Mon, 09/06/2004 - 00:00

Mobil cruises to easy Halton win

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Mobil toyed with his three rivals in capturing Sunday's $128,750 Halton Stakes, one of six stakes on the Woodbine card for graduates of local yearling sales.

Mobil ($2.30) pressed front-running Crosspoint through slow fractions in the nine-furlong turf event. He assumed command at the quarter pole and drew off for a 3 1/2-length score over Lenny the Lender. The final time was 1:46.97.

Todd Kabel, who rode Mobil for owner Gustav Schickedanz and trainer Mike Keogh, won five races on the card, including three yearling sale stakes.

Mon, 09/06/2004 - 00:00

Quick flight proves worth it

Francine Villeneuve, who had won the $106,000 Silver Deputy at Woodbine earlier in the afternoon, hopped a helicopter to Fort Erie and guided A Nice Splash to victory in Monday's $58,000 Puss N Boots.

The Puss N Boots was one of the co-features on Monday's closing-day card along with the Centre Stage Anne. Both races were in-house stakes, for horses who had started at least three times at the meeting, and both were over 1 1/16 miles of turf.

Mon, 09/06/2004 - 00:00

Spruce's Prince captures Scott's Scoundrel Stakes

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Displaying considerable gameness down the straight, favored Spruce's Prince outfinished Old Lee after a lengthy stretch duel to capture Monday's $50,000 Scott's Scoundrel Stakes. Nitro Chip was along for the show while Walk This Way reported home fourth.

Spruce's Prince ($5.20) is trained by Gerald Romero for William Deckwa and was ridden by leading rider Lonnie Meche. The son of Spruce Bouquet covered the mile and a sixteenth in 1:42.73 over firm going. The win was his fifth from 15 starts and he has now earned just under $94,000.

Mon, 09/06/2004 - 00:00

Strut the Stage repeats in Niagara

Michael Burns Photo
Strut the Stage with Todd Kabel riding wins the Grade 2, $324,000 Niagara Breeders' Cup Handicap at Woodbine.

Strut the Stage ($2.50) and jockey Todd Kabel won the Grade 2, $324,000 for the second year in a row at Woodbine on Monday.

Strut the Stage trailed the six-horse field on the backstretch of the 1 1/2-mile turf race, as his stablemate Longship set moderate fractions.

Strut the Stage loomed into contention on the far turn, and began to draw off after hitting the front nearing the quarter pole. He went on to prevail by four lengths, in a final time of 2:25.87, just .27 seconds off the course record.

Mon, 09/06/2004 - 00:00

Lumpkins returns with a new agent

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Jason Lumpkins has returned to northern California, just as he did last fall for the Bay Meadows meeting.

Despite having enjoyed great success here, Lumpkins two years ago decided to ride in Kentucky, where he bought a farm. He got off to a great start in Kentucky, but this year has been tough for him.

Lumpkins has been a high-percentage rider for most of his career, topping 20 percent every year from 1996 to 2003. But this year, his win percentage is only 12, well down from his lifetime percentage of 19 from 2,274 victories.

Sun, 09/05/2004 - 00:00

Supah Blitz: West is best

Horsephotos
Supah Blitz (inside) captures the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap by just holding off Domestic Dispute in a thrilling stretch drive.

DEL MAR, Calif. - After spending the first 29 starts of his career mostly confined to the East Coast, Supah Blitz found out what everyone eventually does - it's much better at Del Mar.

In his first start in California and since being acquired by a trio of young, aggressive owners, Supah Blitz captured the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap by just holding off Domestic Dispute in a thrilling stretch drive.

Sun, 09/05/2004 - 00:00

Arvada, Humaita win Glens Falls split divisions

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - John Velazquez coasted Arvada through slow early fractions in the second division of the Grade 3 Glens Falls Handicap, and the filly had enough left in the tank down the stretch to hold off Spice Island and Film Maker.

The $100,000 Glens Falls was split into two divisions because it had 17 entrants.

Sun, 09/05/2004 - 00:00

Mobil toys with yearling sales foes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Millionaire Mobil toyed with his three rivals in capturing Sunday's $128,750 Halton Stakes, one of six added-money events on the Woodbine card for graduates of local yearling sales.

Mobil ($2.30) pressed front-running Crosspoint through slow fractions in the nine-furlong turf event. He assumed command at the quarter pole, before drawing off for a three and a half-length score over Lenny the Lender. The final time was 1:46.97 seconds.

Sun, 09/05/2004 - 00:00

Highland Warrior takes Juvenile

Highland Warrior emerged best in a stretch-long battle in Sunday's $75,000 Juvenile Stakes at Fort Erie, hanging tough to score by a head over 4-5 favorite Chasing the Fox.

Owned by Fieldstone Farm and trained at Woodbine by Jake Nemett, Highland Warrior was making his fifth start in the six-furlong Juvenile and returned $7.10 as the second choice.

All five entrants in the Juvenile, restricted to colts and geldings who went through the open yearling sale or mixed sale at Woodbine last fall, were looking for their first wins and three were racing for the first time.

Sun, 09/05/2004 - 00:00

Dubleo victorious in Continental Mile

Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Dubleo with Chris Decarlo riding wins the Continental Mile Stakes over United and Julian Pimentel at Monmouth Park.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Dubleo took command early and held off the rally from United by a neck to win the $55,000 Continental Mile for 2-year-olds Sunday at Monmouth Park.

Dubleo ($2.80), part of a three-horse entry from trainer Todd Pletcher, stopped the clock in 1:38.63 over the firm turf course. Entry mate Arcturus was third.

Dubleo, ridden by Chris DeCarlo, broke sharpest from the gate and was never headed. They held a clear lead around the course and enjoyed a three-length advantage turning for home.