Mon, 08/16/2004 - 00:00

Saratoga: Golden Commander gets first stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - A thrilling finish to the $114,700 West Point Handicap resulted in Golden Commander getting his first stakes win after he scored by a half-length over favored Foreverness. It was a head back to Irish Colonial in third in the 12-horse field of New York-breds.

With Javier Castellano in the saddle, Golden Commander came with a rush in the final yards to overtake Irish Colonial, who held a clear lead in the stretch. Foreverness outgamed Irish Colonial for the place spot in the 1 1/8-mile turf race.

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 00:00

Ay Dee Dee gets drop

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Ay Dee Dee holds a special place in the heart of former trainer Brent Sumja. She was his last winner as a trainer.

Ay Dee Dee may get Sumja back in the winner's circle Wednesday at the Bay Meadows Fair, this time as an owner, when she takes on seven 3-year-old fillies in a $20,000 claimer at a mile on turf.

Ay Dee Dee beat a similar field over the course June 5 before Sumja retired from training to become a stock broker.

Only one of her rivals Wednesday also has a turf victory, and five of her opponents are making their turf debuts.

Mon, 08/16/2004 - 00:00

Moonshine Justice loved the mud

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Dave Cotey said he almost cried when the rains came midway through Sunday's program.

As the trainer and majority owner of Moonshine Justice, the morning-line favorite for the Vandal Stakes after winning the Clarendon here four weeks earlier, Cotey had reason for keeping an eye on the sky.

"He worked in the mud, before the Clarendon," said Cotey, who watched Moonshine Justice drill four furlongs in 50.40 seconds here four days prior to that stakes. "He didn't work worth a damn."

Sun, 08/15/2004 - 00:00

Kela wins, Pico Central third

Horsephotos
Kela wins the $194,000 Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup Handicap at Del Mar by 4 1/2 lengths on Sunday.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Kela swept the two graded stakes for sprinters at the Del Mar meeting with a shockingly easy win in Sunday's $194,000 , against a field that included top sprinter Pico Central.

Kela ($7.20) ran seven furlongs in 1:21.17, finishing 4 1/2 lengths in front of Domestic Dispute. Pico Central, who fought for the early lead with Taste of Paradise through fractions of 21.98 and 43.92 seconds, could only finish third, followed by Hasty Kris and Taste of Paradise. Amerindio, Disturbingthepeace and Marino Marini were scratched.

Sun, 08/15/2004 - 00:00

Explosive Count game in Taliaferro

Explosive Count ($6.20) outgamed favorite Abbi's Choice for a neck win in the $40,000 Chuck Taliaferro Memorial at Remington Park in Oklahoma City on Sunday. It was another length back in third to Silver Phone.

Explosive Count pushed Abbi's Choice through fractions of 21.26 seconds for the opening quarter and 43.90 seconds for the half-mile mark. The eventual winner went on to cover six furlongs over a sloppy track in 1:09.80.

Cliff Berry rode Explosive Count, one of five winners on the card for the jockey. Bret Calhoun trains Explosive Count for Carl Moore Management.

Sun, 08/15/2004 - 00:00

Roman Ruler remains unbeaten in Best Pal

Horsephotos
Roman Ruler wins Sunday's $150,000 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar by seven lengths.

DEL MAR, Calif. - Roman Ruler confirmed his place at the top of California's 2-year-old male division with a dramatic win in Sunday's $150,000 at Del Mar.

To remain unbeaten in two starts, Roman Ruler ($3) had to overcome a slow start and avoid a one-horse spill on the turn before catching the leaders. Roman Ruler drew off to win by seven lengths.

The race was marred by a breakdown to Wetherly, who suffered a compound fracture to his left foreleg before the quarter pole. Wetherly was euthanized.

Sun, 08/15/2004 - 00:00

Capeside Lady romps in muddy Monmouth Oaks

Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Capeside Lady with Chris Decarlo riding, wins the $200,000 Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks at Monmouth Park.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Hurricane Charley brushed the Jersey Shore Sunday morning, doing little damage other than dumping considerable rain.

That precipitation was a decisive factor in the Grade 2, $200,000 for 3-year-old fillies that afternoon as Capeside Lady romped to a 6 1/2 length victory in the mud.

Capeside Lady, trained by Todd Pletcher, thrives on a wet track. The victory improved her record to four wins in five "off" track starts.

Capeside Lady ($5.40) ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.18 for her first graded stakes victory.

Sun, 08/15/2004 - 00:00

Leslie's Love takes inaugural Hallowed Dreams

BOSSIER CITY, La. - Leslie's Love contested the early pace in Sunday's Hallowed Dreams Stakes under confidant handling by regular rider Gerard Melancon before easing away in the stretch to win the inaugural running of the event.

Forty Dolls challenged on the outside turning for home but had to settle for second with Scottish Heritage reporting home third.

Sun, 08/15/2004 - 00:00

Moonshine Justice wins Vandal Stakes

Michael Burns Photo
Moonshine Justice ($5.30) wins the $164,550 Vandal on Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored Moonshine Justice notched his second stakes in a row Sunday at Woodbine in the $164,550 Vandal, a six-furlong dash for 2-year-olds.

Moonshine Justice stalked front-running Handlebar Hank through splits of :22.29 and :46.11 seconds under jockey Todd Kabel. He overhauled that rival at the sixteenth pole, and then held off a late bid from Galaxy to score by a length and a half.

Sun, 08/15/2004 - 00:00

Baltic Prince rallies to victory

Baltic Prince, coming off a second-place finish in a $5,000 starter allowance, rallied smartly for a two-length score over the 4-5 favorite Long Term Success and recorded his first stakes victory in Sunday's $46,000 Blazing Sevens at Fort Erie.

The Blazing Sevens, an about seven-furlong turf race restricted to horses who had started at least three times at the meeting, marked the second career stakes appearance for Baltic Prince, who had finished second in Fort Erie's Parnitha over five furlongs of turf on July 25.