Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

Cliff Hanger goes to Saint Verre

Bill Denver
Saint Verre and Jean-Luc Samyn cut through a driving rain to take a one-length victory over Pinky Pizwaanski in Friday night's $150,000 Cliff Hanger Handicap at The Meadowlands.

Saint Verre beat Tempest Fugit to the lead and held off the closers to win the $150,000 Friday night at The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.

St. Verre fought Tempest Fugit for command for about a half-mile, inched away to a clear lead, and turned back a challenge by Pinky Pizwaanski in the stretch to win by a length. Spruce Run was another 18 1/4 lengths back in third.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

Now, Sellers says he's back

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Shane Sellers, who in late August announced that he was retiring from a sensational career as a jockey, reversed course Saturday when he revealed that he plans to begin riding again at the end of this month.

Sellers, 36, hopes to return early in the Churchill Downs fall meet, which begins Oct. 27. Making his return more notable, Sellers has hired Fred Aime as his agent. Aime was a highly successful agent for Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day for 10 years before the pair split in 1995.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

Kitty Knight, a fast filly to watch

Xtra Heat comes into the Breeders' Cup Sprint as the fastest filly sprinter in the country. The 2-year-old filly Kitty Knight isn't nearly as accomplished or famous as Xtra Heat, but based on Kitty Knight's career debut, she may have similar potential.

Kitty Knight, who comes out of a maiden race that featured wickedly fast fractions, is the most intriguing entrant in the $60,000 Heavenly Cause, one of two $60,000 stakes for Maryland-bred 2-year-olds on a special Columbus Day 10-race card at Laurel Park.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

Big heart Mckinney faces big test

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - If Monday's Sweetest Chant Stakes at Arlington comes down to heart, just give the race to Mckinney right now.

Mckinney is a throwback, a filly trainer Steve Asmussen can send out to the racetrack every couple weeks - at a sprint distance or a route, on turf or dirt - and know she will give her best. In 24 starts the last two seasons, Mckinney has won 11 times for owner Nelson Bunker Hunt at distances as short as six furlongs and as long as

1 1/16 miles.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

Rivera making progress

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Northern California has become a haven for hot apprentice riders in the past year.

It began with Kevin Krigger, who arrived at Golden Gate Fields last December. Francisco Duran won his first race during the Golden Gate Fields meeting, and has developed into a solid rider. Omar Figueroa arrived in the spring and became the third-leading rider at Bay Meadows behind Russell Baze and Jason Lumpkins.

The latest arrival of note is 21-year-old Jose Luis Rivera Jr.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

Union Place digs in to win Derby

Jean Raftery
Union Place (inside) outgames Miesque's Approval by a neck in the Grade 3, $200,000 Calder Derby on Saturday at Calder.

MIAMI - Union Place, who had finished second in each of his last three starts, appeared destined to be second again at midstretch of the when headed by Miesque's Approval. But he dug down and outgamed Miesque's Approval for a well-deserved neck victory in the Grade 3 race. The Calder Derby completed the guaranteed $250,000 pick four, which also included the Calder Oaks, My Dear Girl, and In Reality stakes. The pick four paid $59.10 for a $1 ticket.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

'Ivana' wins by a lot, but Cup iffy

Jean Raftery
Ivanavinalot is all alone at the wire, a 13 3/4-length winner of the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes at Calder on Saturday.

MIAMI - Ivanavinalot left little doubt she is the dominant 2-year-old filly in south Florida this season after her lopsided 13 3/4-length victory over Stars Go Blue and six other overmatched rivals in Saturday's $400,000 .

Her winning margin was the largest in the 20-year-history of the Florida Stallion Series.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

Trust N Luck does it easily

MIAMI - Trust N Luck, who had no luck in his three previous starts, took advantage of a fast, speed-favoring track and an easy lead to score a convincing 4 3/4-length triumph over The Name's Bond and 12 other 2-year-old colts and geldings in Calder's $400,000 , the final leg of the open division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. The victory gave jockey Cornelio Velasquez his fourth stakes winner on the card following earlier wins aboard Cellars Shiraz in the Calder Oaks, Pay the Preacher in the Spend a Buck Handicap, and Castlebrook in the Shocker T. Handicap.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

War Emblem work entertains early birds

Horsephotos
War Emblem works seven furlongs in 1:24.17 before the first race on Saturday at Santa Anita, getting his last three furlongs in 35.70 seconds.

ARCADIA, Calif. - War Emblem, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner and a contender for the Breeders' Cup Classic at Arlington Park on Oct. 26, worked seven furlongs in 1:24.17 before the first race on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Under exercise rider Dana Barnes, War Emblem worked alone, racing well off the rail. He ran the opening quarter-mile in 24.77 seconds, a half-mile in 48.47 seconds, and six furlongs in 1:12.20.

Running through the stretch to applause from an appreciative early bird audience, War Emblem finished the last three furlongs in 35.70 seconds.

Sat, 10/12/2002 - 00:00

Split Ramser aids Super High

ARCADIA, Calif. - The hope that Super High can win a fourth stakes this year was greatly enhanced when Monday's Harold Ramser Handicap at Santa Anita was divided into two divisions.

If a large field had been grouped into one stakes, Super High's front-running style may have been compromised by several speedy rivals. Instead, she will be favored to win the $75,000 first division of the one-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

In the second division, a more open race, several fillies are capable of winning.