Mon, 09/15/2003 - 00:00

Pimlico: Conservation wins in mud

Trainer Barclay Tagg admitted he thought Conservation was far better suited to turf than mud. Conservation ($7) proved Tagg wrong when he upset heavily favored Foufa's Warrior over a sloppy main track in the $60,000 Humphrey Finney Stakes for 3-year-old Maryland-breds at Pimlico.

Ridden by Enrique Jurado, Conservation drew off to beat Cheverly Gold by three lengths, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.78 in the slop. Foufa's Warrior, the 1-2 favorite, finished third.

Mon, 09/15/2003 - 00:00

Delaware: Paddington romps

Paddington ($6) easily handled the jump from the maiden ranks as he romped to a five-length wire-to-wire victory over six other 2-year-olds in the $58,700 Whirling Ash Stakes.

Ridden by Rodrigal Madrigal Jr. for trainer Michael Dickinson, Paddington covered the mile in 1:37.71 over a sloppy track.

Mon, 09/15/2003 - 00:00

Prairie Meadows: Wiggins triumphs

Coady Photo/Jack Coady
Wiggins ($3) wins the $75,000 Prairie Meadows Derby by 2 1/2-lengths.

ALTOONA, Iowa - Wiggins stalked the pace to the stretch before taking command a furlong out on his way to a 2 1/2-length victory over Morning Merry in the $75,000 Prairie Meadows Derby, the closing-day feature of the 48-day mixed meeting.

Wiggins ($3) sat in second, 6 1/2 lengths off loose leader Big Glori, through a half-mile clocked in 46.89 seconds over the sloppy going. Jockey Eusebio Razo Jr. remained patient to the stretch, and Wiggins responded when asked. He stopped the clock in 1:44.35 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Mon, 09/15/2003 - 00:00

Monmouth: Lissau wins for Rice-Ferrer

Lissau led wire to wire to win the $50,000 Smoke Glacken Stakes for 2-year-olds, giving trainer Linda Rice and jockey Jose Ferrer their second stakes victory of the weekend here. They won Saturday's Joseph Buckelew Stakes with Impolite. Lissau turned back a midstretch bid by runner-up Boston Brahmin and won the six-furlong race by a half-length. Stormy Siege finished third in the field of five.

Mon, 09/15/2003 - 00:00

Fairplex: Eclipse De Luna wins a U.S. stakes

POMONA, Calif. - Eclipse De Luna, a Group 1 winner in Chile, became a North American stakes winner in the $48,000 E.B. Johnston Stakes. Making her second U.S. start, Eclipse De Luna ($10.20) won the 1 1/16-mile race by 3 1/2 lengths over Imperatriz Rafaela, who finished a neck in front of Meguial. Brite Sunny Day, the 7-5 favorite, was fourth.

Mon, 09/15/2003 - 00:00

Hastings: Lord Samarai overcomes bad start

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Lord Samarai, with Nicola Wright aboard, overcame a poor beginning to win the $106,694 Jack Diamond Futurity for 2-year-olds.

After getting bounced around leaving the starting gate, Lord Samarai made a strong move four wide around the stretch turn, then outfinished Proud Son, who had taken the lead in midstretch. Lord Samarai paid $8. Time for the 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:19.10 over a good track.

Mon, 09/15/2003 - 00:00

Touch of the Blues changes his luck

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Trainer Neil Drysdale shipped Touch of the Blues here last September with a long-range plan.

The Atto Mile was to serve as the first of two stepping-stones to the Breeders' Cup Mile, along with an interim appearance in Keeneland's Shadwell Turf Mile.

But not much went right for Touch of the Blues as he finished a troubled fifth here, forced to check hard in deep stretch while closing stoutly on the inside.

Mon, 09/15/2003 - 00:00

Runaway winners in both divisions

Favorites were upset by blowout winners Saturday night in both divisions of the $45,000 Texas Stallion Stakes at Retama Park near San Antonio. Lady Mallory($4.20) was a 10.75-length winner over 4-5 favorite Eagle Lake in the fillies and mares division, while Fitzroyal($5.80) was a seven and three quarter length winner of the male division over even-money favorite Most Feared.

Sun, 09/14/2003 - 00:00

Touch of the Blues takes Atto Mile

Michael Burns
Touch of the Blues edges past a stubborn Soaring Free to take the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Atto Mile at Woodbine on Sunday.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Touch of the Blues ($12.90) staked his claim as the leading turf miler on the continent, with a determined half-length victory over Soaring Free in the seventh running of the Grade 1 Atto Mile Sunday at Woodbine.

Kent Desormeaux rode Touch of the Blues for Gainsborough Farm and trainer Neil Drysdale, the same combination which captured the 1998 Atto with Labeeb. Drysdale also sent out Hawksley Hill to finish first in the 1999 Atto, in which he was disqualified and placed fourth.

Sun, 09/14/2003 - 00:00

Marylebone steps up to win Matron

Horsephotos
Marylebone ($16.00) outfinishes Lokoya in the stretch to win the $200,000 Matron by a nose at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. - It was another case of the reserve stepping in for the starter and playing a terrific game.

Marylebone, who was only entered in Sunday's Grade 1 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park when Whoopi Cat developed a foot bruise, outfinished Lokoya in the stretch to win the $200,000 by a nose at Belmont Park. It was another 5 3-4 lengths back to Eye Dazzler in third.