Sat, 09/06/2003 - 00:00

My Captain holds off favorites to capture Big Jag Handicap

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.

Sat, 09/06/2003 - 00:00

The Name's Bond scores again in an off-the-turf stakes race

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.

Sat, 09/06/2003 - 00:00

Don't Countess Out defends Turfway win

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.

Sat, 09/06/2003 - 00:00

Delaware: House Party ties record

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.

Sat, 09/06/2003 - 00:00

Woodbine: Pink Champagne by head

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.

Sat, 09/06/2003 - 00:00

Monmouth: Misty Sixes in Lighthouse

Misty Sixes slipped by the 6-5 favorite Rebecca's Charm on the inside on the final turn and began to pour it on, winning the off-the-turf, $50,000 Lighthouse by a widening 11 3/4 lengths.

Ridden by Joe Bravo, Misty Sixes ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.69 on a fast track and paid $5.20. Rebecca's Charm held on for second by a neck over Cocktailsandreams in the field of eight fillies and mares. It was another 12 1/2 lengths back to the fourth-place finisher, Goosey Gander.

Sat, 09/06/2003 - 00:00

Pimlico: 'Cruise' makes late run

Cruise Along was ninth at the half-mile mark, fifth turning for home, and first at the wire, winning the $75,000 All Brandy for fillies and mares by 1 1/2 lengths.

Coquettish, 10-1, tracked the pacesetting favorite Leebearski for a half-mile and opened a clear lead in midstretch on her left lead before jockey Horatio Karamanos and Cruise Along ranged up on the outside and shot by.

Cruise Along covered the 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:51.39 and paid $9.40. The exacta with Coquettish paid $97.60.

Sat, 09/06/2003 - 00:00

Jockeys Landry, Ramsammy injured

Jockeys Robert Landry and Emile Ramsammy were injured in a nasty spill in Friday's fourth race at Woodbine. Landry, who was named on Pink Champagne in the Natalma, suffered two broken ribs and a displaced clavicle and will be out four to six weeks. Ramsammy had facial cuts and bruises.

Ramsammy's mount, Lucky Scarab, broke down on the backstretch of the one-mile turf race. Landry's mount, Silent Thunder, then fell over Lucky Scarab, who subsequently was euthanized.

Fri, 09/05/2003 - 00:00

Lots on the line in match race

DEL MAR, Calif. - The match race between Patrick Valenzuela and Julie Krone on Sunday at Del Mar is being billed as the "battle of the sexes." But "battle for top jockey" is more like it.

The event started out as a promotional gimmick featuring Valenzuela, the top rider in Southern California in the last year, against Krone, the only woman rider in the Hall of Fame, in a $50,000 match race. Now it could play a role in determining the Del Mar jockey title. Through Thursday, Valenzuela led Krone by five wins, 46-41.

Fri, 09/05/2003 - 00:00

Oaks 1-2 in rematch

Horsephotos
Dimitrova went back to Ireland after winning the American Oaks for trainer Dermot Weld.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Dimitrova and Sand Springs, the winner and runner-up in the American Oaks at Hollywood Park in July, meet again in Sunday's Grade 1 Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap at Belmont Park.

Following Dimitrova's two-length victory in the American Oaks on July 5, the filly was returned to trainer Dermot Weld's barn in Ireland. Weld considered bringing Dimitrova back to the United States to run in the Grade 1 Beverly D. at Arlington Park on Aug. 16, but decided the $250,000 Garden City was a more suitable spot. Dimitrova arrived in New York on Monday.