ETOBICOKE, Ontario - El Prado Essence captured the Grade 3 George C. Hendrie Handicap for the second year in a row at Woodbine Sunday.
Jockey Patrick Husbands had El Prado Essence in a stalking position through the turn in the six and a half-furlong dash. Sheila's Prospect, Miss Sweep and Leading Role dueled through wind-aided fractions of :21.65 and :43.95 seconds, with the latter taking control early in the stretch.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Jockey Roberto Gonzalez rode three winners Sunday at Bay Meadows to reach the 3,500 milestone.
Gonzalez scored wins with Slewdario in the first race and Warehouse Ed in the fourth race before getting No. 3,500 in the fifth race aboard Tiger Slew, who returned $17.40.
Gonzalez, 48, rode his first winner May 2, 1975, at Hollywood Park aboard Sawtooth.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Hombre Rapido has earned an entry in the record book with his last two starts at Hollywood Park.
Last December, he set a track record of 1:01.67 for 5 1-2 furlongs with a victory in an allowance race. Saturday, Hombre Rapido scored his first stakes win in the $200,000 .
He won despite giving his backers a few anxious moments in the stretch.
After setting a torrid pace of 21.51 and 43.43 seconds, Hombre Rapido was all out to hold off the late rally of Publication, whose missed by a length.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Odds-on favorite Just Wonder ($3.80) sat near the back of the pack, swung out wide for room nearing the quarter pole and unleashed a strong rally to win the $100,000 Ascot Handicap at Bay Meadows on Saturday.
Just Wonder was still sixth, four lengths behind dueling pacesetters Obermeister and Rapier Dance at the quarter pole but ran the final 3/16 of the 1 1/16-mile turf race in 30.41 seconds. He beat Rapier Dance by two lengths with a final clocking of 1:42.63. Rapier Dance won a stretch duel with Obermeister to take second by a head.
Storming Home, making his first start in the United States and in nearly six months, served notice that he will be one of the leading long-distance turf horses in the country this year with an authoritative victory in Saturday's $400,000 Jim Murray Handicap at Hollywood Park.
Storming Home was two lengths better than multiple Grade 1 winner Denon in the 1 1/2-mile grass race, the richest of three stakes races run Saturday at Hollywood Park. Ballingarry was another 4 1/2 lengths back in third, with favored The Tin Man fading to seventh in the field of eight.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Jose Santos salvaged one of the most difficult days of his riding career on Saturday when he guided House Party through a hole in upper stretch en route to a three-length victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Nassau County Breeders Cup before 10,193 fans at Belmont Park.
MIAMI - The early pace battle that was expected to develop never materialized, but that didn't stop the late-running Love the Game from rallying to a one-length win over Honorable Pic in Saturday's $75,000 Carterista Handicap on the Calder turf.
Honorable Pic was expected to be tested early in the 1 1/16-mile Carterista by fellow speedsters Rakoon and Cellars Merlot. Instead, he was allowed to coast along on an easy lead through fractions of 22.68 seconds, 46.75, and 1:10.58. In the meantime, jockey Jose Ferrer settled Love the Game along the hedge and near the back of the pack.
MIAMI - Storm Flag Flying won the Eclipse Award as North America's top juvenile filly last year and now is among the leaders of the nation's 3-year-old filly division. But for pure speed, even she may not be able to keep up with Storm Flag, a 3-year-old filly who will make her stakes debut against six others in Monday's $40,000 Supah Jess Stakes.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - In an effort that will likely send him to the Belmont Stakes next month, Dynever overcame extensive traffic trouble to win the Grade 3, $500,000 going away on Saturday.
It was a length and a half back in second to Most Feared, who was a length clear of third-place finisher Commander's Affair.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Posse got an excellent trip under Corey Lanerie and lived up to favoritism by collaring Bossanova in deep stretch to win the $111,400 Matt Winn Stakes.
Posse returned $4.40 to win after finishing a half-length ahead of Bossanova in the second running of the Winn, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds. Bossanova, who dueled Cat Genius into defeat following fractions of 21.13 and 43.97 seconds, held second by another 1 1/4 lengths over Coach Jimi Lee, the 5-2 second choice in a field of nine.
