HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Trainer Blackie Huffman is not short on fast fillies this meet at Oaklawn Park.
He won the $50,000 American Beauty on Saturday with Emily Ring. He has the quick Roxelana in training here. And on Wednesday he hopes Violet Hill will carry her speed when she makes her two-turn debut in the featured eighth race, an entry-level allowance at one mile. The purse is $31,000.
ALBANY, Calif. - Trainer William J. Morey Jr. hopes he will feel as good following Wednesday's featured race at Golden Gate Fields as he did after Sunday's.
Morey's Winning Stripes, a 3-year-old colt, ran second to odds-on favorite Ministers Wild Cat in the Golden State Mile on Sunday. The performance, in addition to his previous successes, makes Winning Stripes the best of the northern California-based 3-year-old males.
On Wednesday, Morey will start Hooked on Niners, 4, against six rivals in a $50,000 optional claiming race at one mile for fillies and mares.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Mark Shuman had planned to run Out of Fashion in the $100,000 Deputy Minister Handicap at Gulfstream Park. But when Out of Fashion broke down following a recent morning workout, Shuman went to his bench and brought out Native Heir, who proved a more than ample substitute when she drew off to an easy 4 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 sprint.
Wander Mom ($6.20) went wire to wire to win the $75,000 Endeavour Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. Trained by Edward Plesa Jr. and owned by Jaime Carrion, Wander Mom finished a length in front of Strait From Texas, with Kimster another half-length back in the field of 12 fillies and mares.
Wander Mom, under Manoel Cruz, ran the 1 1/8 miles on a good turf course in 1:50.98.
Seven Four Seven emerged from a tight group on the final turn and went on to a 4 1/2-length victory in the $50,000 Likely Exchange Stakes on Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.
Ridden by Turfway's leading jockey, Jason Lumpkins, Seven Four Seven returned $6.40 as the favorite in a field of 11 fillies and mares. She finished one mile in 1:37.17 over a fast track for her eighth victory in 28 career starts.
Majority Whip finished second, followed by Looking Afar and Gal on the Go.
ALBANY, Calif. - "We accomplished what we wanted to do," jockey Kent Desormeaux said after guiding Kentucky Derby hopeful Ministers Wild Cat to a 1 1/4-length victory in the $66,950 Golden State Mile at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday.
The 1-to-5 shot sat three wide just off an honest early pace set by Natural Balance before taking over into the stretch. He opened a clear lead and was not seriously challenged late by Winning Stripes despite drifting in late. The winning time for the one-mile race was 1:36.89.
SUNLAND PARK, N. M. - Devious Ways confirmed one of horse racing's greatest truths in Sunday's at Sunland Park, that being bet the lone speed. And Devious Ways would have been favored but for another of those truths, and that is bet the hot trainer.
Though Devious Ways was obviously the speed of the race, she was trumped in the
ARCADIA, Calif. - A poor start and a stubborn pacesetter could not prevent Composure from rallying to win the $200,000 at Santa Anita on Sunday.
After stumbling badly at the break, and fighting her way through traffic on the backstretch, Composure caught pacesetter Elloluv in the final furlong to win the second major stakes of her career. Last fall, Composure won the Oak Leaf Stakes prior to finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Arlington Park.
NEW ORLEANS - Balto Star last won a stakes race in the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby some 22 months ago. Balto Star was a speedball then, going straight the front and galloping his rivals into submission, but the rating tactics he's learned with maturity ended his stakes drought Sunday at Fair Grounds. Settling comfortably into an easy stride well behind Bonapaw's surprisingly slow pace, Balto Star passed Bonapaw at the top of the stretch and went onto an easy two-and-a-half length win in the .
NEW ORLEANS - Stewards at Delta Downs handed jockey Donnie Meche a six-month suspension on Saturday for his ride aboard Cleaning House on Jan. 23 at Delta. Cleaning House, a heavy favorite in a trial race for the Graduation Futurity, finished third, and Meche was penalized for not doing his best to win the race.
