Wish It Were ($35.60), the longest shot in a field reduced to six fillies and mares by five scratches, capitalized on fast, contested fractions to rally for a 1 3/4-length victory in the $75,000 Sweet and Sassy Stakes at Delaware Park.
Jockey Abdiel Toribio said he sensed the race was setting up ideally when 2-1 second choice Balmy, 8-5 favorite Haunted Lass, and New York shipper Literary Light battled through fractions of 21.85 and 45.41 seconds in the six-furlong sprint.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Makeup Artist had to be supplemented for $5,000 to Saturday's $113,500 Senorita Stakes at Hollywood Park. It turned out to be money well spent by owner George Krikorian, who watched Makeup Artist win her first stakes race.
In the Grade 3 Senorita for 3-year-old fillies, Makeup Artist ($4) rallied from sixth to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Rutters Renegade, who closed from last in the field of seven.
CALGARY, Alberta - Fussy's Kid drew the outside post in a field of nine optional claimers in the $20,300 six-furlong feature race here Wednesday evening.
Fussy's Kid, a 6-year-old, was unable to overcome front-running Sweet Drummer in his seasonal debut two weeks ago as the favorite in a similar race.
Perry Winters retains the call aboard Fussy's Kid and will be forced to use his mount's tactical speed in an effort to gain position in the run to the first turn.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Kiaran McLaughlin announced his return to New York from Dubai last week by saddling winners with his first two starters at Belmont Park. McLaughlin looks to keep the good times rolling Wednesday when he sends out two more live runners on Belmont's nine-race card.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - For the first time in nearly three weeks, bettors at Hollywood Park will have a pick six carryover to chase on Wednesday's eight-race program.
No one hit the pick six on Sunday, creating a carryover of $194,499, the first since May 2.
Wednesday's pick six covers the third through eighth races.
The feature is a $62,000 allowance race over 1 1/8 miles on turf that has drawn a field worthy of a graded stakes.
A slots casino with 905 machines is scheduled to open Wednesday morning at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La. The track, which is the second in the state to install slots, after Delta Downs, will begin an 80-day meet for Thoroughbreds on June 27.
The casino opening comes about a week earlier than officials from Harrah's Entertainment projected when Harrah's completed its purchase of majority interest in the track in December 2002.
CHICAGO - Another War Emblem she is not - at least not yet - but My Sweet Heart shares plenty of DNA with her famous older brother, and Friday at Arlington she began her career on a sweet note.
My Sweet Heart faced only Illinois-bred maidens, but there were 12 of them, and she was asked to race one mile with no prior experience. Her half-length victory wasn't dominant, but the 3-year-old My Sweet Heart is just now getting the hang of things.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Donamire Farm long has been a stalwart in the Kentucky breeding and racing industry. Owned by Lexington-area home builders Don and Mira Ball, the farm has been represented by a litany of top horses since the 1970's, including Going Straight, Recusant, Summer Advocate, Going Investor, Straight Flow, Glorious View, Straight Edition, and, most recently, Twilight Road.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Pass Rush could challenge Bluesthestandard for favoritism Monday when the two meet in the Grade 3, $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap. The 1 1/16-mile race is the richest of seven stakes to be run on the special Memorial Day card at Lone Star Park.
Of the stakes, which are worth a cumulative $1 million, five will be for open company, and two restricted to horses bred in Texas. Also this weekend, Lone Star will run the $150,000 Stonerside for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Saturday.