DEL MAR, Calif. - Don'tsellmeshort ran the best race of his career when he scored a three-length win in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar on July 30.
It was enough for owner Cecil Peacock and trainer Dan Hendricks to think about trying a graded stakes at this meeting - the Best Pal on Aug. 17, or Wednesday's Del Mar Futurity. But instead they are taking a more conservative route, starting Don'tsellmeshort in Monday's $100,000 I'm Smokin Stakes.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Buy the Sport, a New York-bred filly who had been running in Europe, made a smashing homecoming Saturday while racing for new connections as she pulled a stunning upset in the Grade 1, $250,000 for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.
After racing on the lead early, Buy the Sport was fourth at the quarter pole, but re-rallied in the stretch under Pat Day to run down favored Lady Tak and win by a half-length. Lady Tak held off Spoken Fur by a nose for second. It was 8 1/4 lengths back to Alabama winner Island Fashion in fourth.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Lunar Sovereign's affinity for Belmont Park's turf course was not in doubt when he ran in Saturday's $500,000 . The question was his ability to compete with Grade 1 horses. Lunar Sovereign answered emphatically by winning the Grade 1 Man o' War by 2 3/4 lengths.
Under Richard Migliore, Lunar Sovereign swept by pacesetter Balto Star in upper stretch and was never threatened during the stretch run of the 1 3/8-mile grass race. Slew Valley finished second, a neck in front of the 7-5 favorite, Denon.
DEL MAR, Calif. - The $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on Wednesday may have only five starters after trainer Ray Bell on Saturday said he was leaning toward starting Capitano in the $150,000 Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park on Sept. 27
Bell said he was happy with Capitano's five-furlong workout in 1:02.80 on Saturday at Santa Anita, but is more interested in the Arlington-Washington Futurity distance of one mile rather than the seven-furlong distance of the Del Mar Futurity.
"If I had to lean one way, that's what I'll probably do," he said.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - My Captain ($8.80) got first run at millionaires Echo Eddie and Full Moon Madness and won the $66,750 Big Jag Handicap at Bay Meadows on Saturday.
My Captain sat off early leader Ex Kay E down the backstretch and assumed command on the turn. He responded gamely in the stretch to hold off 8-5 second choice Echo Eddie by three-quarters of a length in the six-furlong race. The winning time was 1:09.01. Full Moon Madness, the even money favorite, was third, four lengths behind Echo Eddie.
MIAMI - Frank Gomez has been trying to find out all summer if The Name's Bond is a turf horse. Instead the veteran trainer and his talented 3-year-old have continued to pile up stakes victories and enrich the coffers of owner-breeders Annabell and William Murphy when their grass races have been switched to the main track.
Don't Countess Out repeated as champion Saturday in the Weekend Delight Stakes at Turfway Park, driving from just off the pace to win by 2 3/4 lengths over For Rubies.
Owned by Southern Pride Stable and trained by Larry Jones, Don't Countess Out was always in contention before striding out to take command inside the eighth pole. Ridden by Terry Thompson, she returned $23.20 after finishing six furlongs in 1:10.58 over a fast track.
House Party stepped down in class and won the $200,000 Grade 3 Endine Handicap at Delaware Park at short odds, with a perfectly timed stretch move, and in track-record-tying time.
Coming into the Endine off four consecutive starts in Grade 1's or Grade 2's - two of them victories at Belmont Park, in the Prioress in July and the Nassau County Breeders' Cup in May - House Party moved from fourth place toward the leaders leaving the turn. She closed fast outside three rivals, and ran down stretch-leader Vision in Flight to win by a measured length.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - New York shipper Pink Champagne ($7.20) outran favored Saree in the final strides to capture Saturday's Grade 3 Natalma Stakes, a one-mile turf event for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.
Richard Dos Ramos rode Pink Champagne, who closed from off torrid fractions to prevail by a head after splitting rivals in midstretch. Saree finished a clear second over another invader from England, America America, while Do You Love It was fourth in the 10-horse field. The final time was 1:36.53.
