ARCADIA, Calif. - At the pace of a stakes win per month, Congaree is quickly ascending to the top of the nation's handicap division.
In late November, Congaree won the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct and followed with a convincing win in the San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita on Jan. 4.
In a race run during a depression-era dust storm, Ciento dueled his arch rival Star Smasher into submission at the sixteenth pole and drew off by 3 1/4 lengths to win the $125,000-added and take a 2-1 advantage in their battle for division honors at this meet.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - House Party unexpectedly lost contact with her field during the early stages of Sunday's $100,000 then finished full of run to post a 1 1-2 length victory over even money favorite Chimichurri in the six furlong dash for 3-year-old fillies at Gulfstream Park.
Oak Hall dominated a strong field of Louisiana-bred horses Saturday night when he pulled away to a four and three-quarter length win over Zarb's Luck in the $75,000 Bayou State at Delta Downs in Vinton, La. It was another four and three quarter lengths back in third to Itsacryingshame.
Mucho Bold, a 44-1 longshot, closed strong against a fast pace Saturday night to win the $35,000 Bucharest for 3-year-olds by a nose over favorite All American Blue at Sam Houston Race Park. It was a length back in third to Mick.
Mucho Bold($91.40) sat back in fifth early while All American Blue, Mick and Down Play dueled through fractions of 21.68 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.53 for the half-mile mark in the six-furlong race. Mucho Bold rallied thorugh the stretch, and covered the distance in 1:10.56.
ARCADIA, Calif. - The other participants in the nation's handicap division are not going to like what owner Edmund Gann said in the winner's circle after Medaglia d'Oro won the $400,000 on Saturday at Santa Anita.
"We think this year he is a lot more professional horse," Gann said. "This is a big win the way he did it."
Making his first start since having finished second in the $4 million Breeders' Cup lassic at Arlington Park last October, Medaglia d'Oro had little trouble dispatching five rivals in the Grade 2 Strub for 4-year-olds.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Bob Baffert tweaked Kafwain's blinkers, and the view has never been better.
Far more focused than in previous starts, Kafwain easily disposed of four rivals in Saturday's $150,000 at Santa Anita, winning by 4 1/2 lengths to add further depth to Baffert's Kentucky Derby arsenal.
Kafwain, last after a quarter-mile, moved four paths wide on the turn to swoop past the leaders, then drew clear under a confident ride by Victor Espinoza. Sum Trick, an invader from Sunland Park, finished second after participating in a torrid pace duel.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gal O Gal launched her racing career last summer running for an $18,500 claiming tag at Colonial Downs. Less than seven months later she became a graded stakes winner after running down Formal Miss en route to a half-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 at Gulfstream Park.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Powerful Touch, second behind Offlee Wild in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes, will not get the opportunity to avenge that defeat in the Grade 1 Fountain of Youth Stakes after bruising his right hind foot.
"He's already missed several days of training and one work," trainer Ken McPeek said on Saturday. "I wanted to take more time to let him develop anyway and I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason. Right now, I'm just going to back off him and let everything settle down and then point for a race during the spring."
