OCEANPORT, N.J. - The holiday weekend at Monmouth Park concludes Monday with a pair of stakes that range from hard-knocking veterans to tender fillies.
The $70,000 Skip Away, a mile and 70-yard race, showcases seasoned runners, and the $60,000 Little Silver features 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.
Trainer Dennis Manning wasn't discouraged by Cool N Collective's last race, in which Cool N Collective finished fourth by 16 3/4 lengths.
ELMONT, N.Y. - It sounds overly simplistic, but Jerry Bailey may have the best theory as to why Peace Rules was able to win a stirring 118th renewal of the Saturday at Belmont Park.
"He wants it more than anybody else," Bailey said.
It certainly looked that way. After being passed in the stretch by Funny Cide along the rail, and seemingly about to be overtaken by Newfoundland on the outside, Peace Rules battled back to win the Grade 1, $500,000 Suburban by a neck. Newfoundland nosed out Funny Cide for second.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Janeian turned a perfect trip into her first California stakes win in Saturday's $109,800 Royal Heroine Stakes at Hollywood Park.
Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Janeian ($5.80) stalked pacesetters Hippogator and Sparkling Ava through an early pace of 23.70 and 47.20 seconds, circled the two pacesetters on the final turn, and took the lead in the final furlong.
Janeian held off a late run from favored Katdogawn to win by two lengths and finished a mile on turf in 1:34.79.
MIAMI - Devil's Disciple jumped to the head of the local 2-year-old division with a nine-length victory over Magic Speed in Saturday's $100,000 Criterium Stakes at Calder. B. B. Best, the dominant juvenile on the grounds coming into the race, finished a tiring fourth as the 1-5 favorite.
Our Mariah looked home free when she cut the corner turning for home and took the lead in Saturday's $50,000 Buckland Stakes at Colonial Downs. But Spring Kitten and jockey Kaymarie Kreidel, who had been passed by Our Mariah in early stretch, found another gear and wore down Our Mariah to win the 5 1/2-furlong turf race by a neck.
The second-longest shot in the nine-horse field of fillies and mares, Spring Kitten paid $31.40. Spring Kitten, owned by Brick House Farm and trained by Bev Heckrotte, ran the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.68.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Sam Semkin, who trains a small public stable at San Luis Rey Downs in San Diego County, decided to put himself to the test earlier this year.
For several years, Semkin has had a few horses in training but primarily prepared horses for comebacks before sending them to other trainers. While the situation kept Semkin busy, he yearned to learn more of his ability as a trainer.
"It had become the same routine," he said. "I wanted to find out what I'm capable of."
ELMONT, N.Y. - A foot problem seemingly behind him, The Cliff's Edge appears ready to begin the second half of his 3-year-old campaign Sunday in the Grade 2, $150,000 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park.
The Cliff's Edge, who missed the Preakness and Belmont because of a bruised right front foot, completed his preparations for the Dwyer on Saturday by working five furlongs in 1:03.53 over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. It was his fifth work since recovering from the injured foot, which was first diagnosed May 12, the day entries were drawn for the Preakness.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Steve Asmussen and his platoons of horses come at the opposition in waves. One of the many luxuries afforded a trainer with roughly 150 horses at his disposal is some strategic guesswork that occasionally yields sensational results - which clearly has been the case with Lunarpal, the unbeaten colt who goes for his fourth win Monday in the Bashford Manor Stakes at Churchill Downs.
MIAMI - Trainer Todd Pletcher said several weeks ago he intended to send down one starter for each of the four graded stakes on the Summit of Speed program. But Pletcher won't be the only horseman spending a lot of time in the Calder paddock next Saturday. So, too, will Steve Asmussen, who is bringing in five horses for the card, one apiece for the Smile and Princess Rooney handicaps, the Azalea and Carry Back Stakes, and the Calder Turf Sprint.
