Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Imperialism rockets by Lion Heart in San Rafael

Horsephotos
Imperialism (left) runs down Lion Heart to win Saturday's San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Imperialism is finding racing in California much easier than Florida.

Scoring his second consecutive stakes win, Imperialism ran down the heavily favored Lion Heart to win Saturday's $200,000 at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Imperialism ($16.80) rallied from last to win by a neck, finishing a mile in 1:36.11.

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Velasquez, Ashado on the money

Horsephotos
Ashado with Cornelio Velazquez up wins the Fair Grounds Oaks on Saturday at Fair Grounds.

NEW ORLEANS - Cornelio Velasquez is a native of Panama, and as his star has risen in the universe of big-time jockeys, so has his command of the English language improved. This phrase Velasquez has down pat: "I thought at the top of the stretch she would win easy."

That is how Mr. Velasquez described Ashado's run Saturday in the $300,000 , and that is exactly how Ashado performed. Velasquez, sitting on a powder keg all the way around the track, found a spot for Ashado three paths wide at the top of the stretch, and Ashado cruised to a 3 3/4-length score over Victory U. S. A.

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Mt. Vista aims for 4th win of meet

PORTLAND, Ore. - Mt. Vista will head a competitive field of five older horses in Monday's best race at Portland Meadows, a one-mile claiming race for $8,000.

The feature has been named the Rod Gibson Memorial, in honor of the young trainer who passed away Feb. 17. Gibson and his father, H.R., trained former Washington-bred horse of the year L.J. Express.

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Swale may turn up better than Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The way things are shaping up, the best race on Florida Derby day may be the Grade 3 Swale.

With Master David now out, Read the Footnotes figures to be an odds-on favorite in the $1 million Florida Derby. As of Saturday, only six horses were listed as definite for the Grade 1 race.

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Lion Tamer perfect in many ways

EQUI-PHOTOS
Lion Tamer scores a three-quarter-length win in Saturday's Richter Scale at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Todd Pletcher says he believes Lion Tamer will eventually be a horse who could be successful around two turns. For now, however, Pletcher does not plan to mess with a good thing.

Lion Tamer remained perfect (3 for 3) at seven furlongs, with a solid three-quarter-length victory over the game Coach Jimi Lee in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 at Gulfstream Park. It was another half-length back to longshot Wacky for Love in third.

Gygistar, Valid Video, True Direction, and Multiple Choice completed the order of finish.

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Last Song too strong for Society Selection

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Almost everybody expected Last Song and Society Selection to battle it out for the winner's share of Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 at Gulfstream Park. What the majority of them didn't expect, though, was for Last Song to emerge a clear-cut, two-length winner over Society Selection, the 1-2 favorite.

When they met four weeks ago in the Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes, Society Selection finished third, a neck in front of Last Song. Society Selection received a two-pound weight shift in her favor for Saturday's rematch.

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Peitz has 'Rights' in sprint on grass

NEW ORLEANS - Danny Peitz is staying positive. As a horse trainer, is there another option? If a trainer stops thinking he's going to win, there's not much point in persevering.

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

House of Fortune romps

ALBANY, Calif. - House of Fortune ($2.40) was unchallenged in the stretch, winning the $77,025 California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields by 17 lengths on Saturday.

A 3-year-old filly, House of Fortune faced three overmatched rivals in the 1 1/16-mile race. Although never asked to run, she clocked a final time of 1:41.71.

"It was like a glorified workout," winning jockey Ron Warren Jr. said. "I was shocked at how fast she ran. It didn't seem like she was even running."

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Oaklawn: Honeybee to Yoursmineours

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Yoursmineours was prominent throughout to give jockey Don Pettinger his third consecutive win in the $75,000 Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Yoursmineours was a 2 1/2-length winner over Stephan's Angel, who was coupled with fifth-place finisher Foolishly. It was another 3 3/4 lengths back in third to Solitary Emerald.

Sat, 03/06/2004 - 00:00

Tampa Bay Downs: 'Books' pays $20.60

Oldsmar, Fla. - Closing along the far outside under a well-judged ride by Derek Bell, Attack the Books ran down Native Hawk in the final strides to post a stunning upset in the $75,000 Budweiser Challenger Stakes.

Despite finishing third here in the Super Stakes and second in an allowance race, Attack the Books returned a generous $20.60 after scoring his fifth win from 24 starts.