Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

Man From Wicklow shines

Jean Raftery
Man From Wicklow rallies past Serial Bride enroute to a one-length victory in Saturday's Grade 2 $200,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap at Calder.

MIAMI - Man From Wicklow ended a frustrating season-long drought with a hard-earned, one-length victory over Serial Bride in Saturday's . The Grade 2 McKnight highlighted Calder's Grand Slam II program that also included the Grade 2 La Prevoyante Handicap, the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper Handicap, and the Stage Door Betty Handicap.

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

Got Koko ($36.60) upsets La Brea

Benoit Photo
Got Koko drives to the wire under Alex Solis to an upset victory in the Grade 1 $200,000 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Got Koko won her graded stakes debut with a late rally in Saturday's for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Alex Solis, Got Koko ($36.60) finished seven furlongs in 1:22.57. She ran down runner-up Spring Meadow, a stakes winner at Lone Star Park last summer, who was followed by the longshot Erica's Smile in third and Bella Bellucci in fourth.

You, the 4-5 favorite, was near the pace early. She challenged pacesetter Erica's Smile on the turn, but faded through the stretch to finish fifth in the field of 10.

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

Rolly Polly a logical choice

Benoit Photo
Rolly Polly, winning the Safely Kept Handicap at Hollywood Park, squares off against 11 other fillies and mares in Tuesday's $100,000 Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The presence of the three-times stakes winner Rolly Polly didn't scare away many participants for Tuesday's $100,000 Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita.

A maximum field of 12 fillies and mares have been entered for the hillside turf race at about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. There are two mares on the also-eligible list.

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

Slop no problem for Maddie's Charm

ALBANY, Calif. - Maddie's Charm ($12.60), coming off a maiden victory on the turf, handled a sloppy track with ease and won the $60,650 Corte Madera Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.

Maddie's Charm, the lone route winner among the 2-year-old fillies, stalked pacesetting favorite Viansa Ossidiana to the second turn before moving up and taking command in the one-mile race. She opened a clear lead into the stretch and was never seriously threatened as she defeated Tale Of A Dream by 1 1/4 lengths. Her winning time was 1:35.78.

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

The Judge Sez Who gives trainer a double

Jean Raftery
The Judge Sez Who eases to the wire a 1 3/4-length victor over favored Best of the Rest in the Grade 3, $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Handicap at Calder on Saturday.

MIAMI - The Judge Sez Who capped off a memorable day for trainer Milt Wolfson when he rallied to a 1 3/4-length victory over 8-5 favorite Best of the Rest in the Grade 3, with Stormy Frolic earlier on the card.

The Judge Sez Who rallied off a hotly contested pace in the 1 1/8-mile Hooper. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez waited until the three-eighths pole before making his move aboard The Judge Sez Who, who swung wide into the stretch and ran down Best of the Rest.

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

A prosperous New Economy

Jean Raftery
New Economy ($47.40) skips over the Calder turf Saturday to post a 1 1/4-length win in the $200,000 La Prevoyante Handicap.

MIAMI - Saturday's Grand Slam II program at Calder began with a bang when New Economy paid $47.40 after rallying for a 1 1/4-length victory over Jennasietta and 10 other fillies and mares in the .

Under Rosemary Homeister Jr., New Economy rallied four wide around the final turn to take control in the early stretch run of the 1 1/2-mile turf race. She then withstood the final surge of the 29-1 Jennasietta, who had to take up on the final turn. Tweedside attempted to rally with the winner into the stretch, but couldn't sustain her bid and finished third.

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

Poet, author, and leading trainer

OLDSMAR, Fla. - His name is Clarence Zehnder, most folks call him Pete, and while a lot of people around the track have led colorful lives, you would have to go some to top his life story.

Zehnder has been an author, a poet, and a bar owner, and right now he's Tampa's leading trainer.

"I've done a little bit of everything. from hustling pool to writing books," said Zehnder, 59, a native of Boone County, Ky., who first came to the racetrack at old Latonia, which is now Turfway Park. "I trained for 23 years, gave it up for 15, and now I'm back and having a ball."

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

'Gal' tries to end loss streak

P & M Photography
James Lopez will be in the irons on Gal on the Go in Tuesday's $50,000 My Charmer Stakes at Turfway Park.

Unsafe track conditions cut short the Dec. 14 racing card at Turfway Park, and forced the postponement of the $50,000 My Charmer Stakes. A little more than two weeks later, the My Charmer Stakes reappears Tuesday at the Florence, Ky., track.

The forecast calls for showers on Monday and Tuesday, so the race, for fillies and mares, may be contested on an off track. That would suit Gal on the Go, who is unbeaten in two races on a wet surface. Even on a fast track, she has a good opportunity to win Tuesday and end a 13-race losing streak that dates back to June 2001.

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

I'madrifter moves up if track is wet

ALBANY, Calif. - One year ago, trainer Steve Specht gambled and won at Golden Gate Fields.

Although the Lafayette Handicap on New Year's Day was scheduled to be run on the turf, he nominated I'madrifter hoping the race would be moved to the main track due to heavy rains.

The race was moved to the main track, and I'madrifter led throughout in a romp in the slop, beating Poker Brad by 1 1/4 lengths in the $100,000 race at one mile.

Sat, 12/28/2002 - 00:00

Robledo hits the Derby trail

Benoit Photo
Pocketfullofpesos, claimed for $40,000 at Hollywood Park on Nov. 9, became the second ex-claimer to win a stakes during opening week at Santa Anita when she won the $125,000 California Breeders' Champion Stakes on Friday.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Robledo is bound for the $150,000 Santa Catalina Stakes on Jan. 18 following a victory in a $56,000 allowance race at Santa Anita on Saturday that his trainer described as "professional." Making his first start around two turns, Robledo ($10.80) beat even-money favorite Apalachian Thunder by a half-length, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.92.