Sat, 10/04/2003 - 00:00

Pleasantly Perfect wins comeback

Horsephotos
Pleasantly Perfect wins his second straight Grade 2 Goodwood Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - It took a year for Pleasantly Perfect to get back to the winner's circle. Now, he has a chance to pick up right where he left off last year and go into the Breeders' Cup Classic with a chance to win this country's richest race.

Sat, 10/04/2003 - 00:00

Devious Boy gets his head in front

Horsephotos
Devious Boy ($4.20) holds off Sweet Return to win the $150,000 Oak Tree Derby by a head.

ARCADIA, Calif. - After two thrilling stretch runs in recent weeks, it is safe to say that Devious Boy is only slightly better than Sweet Return.

The pair were separated by a nose while second and third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 6, and by a head in Saturday's $150,000 at Santa Anita when Devious Boy held off a late rally from Sweet Return.

Devious Boy ($4.20) covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.82, finishing the final three furlongs in about 34.30 seconds.

Sat, 10/04/2003 - 00:00

Parose takes Durham

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Parose ($8.30) overhauled Barbeau Ruckus at the sixteenth pole and then edged away to take the Grade 3 Durham Cup Handicap at Woodbine Saturday.

Parose lagged about 15 lengths off the pace on the backstretch of the nine-furlong event. Favored Wake at Noon and Barbeau Ruckus hooked up on the front end through honest fractions, before Barbeau Ruckus took the lead on the far turn.

Sat, 10/04/2003 - 00:00

Calder: Chispiski repeats

Jean Raftery
Jockey Julio Garcia guides Chispiski to a front-running victory in the $75,000 U Can Do It Handicap at Calder Race Course on Saturday.

MIAMI - In nearly a carbon copy of her 2002 performance, Chispiski led every step of the way to defeat Barbara O'Brien by 1 1/2 lengths in the $75,000 U Can Do It Handicap at Calder.

Chispiski, a 4-year-old daughter of Appealing Skier, led throughout to win last year's U Can Do It by 3 3/4 lengths.

Sat, 10/04/2003 - 00:00

Philadelphia: Fast Cookie prevails

Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Fast Cookie with Nick Santagata riding wins the $250,000 Grade 2 Cotillion Handicap at Philadelphia Park

In a field cut in half by scratches, Fast Cookie held off four other 3-year-old fillies to win the Grade 2, $250,000 at Philadelphia Park.

Fast Cookie ($7.40) raced four wide under Nick Santagata for nearly the entire 1 1/16 miles, drawing off in the final furlong to beat Ladyecho by 3 3/4 lengths. Savedbythelight was another eight lengths back in third, and favorite City Fire finished last after leading for the opening six furlongs.

Trained by Bill Mott, Fast Cookie finished in 1:45.83 over a fast track for her fifth win in 15 career starts.

Sat, 10/04/2003 - 00:00

In Reality may only draw six

MIAMI - Last year the $400,000 In Reality Stakes drew a full field of 14 2-year-olds despite the presence of Lawbook, who had won the opening two legs of the Florida Stallion Series. Lawbook went off as the 6-5 favorite, but his quest for a sweep was compromised when he was shuffled back around the opening turn en route to a sixth-place finish behind pacesetting Trust N Luck.

Sat, 10/04/2003 - 00:00

Awesome Humor wins Indiana Oaks

ANDERSON, Ind. - Awesome Humor broke a string of three consecutive runner-up efforts in graded stakes company with a gutsy win in Friday night's Grade 3, $306,900 Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks at Hoosier Park.

Ridden by Robby Albarado, Awesome Humor went for the early lead in the 1 1/16-mile Oaks, but that effort was thwarted as Youcan'ttakeme, Star of Atticus, and Harbor Blues raced as a team going into the first turn. Awesome Humor was just off the heels of that trio, racing along the inside.

Sat, 10/04/2003 - 00:00

Cup to Bowman's Band

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Owner Martin Schwartz changed trainers but retained his favorite jockey. All the maneuvering paid off Friday night as Bowman's Band won the Grade 2, $400,000 .

Schwartz took the horse from Michael Matz and gave it to Allen Jerkens, the "Giant Killer," who pulled off yet another upset. This time the victim was Volponi, the Breeders' Cup Classic winner.

Schwartz also convinced Ramon Dominguez to spend what turned into a very profitable evening at The Meadowlands.

Fri, 10/03/2003 - 00:00

Take Charge Lady a Keeneland gem

Horsephotos
Take Charge Lady's career earnings of more than $2 million include the winner's share of last year's Spinster.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - It might be debatable whether Take Charge Lady has ever truly belonged in the elite of her class. The two worst starts in her 19-race career both came in the Breeders' Cup, and although she has amassed over $2.1 million in earnings and nearly defeated the great Azeri early this year, she has been soundly defeated by other divisional standouts such as Sightseek and Wild Spirit.

Fri, 10/03/2003 - 00:00

Slots in the Cup up for grabs

ARCADIA, Calif. - It was way back in spring when owner-breeder Marty Wygod started talking about the Breeders' Cup Sprint for a 4-year-old who had not raced in months. "I love to dream," Wygod said. "Of course at the beginning everybody thought I was crazy."

Not any more. Two romping wins this summer at Del Mar positioned Yankee Gentleman as a potential division leader though he has not raced this year in a graded stakes. That changes Sunday at Santa Anita, where Yankee Gentleman runs in the Grade 1 Ancient Title Handicap, one of three stakes with Breeders' Cup ramifications.