DEL MAR, Calif. - Inspiring remained unbeaten after two starts following a frontrunning win in Saturday's $150,000 at Del Mar.
The 2-year-old filly gave jockey David Flores his fourth winner of the day. Inspiring was trainer Bob Baffert's fifth Sorrento winner and first since Chilukki in 1999.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Roses in May didn't make it to the race his connections had in mind when they named him. But, on Saturday, Roses in May demonstrated the potential that owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey thought he had by turning back a challenge from the Grade 1 winner Perfect Drift to win the Grade 1, $750,000 by a nose before a crowd of 33,776 at Saratoga.
The victory was the fourth in as many starts this year for Roses in May and his sixth from nine career starts. Saturday's first-place purse of $450,000 was more than he had earned in his eight prior outings.
HANCOCK COUNTY, W.Va. - Jockey Rafael Bejarano leads the nation in victories this year. Saturday, he earned a hefty sum toward advancing among the leading riders in earnings.
Less than two months after winning the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap aboard Colonial Colony, Bejarano piloted another horse to a lucrative victory Saturday when Sir Shackleton won the Grade 3, $600,000 before a crowd of 16,256 at Mountaineer Race Track.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Everything seemed so rosy in the springtime. Herculated had won three allowance races in a row and was second in the Mervin Muniz, his stakes debut. He went to Pimlico for the Grade 2 Dixie in May and was the 7-2 favorite in a good field. Herculated came back to Arlington with a 10th-place finish and feet so sore he could not train for a month.
Consider him back.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jonathan Sheppard saddled With Anticipation to consecutive victories in the Sword Dancer Invitational when With Anticipation was 6 and 7.
Next Saturday, Sheppard will try to go one better when he sends out the 8-year-old Rochester in the Grade 1, $500,000 Sword Dancer at Saratoga. Rochester is far less accomplished than With Anticipation was, but the Sword Dancer appears to be coming up far less difficult than in years past.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Bwana Charlie powered past favored Pomeroy to win the Grade 2, $150,000 on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course by three-quarters of a length.
Bwana Charlie, a 3-year-old colt trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Shane Sellers, was last early while lingering far off quick early fractions in the six-furlong race. He began making his move around the far turn, and then drove hard the length of the stretch to pass five horses in the seven-horse field. Weigelia finished a non-threatening third.
Windsong's Legacy parlayed a perfect trip into a rallying victory Saturday afternoon in the 79th edition of the $1 million Hambletonian at The Meadowlands Racetrack.
Trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer, Windsong's Legacy ($11) beat Cantab Hall by one length. Cash Hall finished third.
Windsong's Legacy trotted the mile in 1:54 1/5 for his sixth win in 12 career starts.
The field for the Hambletonian was considered one of the deepest in recent seasons. With the talent so evenly distributed, the trip was the crucial element in determining the outcome.
HENDERSON, Ky. - Angela's Love capped a huge day for trainer Dale Romans when she ran away to a 4 3/4-length romp Saturday in the signature event of the Ellis Park meet, the Grade 3 .
About an hour before the $200,000 Gardenia was run, Romans saddled Roses in May to win the Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga. He watched via simulcast as Angela's Love sped clear down the stretch for just the second stakes win of her 11-race career. Mark Guidry rode Angela's Love.
"I'm having a very good day," Romans said afterward from Saratoga.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - No one would have blamed trainer Jimmy Jerkens had he shipped Artie Schiller to Chicago for next weekend's Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes and a rematch with Kitten's Joy, who beat Artie Schiller in the Virginia Derby.
But the allure of staying home, a turn back in distance, and the absence of Kitten's Joy made Monday's Grade 2, $150,000 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga a more attractive spot.
