OCEANPORT, N.J. - A financially painful winter has given way to highly productive summer for trainer Alan Seewald at Monmouth Park.
Seewald has been extremely efficient this meet, producing 10 wins from only 38 starters. The stable, in hibernation most of the winter, has sprung back to life.
"I had a terrible winter," Seewald said. "It's hard to be good year-round. We pointed for Monmouth, which we usually do. We've been able to run our claimers in the right spots."
OCEANPORT, N.J. - There have been many joyous celebrations in the Monmouth Park winner's circle but few have matched owner James Spence's reaction following the victory by Deputy Storm Sunday afternoon in the $50,000 Tyro Stakes.
Flashing wide-grin, Spence sprinted onto the track to greet and pet his 2-year-old colt. Spence had enthusiastic high-fives and a hug for jockey Joe Bravo.
If this was cloud nine, Spence was in no hurry to get off.
VALLEJO, Calif. - Irish Ides ($12.60), considered only "No. 3 or 4 on the depth chart" among his 2-year-old fillies by trainer Greg Gilchrist, rallied for a one-half-length victory in the $53,550 Solano County Juvenile Filly Stakes on Sunday at the Solano County Fair.
STANTON, Del. - On a day when three winners paid $50 or more, and two track records were broken, things finally settled back to normal for the feature race of a four-stakes program at Delaware Park.
Trainer Bobby Frankel, who scoops up graded stakes victories as readily as movie-goers gulp down popcorn, sent out odds-on favorite Wild Spirit to a dominating six-length victory in the Grade 2, $750,000 Delaware Handicap.
It was the 34th graded stakes win for Frankel this season. But unlike some habits, Frankel said he never gets tired of winning, especially in big races.
Evolving Tactics, the even-money favorite, gamely held off a belated run by Californian to post a neck victory Sunday in the Grade 2, $250,000 American Derby at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill.
Patrick Smullen was aboard Evolving Tactics, an Irish-bred colt by Machiavellian. Making his U.S. debut for Moyglare Stud and trainer Dermot Weld, Evolving Tactics got a great tracking trip from just behind front-running Gato Gato Gato before powering to the front after turning for home.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Well Fancied answered any questions about his ability to handle a route of ground by posting a front-running, 4 1-2-length victory in Sunday's $113,100 Evan Shipman Stakes for New York-bred before a closing-day crowd of 9.062 at Belmont Park.
The victory helped cap a superb meet for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., who won two races on Sunday's card and finished with 22 winners from 82 starters. Though he finished a distant second behind the record-setting Todd Pletcher (40 wins from 133 starters), Dutrow had a winning percentage of .268.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Puerto Banus gave trainer Kristin Mulhall her first win in a graded stakes in Sunday's $150,000 Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park.
Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Puerto Banus ($25.80) rallied from seventh to win the Grade 2 Sunset Handicap by a half-length over Cagney. Continental Red, the 2-1 favorite, finished third in the field of eight.
Puerto Banus ran 1 1-2 miles on turf in 2:26.95. He reached contention on the final turn, and rallied outside of Cagney in the final furlong to lead near the finish.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Strut the Stage overhauled even-money favorite Perfect Soul at the sixteenth pole before edging away for a length and half score in the $330,900 Chinese Cultural Center Stakes at Woodbine Sunday.
Strut the Stage ($6.10) raced three and a half lengths off an honest pace set by his stablemate, Angel On the Wing, in the mile and three-eighth turf event. Perfect Soul joined Angel On the Wing on the lead on the far turn, as Strut the Stage loomed into serious contention under Todd Kabel.
FORT ERIE, Ontario - The rains came at Fort Erie Sunday, but the muddy going couldn't keep Wando from his appointed rounds as he led throughout for a four-length victory in the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes.
The Prince of Wales victory, coming on the heels of Wando's equally impressive score in Woodbine's June 22 Queen's Plate, gave Wando a second leg up on his quest for a Canadian Triple Crown.
VALLEJO, Calif. ? Sharp Miss ($27.40), the beaten favorite in the May 17 Emeryville Stakes at Bay Meadows, broke sharply and scored a wire-to-wire victory in the $45,490 Fairfield Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at the Solano County Fair on Saturday.
Sharp Miss got the jump on Mango Escapade down the backstretch and widened her margin to two lengths at the quarter pole, running the opening half mile in 43.98 seconds. She opened by four into the stretch as Mango Escapade faded and comebacking Watch Out World took over second.