's Saga set a moderate pace in the mile and a sixteenth event for 2-year-olds. He began to draw off at the head of the stretch, and prevailed by nine and three-quarter lengths under a hand ride from Steven Bahen. The final time over a course labeled good was 1:44.14 seconds.

Sat, 10/16/2004 - 00:00

Lady Truffles wins California Cup Juvenile Fillies

ARCADIA, Calif. - Lady Truffles picked the perfect time to win her first race and end a streak of second-place finishes with a hard-fought victory in the $125,000 .

Lady Truffles was locked in a stretch-long battle with Cee's Irish, but held off that rival to win by a head in 1:45.22 for 1 1/16 miles on the fast main track. Home Ice was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third.

Sat, 10/16/2004 - 00:00

Santa Anita carryover reaches $478,072

ARCADIA, Calif. - Longshots wins by Our Mango and Cozy Guy on Saturday has created a carryover of $478,072 for Sunday's pick six at Santa Anita.

The pick six covers the fourth through nine races on Sunday's nine-race program. It will be worthwhile to check the weather conditions in Southern California on Sunday. There was a threat of rain on Saturday night into Sunday morning.

There are few changes in the pick six.

The fourth race is run over seven furlongs for 3-year-old claimers. Cahill Mango, who drew the rail, is the 7-5 favorite on the morning-line.

Sat, 10/16/2004 - 00:00

A to the Z wins California Cup Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. - The two-month plan to have A to the Z ready for Saturday's $175,000 worked to perfection for owner-trainer Paula Capestro.

With a quick burst of speed on the final turn, A to the Z ($7.60) took command of the Mile in early stretch and pulled clear to win by 2 1-4 lengths. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, A to the Z finished a mile on turf in 1:33.44.

"We had everything go our way," Capestro said. "But I learned something about the horse: When he gets the lead, he starts looking around."

Sat, 10/16/2004 - 00:00

Our Mango best in California Cup Distaff

ARCADIA, Calif. - Our Mango, the longest shot in a field of 12, scored a nose win in the $150,000 , the biggest win of the 5-year-old mare's career.

Ridden by Russell Baze, Our Mango rallied from seventh to prevail over Western Hemisphere, the 9-5 favorite. Market Garden, who led in early stretch, finished third in the field of 10 fillies and mares. There were seven fillies and mares within two lengths at the finish.

Sat, 10/16/2004 - 00:00

Cozy Guy, 20-1, gives Hendricks big lift

Benoit & Associates
Cozy Guy and Corey Nakatani pull a $43.20 upset in the California Cup Classic.

ARCADIA, Calif. - It would be hard to imagine a 20-1 shot who provided a more popular victory than Cozy Guy, who on Saturday gave trainer Dan Hendricks his biggest victory since being paralyzed in a motorbike accident in July when he won the $250,000 , the richest race of the 15th Cal Cup at Santa Anita.

Sat, 10/16/2004 - 00:00

Ticker Tape conquers QEII

Horsephotos
Ticker Tape, with Kent Desormeaux riding, uses her strong late run to win the Queen Elizabeth II by a half-length.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Ticker Tape continued her dominance of major turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, winning the Grade 1 by a half-length over Barancella at Keeneland on Saturday.

As in her four prior stakes victories in 2004, Ticker Tape used her powerful closing kick to prevail. Jockey Kent Desormeaux allowed her to settle in sixth place early, as 13-1 longshot River Belle established a reasonable pace of 49.64 seconds and 1:14.43 in the 1 1/8-mile turf race over a course rated soft.

Sat, 10/16/2004 - 00:00

Dream of Summer goes long

Benoit & Associates
Dream of Summer (inside), with Mike Smith riding, edges Yearly Report (5) at the wire in the Cal Cup Matron.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Dream of Summer, already proven as a top female sprinter, added a new dimension to her career with a two-turn stakes win in Saturday's $150,000 at Santa Anita.

The victory came after a remarkable stretch duel with Yearly Report, a four-time stakes winner this year.

Dream of Summer, who set the pace, lost the lead to Yearly Report in midstretch but fought back along the rail to win by a nose. Ridden by Mike Smith, Dream of Summer ($10.20) finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.36.

Sat, 10/16/2004 - 00:00

Nicole's Dream best in Wild Flower Stakes

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Nicole's Dream returned to racing with females in the $50,000 at Lone Star Park on Saturday and dominated them, winning by three-quarters of a length over Leslie's Love.

It was another half-length back in third to Seneca Song.

Nicole Dream's Dream ($8.60) showed excellent speed in the five furlong turf race, when she darted to the lead soon after the break and was up by a length and a half through an opening quarter in 21.71 seconds. She went on to cover the distance over firm turf in 56.09 seconds.