Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Santa Catarina takes Breeders' Cup Oaks

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Santa Catarina finally found a stakes she could win in Saturday's $206,200 Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks.

After placing in five major stakes in the last 10 months, Santa Catarina dominated four opponents in the Grade 2 Oaks, closing from last to win by a convincing four lengths over Buffythecenterfold.

Ridden by Gary Stevens, Santa Catarina finished 1 1-16 miles in 1:41.62. The final time was a stakes record, but only the fifth time the Oaks has been run over 1 1-16 miles.

"I think she has room for improvement," Stevens said.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Amber Hills stuns field

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Amber Hills ($59) got a perfect trip and put away favored pacesetter Fudge Fatale in the final 16th to win the $83,850 Bay Meadows Oaks at Bay Meadows on Saturday.

Amber Hills, who won the California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields earlier this spring and the Black Swan at Fairplex as a 2-year-old, was making her turf debut.

She sat just behind Fudge Fatale throughout the race and made a strong move in the lane to win the 1 1/16-mile race by one-half length in 1:43.50. Gods Ear was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Perfect Drift by a head in Foster

Horsephotos
Perfect Drift (left) battles with odds-on favorite Mineshaft in deep stretch of Saturday's Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Five years ago, Pat Day beat a popular odds-on favorite in the Stephen Foster Handicap when Awesome Again edged Silver Charm.

The Hall of Fame jockey did it again Saturday. Perfect Drift, with Day aboard, out-gamed Mineshaft in a stirring stretch duel to win the 22nd running of the $856,500 by a head. Perfect Drift, a 4-year-old gelding who finished third last year in the Kentucky Derby, returned $15.60 in his first Grade 1 triumph.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Iron Deputy wire to wire

Horsephotos
Iron Deputy wins the Brooklyn Handicap 2 1/2 lengths in front of Breeders' Cup Classic winner Volponi Saturday at Belmont Park.

ELMONT, N.Y. - His 3-year-old campaign interrupted by injuries, Iron Deputy began making up for lost time Saturday with a surprisingly easy 2 1/2-length win in the Grade 2, $250,000 before 7,121 at soggy Belmont Park.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Splasha scores upset at 25-1

Jean Raftery
Splasha rallies to a 1 1/4 length victory over Crimson and Roses in Saturday's $100,000 Office Queen Stakes at Calder.

MIAMI, Fla. - Splasha, the longest price on the board at 25-1, registered a major upset when rallying to a 1 1/4-length victory over Crimson and Roses in Saturday's $100,000 Office Queen Stakes at Calder.

Ivanavinalot, the 1-2 favorite, tired badly after prompting the pace for six furlongs and finished next-to-last in a field of seven 3-year-old fillies.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

For Rubies runs past Raging Fever

Benoit & Associates
For Rubies passes Raging Fever at the eighth pole to win the Grade 3 Chicago BC by three-lengths.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Raging Fever and For Rubies looked each other in the eye at the quarter pole Saturday at Arlington. The stretch run of the Chicago Breeders' Cup was upon them, and Raging Fever, a three-time Grade 1 winner, had the early edge on For Rubies, who sought her first win in a graded stakes race.

Turned out, it was no contest. For Rubies put away Raging Fever at the eighth pole and rolled on to a three-length win in the Grade 3 Chicago BC.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Awesome Time ($42.60) Delaware shocker

Awesome Time rebounded from an eighth-place finish in last month's Withers at Aqueduct to win the Grade 3, $250,000 Leonard Richards at Delaware Park Saturday. The Nick Zito-trained colt prevailed in a long drive to win by a nose over Christine's Outlaw, with Cherokee's Boy third. Go Rockin' Robin, the 3-2 favorite, finished fourth in the race restricted to 3-year-olds.

The winner paid $42.60 and completed the 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:43.26.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Monmouth: It's Runspastum on dirt

Equi-Photo
Ridden by Julian Pimentel, Runspastum rallies to win the $100,000 Grade 3 Oceanport Handicap by 1 3/4-lengths.

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Trainer Alan Goldberg and the Jayeff B Stable got their wish, entering Runspastum for the main track only in the $100,000 Grade 3 Oceanport Handicap. The 1 1/16-mile stakes, originally scheduled for the turf, was shifted to the main track, which was listed as fast.

Runspastum, ridden by Julian Pimentel, took advantage of the change and a hot pace to rally for a 1 3/4-length win. He returned $20.40.

The field of 15 dwindled down to six because of the surface change.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Colonial: Bop hangs on at odds-on

Jeff Coady/Coady Photo
Bop wins the $50,000 Punch Line for Virginia-breds for a third straight year Saturday.

Bop won the $50,000 Punch Line for Virginia-breds at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Va. for a third straight year Saturday. Only he didn't do it like a 1-9 shot should.

Bop shot to the lead in the five-furlong turf race, running the first quarter in 22.56 seconds and the half in 45.22. Smashing Beau, the 5-1 second choice, stalked in second, was still two lengths back in midstretch, but then suddenly began to close the gap - to a length, to a half-length, and finally to a diminishing neck at the wire.

Bop was timed in 1:06.17 and paid $2.20 to win. The exacta paid $4.20.

Sat, 06/14/2003 - 00:00

Storming Home scores as favorite

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - With the opposition tracking his every move, Storming Home proved best in Saturday's $350,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap at Hollywood Park.