Journey Fever ($7) wore down Defuhr in the final furlong to win the $111,175 Pat Whitworth Illinois Debutante for Illinois-bred 2-year-old fillies by a length. Longshot Zitlaly closed late for third nearly 11 lengths behind Defuhr.
Journey Fever covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.29. It was Journey Fever's first stakes win, and more than doubled her career earnings to over $131,000.
MIAMI - Gulfstream Park's 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 17 will likely be the next step for Second of June following his impressive victory in last Saturday's $100,000 What a Pleasure Stakes at Calder.
Second of June rallied from just off the pace to register a five-length win over Twice as Bad in the What a Pleasure. Silver Wagon finished another neck back in third while making his first start since winning the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga on Aug. 30.
ALBANY, Calif. - After more than three years, the long-promised equine hospital is a reality at Golden Gate Fields.
"We have a state-of-the-art facility," said F. Jack Liebau, president and general manager of Golden Gate Fields. "I think it will be a big benefit to northern California. It was well worth the wait. We appreciate everyone's patience."
There were delays in building the hospital, which was originally slated to be part of the barn area, which sits in the Berkeley city limits. Berkeley's restrictive building codes would not allow for construction there.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Valentine Dancer outfinished two game rivals in Super High and Cee's Valley Girl to win Sunday's $105,300 Cat's Cradle Handicap for California-breds at Hollywood Park.
The victory marked the second stakes win this fall for Valentine Dancer, who beat 3-year-old fillies in the Ramser Handicap on turf at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting in October.
The Cat's Cradle was Valentine Dancer's first stakes win against older fillies and mares.
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Paul Jones, the nation's leading Quarter Horse trainer by money won, pulled upsets in the two richest races at Los Alamitos over the weekend, winning Friday's $1,367,650 Los Alamitos Million in the stewards' room with A Regal Choice and Saturday's $500,000 Champion of Champions with surprise winner The Down Side.
On Sunday, Heros Call, a Quarter Horse sired by the Thoroughbred Grand Slam, scored a convincing win for trainer Laura Pinelli in the $175,000 Marathon National at 870 yards.
ALBANY, Calif. - Jockey David Lopez suffered a mild concussion and was taken to Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley for a precautionary CT scan after falling when his mount, Italian Bar Road, propped badly in the lane in Sunday's seventh race at Golden Gate Fields.
OZONE PARK, NY - Sunday's nine-race card at Aqueduct was canceled due to a snowstorm. The track was closed for both live racing and simulcasting.
Track officials said Sunday's card, including the $75,000 Damon Runyon Stakes for New York bred juveniles, will be brought back and run on Wednesday.
The New York Racing Association has had to cancel parts or all of four racing cards since the inner track opened on Dec. 3. Two other cards in November were canceled due to high winds.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Excess Summer scored his fourth stakes win of 2004 in Saturday's $107,900 On Trust Handicap at Hollywood Park, giving Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens a stakes win on his first day of riding since late October.
Excess Summer was always near the front. He disputed the lead with Coconut Mango on the backstretch, took the lead before reaching the turn and pulled clear to score by 3 1-2 lengths over Green Team. Trained by Jeff Mullins for a partnership, Excess Summer ($11) finished 7 1-2 furlongs in 1:27.13.
ALBANY, Calif. - Skipaslew ($19.80) raced wide on both turns but finished well to win the $7 Gold Rush Stakes on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
Favored The Herc, the lone speed in the race, took the lead as expected in the one-mile race for 2-year-olds. Jockey Matt Garcia slowed the speedster down through 23.23, 46.19 fractions. He couldn't hold off Skipaslew in the lane, as Skipaslew won by a neck in 1:36.12. O.K. Mikie closed well for third another two lengths back.
MIAMI - Trainer Bill Cesare was convinced Second of June was a very good horse after he overcame a brutal trip to win his career debut this summer. Those who watched Second of June easily defeat eight other 2-year-olds, including Grade 1 Hopeful winner Silver Wagon, in Saturday's $100,000 at Calder surely agree with Cesare's evaluation.
