HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Baileys Edge rallied along the rail and outfinished fellow longshot Friendly Frolic to post a neck victory in Saturday's $100,000 Mr. Prospector Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
Baileys Edge returned $37.60 as the second longest price among the six starters in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector. The only horse who went off at higher odds was the 22-1 Friendly Frolic. Day Trader, the 6-5 favorite, finished a tiring sixth and last.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Shalini can throw all the tantrums she wants in the saddling paddock as long as she runs as well as she did in Saturday's $100,000 Pro or Con Handicap at Santa Anita.
After proving very difficult for trainer Craig Dollase to saddle, Shalini responded with her first stakes win in the one-mile race for California-bred fillies and mares on turf.
Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Shalini ($9.60) rallied from last in the final half-mile to beat Serene in Seattle by a neck. Shalini was timed in 1:35.09.
NEW ORLEANS - Don't wait around for the feature at Fair Grounds on Monday. You'll be here indefinitely.
Fair Grounds goes allowance-free in its first Monday of racing this meet. Traditionally on a Thursday-through-Monday schedule, Fair Grounds dropped Monday racing during December to try and preserve a precious commodity - the horse population - for later in the meet.
OLDSMAR, Fla. - The owner-trainer tandem of Johnny Butler and Marshall Novak has had significant success claiming and turning around runners who have gone off form.
For the past few years one of their stars was Bo Barley, an agile router who could run on both turf and dirt.
A classy veteran, Bo Barley always gave his all, but even his accomplishments pale in comparison to those of Freeze Alert.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The New York-bred Grey Comet made a successful foray into open company Saturday, turning back a pace challenge from Mustang Jock and drawing away late for a one-length victory in the $81,350 Count Fleet Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct.
It was the fourth victory in as many starts for Grey Comet, who had raced exclusively in New York-bred company. Mustang Jock, who pressed Grey Comet down the backside and drew alongside him around the turn of the mile and 70-yard race, finished second, four lengths ahead of Penobscot Bay.
ALBANY, Calif. - Northern California trainers have agreed to continue running at Golden Gate Fields now that dry weather has helped improve the track surface.
Charlie Dougherty, the deputy director of California Thoroughbred Trainers, said trainers met Friday with officials of Magna Entertainment, which operates Golden Gate, as a follow-up to a Tuesday meeting when the option of closing Golden Gate for two weeks and running at Bay Meadows was discussed.
After three unsuccessful route races, Ladyecho returned to what she does best in Saturday's $60,000 Marshua Stakes, a six-furlong sprint at Laurel Park.
Ladyecho ($7), ridden for the first time by Oliver Castillo, made a big middle move to grab the lead in the race for 3-year-old fillies and then withstood a late rally by Powers Prospect to win by 1 1/4 lengths, her first victory in three months.
Jockeys Buck Harris, Sidney LeJeune, Bobby Walker, and apprentice Josh Vaid, who were all involved in a four-horse spill in the sixth race Friday night at Sam Houston Race Park, were treated and released from a nearby hospital the same night.
Harris and LeJeune suffered collarbone injuries, while Vaid injured an elbow. The three were not expected to ride Saturday night. Walker, who may or may not ride, complained of soreness in his back and rib cage after the spill.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Keeping in step with a day of surprises, First Blush upset Friday's $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes on opening day of the 2003 Gulfstream Park meet. First Blush, a homebred French Deputy colt owned by Irving and Marjorie Cowan, returned $25.80 after finishing six furlongs in 1:10.97 over a fast track.
NEW ORLEANS - Lakenheath, the obvious favorite Friday in the $75,000 Truly Bound Handicap at Fair Grounds, got a perfect stalking trip behind two speed horses and scored a half-length win over the 11-1 shot Bala. A 3-5 favorite, Lakenheath paid $3.20 to win, running 1 1/16 miles on fast dirt in 1:45.48.