Sun, 09/08/2002 - 00:00

Voodoo Dancer best in Palomar

Horsephotos
Voodoo Dancer wins the $150,000 Palomar Handicap at Del Mar on Sunday.

DEL MAR, Calif. - For Voodoo Dancer, Del Mar was better the second time around. The beaten favorite in last year's Del Mar Oaks, Voodoo Dancer made a triumphant return to this track on Sunday when she unleashed a powerful rally to capture the $150,000 .

The Palomar, a Grade 2 turf race for older fillies and mares, was an afterthought for trainer Christophe Clement. He called an audible and sent Voodoo Dancer back to California after an intended start in the Ballston Spa Handicap at Saratoga was washed away by the rain that fell on Travers Stakes day.

Sun, 09/08/2002 - 00:00

Fast-finishing Profound Secret wins Big Jag

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Profound Secret ($6.20) unleashed a powerful stretch kick to run down El Dorado Shooter in the lane as he rallied from last to win the $64,050 Big Jag Handicap at Bay Meadows on Sunday.

El Dorado Shooter dueled early with Sempai, opening up on mid-turn of the six-furlong race. He held a 3.5-length lead in the stretch, but Profound Secret split Sirpa and Sempai and was gaining with every stride. He won by 1.5 lengths in 1:08.72.

Sun, 09/08/2002 - 00:00

Wonder Again wins Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap

Horsephotos
Wonder Again wins the Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap by one-half length at Belmont Park on Sunday.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Wonder Again continued her development into the top 3-year-old turf filly in training Sunday, by finding running room in upper stretch and blowing by the leaders in deep stretch to win the $250,000, Grade 1 by one-half length at Belmont Park.

Riskaverse, who had to overcome the outside post and traffic in the 10-horse field, finished gamely to be second, 1 1/2 lengths over the tough-luck European shipper Pertuisane.

Sun, 09/08/2002 - 00:00

Lismore Knight captures Summer Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored New York invader Lismore Knight put away a game Wando in the final strides to capture the Grade 2 for 2-year-olds at Woodbine Sunday.

Lismore Knight stalked the pace under Pat Day, as My Boy Kyle and Natchez dueled through fractions of :22.55 and :45.48 in the one-mile turf event. Day checked Lismore Knight early on the turn, but got him back on track for the stretch run, and he came inside Wando in the final furlong to prevail by a head in a time of 1:35.33 seconds.

Sun, 09/08/2002 - 00:00

Don't Countess Out takes Weekend Delight

Don't Countess Out rallied from just off the pace, then drew off to post a three-length victory Saturday in the $75,000 Weekend Delight Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Don't Countess Out, a 3-year-old filly owned by Southern Pride Stable and trained by Larry Jones, returned $10.80 as third choice in a field of nine fillies and mares. She finished six furlongs in 1:10.44 over a fast track.

Silent Stream, a 23-1 shot, also made a sustained run from mid-pack to finish second, a neck before Nasty Storm, the 9-5 favorite.

Sat, 09/07/2002 - 00:00

Del Mar carryover reaches $524,884

DEL MAR, Calif. - There is a two-day pick six carryover of $524,884 highlighting the final Sunday of the Del Mar meeting.

Even though favored Inesperado won Saturday's Del Mar Derby, a string of longshots led to the carryover. The last two winners were difficult to find - Hero's Welcome ($24.80) and Shezsofoxy ($25.80).

Sunday's pick six covers the fourth through ninth races, and features two stakes, two sprits for maiden claimers and two other sprints.

The fourth race is for 2-year-old maiden claimers. The also eligibles have been scratched, leaving a field of 12.

Sat, 09/07/2002 - 00:00

Lido Palace guts it out

Horsephotos
Lido Palace makes the lead in deep stretch en route to his second consecutive victory in the Woodward Stakes.

ELMONT, N.Y. - Lido Palace on Saturday joined a select group of horses to win the Grade 1 in consecutive years, but he had to work a lot harder than expected to do it.

Under the whip from the five-sixteenths pole, Lido Palace, the 2-5 favorite, persevered through the stretch under Jorge Chavez and wore down Gander in the final 70 yards to win the $500,000 Woodward by three-quarters of a length before 13,106 at Belmont Park.

Sat, 09/07/2002 - 00:00

Expression a little guy with big talent

DEL MAR, Calif. - Sidelined by illness earlier this year, Expression can make up for lost time with a victory in Monday's $100,000 I'm Smokin Stakes for 2-year-olds at Del Mar.

Expression won a maiden race at Hollywood Park on May 8, but suffered a bout with colic that forced him to the sidelines in late spring. When he returned in the Graduation Stakes on July 31, he finished third, 6 1/2 lengths behind Icecoldbeeratreds.

"He could have been second, but the winner was too good," trainer Jean Pierre Dupuis said.

Sat, 09/07/2002 - 00:00

Imperial Gesture impressive

ELMONT, N.Y. - Imperial Gesture is making up for lost time at the right time.

A bust in the Kentucky Oaks when she was bumped at the start, and away for most of the summer due to lack of conditioning, Imperial Gesture put together her second straight powerful performance Saturday by rolling to a 2 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1, $250,000 Gazelle Handicap at Belmont Park.

Take Charge Lady, who chased Imperial Gesture around the track, settled for second, six lengths ahead of 7-5 favorite Bella Bellucci.

Sat, 09/07/2002 - 00:00

With Anticipation rally prevents theft

ELMONT, N.Y. - With Anticipation has been involved in some exciting finishes this year, and his win in Saturday's $500,000 at Belmont Park was no exception.

With Anticipation, the 4-5 favorite, looked like he was beaten early in the stretch, but the 7-year-old found another gear and blew by pacesetter Balto Star in the final yards for a length victory.