Mon, 10/11/2004 - 00:00

Holiday weekend dilutes Wednesday card

SAN MATEO, Calif. - With several tracks having run Monday because of the Columbus Day holiday, some jurisdictions are taking Wednesday off. But not California.

The six-day racing week, coupled with racing at both Bay Meadows and the Big Fresno Fair, has resulted in a shortage of entries for Wednesday's races.

On Monday, Fresno had 75 horses entered in eight races. Six of the races were for Thoroughbreds, and those attracted 55 horses.

Fresno's Wednesday card dropped off dramatically, with 62 entrants for eight races. The five Thoroughbred races attracted 38 horses.

Mon, 10/11/2004 - 00:00

Belmont: Lady Tak scores easily

The connections of Lady Tak are flirting with the idea of running the talented filly in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Nothing she did on Sunday would discourage the pursuit of such a lofty task.

After stalking the pace-setting Molto Vita through a half-mile run in 46.84 seconds, Lady Tak struck the front turning for home and easily cruised to a two-length score in the Grade 2, $150,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont Park. Molto Vita held second, 4 1/4 lengths ahead of Zawzooth.

Mon, 10/11/2004 - 00:00

Charles Town: Nomorebills hangs on

Nomorebills ($16.80) survived a severe bumping incident in midstretch and a claim of foul to win the $51,175 Governor's Cup Handicap at Charles Town.

A maiden winner in his last start, Nomorebills made up a 4 1/2-length deficit in the stretch of the 1 1/8-mile race as the leader, Last Intention, bore out badly in the stretch while fading to third. Despite getting slammed sideways, Nomorebills drew off to win by three lengths.

Mon, 10/11/2004 - 00:00

A Huevo crushes Classic in W.Va.

A Huevo may be five years older than he was the last time he raced at Charles Town. But his encore performance was even more impressive.

Now 8, A Huevo cruised to a 19 1/4-length victory under Ramon Dominguez on Saturday in the $270,000 Classic, the headline event on the 18th annual West Virginia Breeders Classics program.

Mon, 10/11/2004 - 00:00

Dance With Ravens wins Grey Breeders' Cup Stakes

Michael Burns Photo Ltd.
Dance With Ravens wins his maiden in style by taking the Grade 2 Grey Breeders' Cup Stakes at Woodbine.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Royally-bred Dance With Ravens ($4.80) won his maiden in style at Woodbine on Monday, taking the Grade 2 for 2-year-olds with determination.

Dance With Ravens tracked the pace along the rail under Todd Kabel, as Accountforthegold set fractions of :23.77 and :48.51 seconds in the mile and a sixteenth event.

Mon, 10/11/2004 - 00:00

Tense Wager rallies to win Courtship Stakes

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Tense Wager ($34.80), the longest shot on the board, made up nearly seven lengths in the final quarter mile as she passed all four of her rivals to win the $67,725 Courtship Stakes at Bay Meadows on Sunday.

Sun, 10/10/2004 - 00:00

Azeri scores effortless win in Spinster

Bill Straus/Keeneland
Azeri wins the Grade 1, $500,000 Overbrook Spinster Sunday at Keeneland by 3 lengths.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - One day after Sightseek scored an effortless Grade 1 victory in the Beldame at Belmont, Azeri did her best to match her accomplishments in the battle for champion older mare, winning the Grade 1, $500,000 Sunday at Keeneland by 3 lengths.

Enjoying a perfect, stalking trip, Azeri tracked Tamweel in second as that one set legitimate fractions of 46.99 and 1:11.71 in the 1 1/8-mile dirt contest, and had no trouble reeling her in through the stretch.

Sun, 10/10/2004 - 00:00

Stay Forever overcomes slow pace

Bill Straus/Keeneland
Stay Forever rallies to win the Grade 2 WinStar Galaxy by a half-length at Keeneland on Sunday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Conventional handicapping wisdom holds that frontrunners benefit in slow-paced races, while closers struggle. Stay Forever, despite being a late-runner, defies that thinking.

Rallying from last in a field of nine in Sunday's $500,000, Grade 2 , Stay Forever overcame a dawdling pace, outquickening her opponents to beat Super Brand by a half-length.

Sun, 10/10/2004 - 00:00

Pt's Grey Eagle gets bug a G1 win

ARCADIA, Calif. - Apprentice jockey Alex Bisono won his first Grade 1 when Pt's Grey Eagle pulled an upset in Sunday's $213,000 . The victory may lead to Bisono's first ride in the Breeders' Cup.

Owner Paul Reddam and trainer Craig Dollase said they will consider sending Pt's Grey Eagle to Lone Star Park for the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Oct. 30. A start would require a supplementary entry.

For now, Reddam and Dollase are celebrating the development of the 3-year-old Pt's Grey Eagle who won his first stakes in the Ancient Title.

Sun, 10/10/2004 - 00:00

Pick six carryover reaches $120,945

ARCADIA, Calif. - An upset win by Pt's Grey Eagle at 29-1 in Sunday's Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Handicap helped led to a carryover of $120,945 for Monday's pick six at Santa Anita.

Monday's program begins at 12:30 p.m. The pick six covers the fourth through ninth races, and includes three turf races and three races on the main track.

No field has less than eight entrants during the pick six.