MIAMI - Coolbythepool regained the title of queen of Calder when she rallied from far back to outfinish 25-1 Sara's Success and Cellars Shiraz and post a neck decision in Saturday's $200,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap.
The Heubeck was one of six stakes for Florida-breds, worth a total of $1 million, at Calder on Florida Million Day.
LAUREL, Md. - Toccet rebounded from his Breeders' Cup Juvenile debacle with a professional 6 1/4-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Laurel Futurity at soggy Laurel Park.
Racing along the inside and closer to the pace than expected, Toccet stalked a moderate pace established by Ironton down the backside, took the lead at the five-sixteenths pole, and drew clear with only one tap of Jorge Chavez's right-handed whip. Ironton finished second, one length in front of Cherokee's Boy.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Six months ago a speedy colt named Booklet was regarded as a major threat to foil War Emblem's Triple Crown hopes in the 127th Preakness Stakes.
But Booklet, who had skipped the Kentucky Derby after enduring a demanding, yet highly successful spring campaign, never posed much of a challenge to War Emblem, who won the Preakness in front-running fashion. After Booklet faded to finish 12th, trainer John T. Ward Jr. decided to give the colt a well-deserved vacation.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Sunland Park will offer dramatically higher overnight purses and an improved stakes program when it begins its 80-day 2002-2003 season Tuesday.
Now home to 700 slot machines, Sunland will offer $200,000 a day in purses, up from approximately $135,000 last year. The stakes program has been bolstered considerably, with new races, higher purses, and bonuses tied to major stakes.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Owner Gary Tanaka and trainer Harro Remmert won the Long Island Handicap two years ago with the German-bred 3-year-old filly Moonlady. They did it again in Saturday's running of the Grade 2 , winning with Uriah, another 3-year-old German-bred filly.
On a turf course rated soft because of rain, Uriah split horses under Norberto Arroyo Jr. in deep stretch to win the $150,000 Long Island Handicap by a nose over Sunstone.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Whether in Florida or California, at Calder, Santa Anita and now Hollywood Park, Puxa Saco has been perfect in sprints. She ran her sprint record to 4-for-4 on Saturday, rallying to capture the $100,000 Moccasin Stakes.
As she had done in her three previous sprints, Puxa Saco settled just off the early pace, then unleashed a determined rally. She collared pacesetting Watching You midway through the seven-furlong race, and drew away to win by two lengths.
ANDERSON, Ind. - Indy Fire won her stakes debut in Friday night's $73,650 Miss Indiana Stakes after 3-10 favorite Hurricane Hebe hit the rail in the stretch while on her way to an apparent victory.
Hurricane Hebe was four lengths in front leaving the furlong marker, while Indy Fire and Miss Dakota moved as a team in what looked to be a duel for second place. But Hurricane Hebe suddenly shortened stride and lugged in at the sixteenth pole, and then faded to seventh.
Saturday's 10-race card at Woodbine was cancelled due to unsafe conditions. Cold weather helped create a track littered with hard balls of frozen dirt, which could have been detrimental to both horse and rider.
Racing was slated to resume Sunday. Saturday's feature, the $135,625 Display Stakes for 2-year-olds, was rescheduled for Wednesday night's card, which will also include the Classy 'N Smart Stakes.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Super Fuse lit the tote board while raising the antennae of bloodstock agents around the country when he won his maiden at odds of 33-1 at Calder on Aug. 3, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 99.
Though a potential deal to sell the colt to the powerhouse connections of owner Edmund Gann and trainer Bobby Frankel fell through, owner Chris Thomas Olrick and trainer Richard Ciardullo Jr. hope racing the colt will bring them a significant windfall.
