ALTOONA, Iowa - Cmego ($66) survived a race-long duel with fellow longshot Royalty of Iowa to prevail by a head in the $82,200 Ralph Hayes Stakes at Prairie Meadows.
The 1 1/16-mile Hayes was the feature on an Iowa Classic Night card that consisted of 10 stakes races for Iowa-breds.
Cmego and the 19-1 shot Royalty of Iowa combined for an $807 exacta.
Take Me Up, seeking to win the Hayes for the third straight year, finished fifth, beaten 3 1/2 lengths.
In the other stakes for Thoroughbreds:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Heavily favored Jet West ($4.20) stalked an extremely fast pace and prevailed over Bailey's Yodeler in the lane Sunday to win the $52,095 Earlene McCabe Derby at the California State Fair.
Jet West sat three wide behind Bailey's Yodeler and Smoke Break in the six-furlong race for Cal-breds. Bailey's Yodeler ran the opening quarter in 21.18 seconds and opening half in 43.37.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Star Over the Bay, in a repeat performance of his Sunset Handicap victory six weeks earlier, led from start to finish and just lasted to capture the Grade 2, $250,000 on Sunday.
In the Sunset, it was Continuously who gave Star Over the Bay a scare in the final strides. This time, Star Over the Bay had to fend off the veteran Sarafan. Star Over the Bay led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining, but after seeing that lead quickly dwindle, he dug in determinedly and prevailed by a neck.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Favorite Minit made it two wins in as many starts as he held on to win Sunday's inaugural running of the . A late rally by Saucey Tiger came up a half length short as that one settled for second followed by Z Storm, who was another five and a half lengths back in third.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - As the field rounded the turn in Sunday's $250,000 Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga, Lady Tak, who controlled the pace, looked like she was on her way to an uneventful victory in the seven-furlong race.
But the Grade 1 Ballerina ended with a three-horse photo, a steward's inquiry, and two jockey objections. After several minutes of deliberation, the stewards let the result stand and Lady Tak was declared a head winner over My Trust Cat. It was another head back to Harmony Lodge, last year's winner, in third in the seven-horse field of fillies and mares.
OCEANPORT, N.J. - American Freedom beat stablemate Freedom's Honor by a half length in the $100,000 Jersey Breeders' Turf Highweight Handicap to brighten a tough season for trainer Jamie Woodington.
The Jersey Breeders was one of five stakes that Monmouth Park presented Sunday as part of the second annual New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival. The entire 11-race program, which drew 14,066 fans, featured races exclusively for New Jersey breds.
The Jersey Breeders was a rare opportunity for the state breds to run on grass. It was a spot Woodington had been awaiting all season.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Archers Bow, a great great grandson of Vice Regent, took the $131,625 Vice Regent Stakes at Woodbine Sunday.
Archers Bow tracked the pace from a three-wide position in the one-mile contest, which was run over soft turf. Dashing Admiral, the 4-5 favorite, vied with Arch Hall through fractions of :24.59 and :48.74 seconds.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Odds-on favorite Yougottawanna ($3.60) got a perfect stalking trip and wore down pacesetting Sanger in the lane to win Saturday's $60,595 Governor's Handicap at the California State Fair.
Yougottawanna sat behind Sanger, who ran from well off the rail, inching closer at the quarter pole and rallying past him in the stretch to win the 1 1/8-mile race by 11/2 (one one-half) lengths. The winning time was 1:48.37.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Birdstone came out of his Travers victory on Saturday in fine shape, trainer Nick Zito reported Sunday morning, and he will make his next start in the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 30 at Lone Star Park.
Zito said Sunday morning that he would run Birdstone in whichever race owner Marylou Whitney chose between the Jockey Club Gold Cup, run Oct. 2 at Belmont Park, or the Breeders' Cup Classic. Sunday morning, standing outside Zito's barn with her husband John Hendrickson, Whitney chose the Classic.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Lion Heart suffered a broken bone in his right front foot while running last in Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes and will be retired, trainer Patrick Biancone said.
Biancone said the injury would take four to six months to heal, thus forcing Lion Heart to miss the Breeders' Cup Classic. Owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, who purchased Lion Heart for $1.4 million, felt it best to retire the horse while still relatively healthy.
