Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Velazquez sets meet win record

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - There is a new King of Saratoga.

John Velazquez set the single-meet record for wins by a jockey at Saratoga on Saturday when he guided Lightning Lyla, a 2-year-old New York-bred daughter of Personal Flag, to a three-quarter-length victory in the second race. It was Velazquez's 56th victory, eclipsing the mark of 55 established by Jerry Bailey in 2001. Velazquez went on to win three more races Saturday and clinched his second Saratoga riding title. He also won the title here in 1998.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Beware of Last Stand

MIAMI - The 12-horse field of turf specialists for Monday's $150,000 Miami Mile Breeders' Cup Handicap at Calder is loaded with stakes winners, including two who have previously won this Grade 3 race. But it may be a horse with no stakes experience at all, Last Stand, who has the best chance.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Blushing Indian looks solid for Romans

CINCINNATI - Dale Romans already has won training titles at Keeneland and Churchill Downs, so perhaps the next logical step for him is to come up with a horse to take him down the Kentucky Derby trail.

It remains to be seen whether that horse is Blushing Indian. But when the signature race of the River Downs meet, the $200,000 Cradle Stakes, is run Monday, there is a strong likelihood that Blushing Indian will emerge the winner - and thereby tempt Romans to start thinking about bigger and better things.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Skate Away's new style a plus

The addition of blinkers a few months ago has put Skate Away closer to the pace in his races, and that tactic could serve him well Monday in the $125,000 Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. Memorial Breeders' Cup Handicap at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Tym Beau gives trainer wedding gift

Hours before her wedding, trainer Lynette Ashby celebrated another special occasion. Tym Beau, a 21-1 longshot, rallied from off the pace to defeat 6-5 favorite Tabacchi by a length in the NATC Futurity at Delaware Park.

The $200,000 stakes was the biggest Thoroughbred race Ashby has ever won. She primarily trains Arabians.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Woodbine: Strut the Stage scores

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Strut the Stage ($4.30) beat six United States shippers and three locals in the Grade 2, $337,200 Niagara Breeders' Cup Handicap, a 1 1/2-mile turf race at Woodbine.

Strut the Stage raced five lengths off a pair of dueling leaders, Mark One and Bowman Mill, on the backstretch, and moved into serious contention while four wide on the far turn. He took dead aim at 3-1 second choice Revved Up in the stretch, and hit the front at the eighth pole before edging away to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Ellis Park: Big day for Vance

Less than an hour after saddling In Rome to win the Bassinet Stakes at River Downs, trainer Dave Vance watched via simulcast as Reason to Talk posted a 12-1 upset in he $75,000 Dade Turf Classic at Ellis Park.

Reason to Talk, ridden by Jon Court, split horses in deep stretch before going on to a three-length win over front-running Two Dot Slew in a field of eight fillies and mares. Piconeach finished just a nose back in third, and May Gator, the 7-5 favorite, was a major factor to midstretch but weakened in the final furlong to finish in a dead heat for fourth.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Bay Meadows: Lindsay Jean, easily

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Odds-on favorite Lindsay Jean ($3) did everything perfectly as she scored an easy victory in the $63,900 Autumn Leaves Handicap at Bay Meadows.

Lindsay Jean raced last early in the speed-laden field of five fillies and mares going one mile on the Longden Turf Course.

Lindsay Jean moved four wide into the stretch and was never seriously asked as she edged pacesetter Marty's Zee and Pheiffer by a half-length. Marty's Zee and Pheiffer dead-heated for second.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Thistledown: Just Michel rallies

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Just Michel settled just off the leaders for a half-mile while hung four wide, went up to make the lead under jockey Ricardo Feliciano, and widened out to a 2 1/4-length win in the $40,000 Ohio Debutante Handicap at Thistledown.

Just Michel completed six furlongs in 1:11.80 over a fast track and returned $3.20.

Sat, 08/30/2003 - 00:00

Freedom's Honor vs. elders

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Jamie Woodington wanted to run 3-year-old Freedom's Honor against horses his own age, but with no suitable race available, Woodington decided to run him against older horses in Monday's $45,000 Castle Guard Stakes at Monmouth Park.

"You try not to run 3-year-olds against older company, but nothing for straight 3-year-olds was on the horizon, so we'll try this," Woodington said.

The Castle Guard is for New Jersey-breds, which gave Woodington more incentive to run Freedom's Honor. "I try and support the New Jersey-bred program," Woodington said.