ALTOONA, Iowa - Take Me Up scored an easy 3 1/2-length victory over stablemate Le Numerous in the $81,200 Ralph Hayes Stakes, the featured event on Saturday's Iowa Classic Night program, which included six Thoroughbred stakes for Iowa-breds at Prairie Meadows.
Take Me Up ($4.20) stalked the pacesetters to the second turn of the 1 1/16-mile Hayes for older statebreds under jockey Perry Compton before rallying to take the lead leaving the furlong marker. He was timed in 1:44.21.
Owner G. Watts Humphrey Jr., trainer Rusty Arnold, and jockey Jose Velez Jr. combined to sweep both stakes on the closing day program.
Victory Ride ($2.80) drew off to a 2 1/2-length victory in the $50,000 Omnibus Stakes, moved from the turf to a sloppy main track. Arnold said Victory Ride will make her next start in the Spinster at Keeneland on Oct. 6.
Bettors were rewarded with big show prices when 2-5 favorite Bold World finished fourth in the $50,000 Miss Woodford Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Of the $56,009 in the show pool, $51,423 was bet on Bold World. She failed to menace at any point in the race and beat only one horse.
As a result, Maresha paid $23.60 to win and $32.40 to show. Runner-up Miss Marni paid $35.60 to show and third-place Al Max Diner returned $29.40.
In the co-featured $50,000 Bob Harding, switched from the turf to the main track, Night Caller ($10.20) edged Tempest Fugit by a neck.
The heavy favorites in both National Association of Two-year-old Consignors stakes failed to land among the top three finishers at Delaware Park.
In the $200,000 Futurity for colts and geldings, Crafty Guy ($9.20), ridden by Mark Johnston, scored a three-length victory. Super Fuse, the 6-5 favorite, stumbled coming out of the gate and finished fifth.
Mike Luzzi rode Collymore Hall ($17.40) to a half-length win in the $200,000 Sorority for fillies. Vibs, the 3-5 favorite, finished fourth.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Everything that could go wrong early did for odds-on favorite Mr. Technique in the $62,150 San Mateo Stakes at Bay Meadows on Sunday.
Mr. Technique ($3) threw his head in the air at the start and broke a step slowly in the 5.5-furlong race for 2-year-olds. He was then squeezed back and fell well off the pace down the backstretch. But he unleashed an amazing kick down the stretch, making up 6.5 lengths in the final eighth of a mile, defeating Hawaiian Lyon by a head in 1:04.66.
DEL MAR, Calif. - As a successful producer of movies such as "The Sixth Sense," Gary Barber is used to getting his way. Thankfully for Barber, his partners in Delta Form acquiesced to his wishes to run Delta Form in Sunday's $250,000 , and Delta Form rewarded Barber's faith with a 20-1 upset victory in the Grade 2 turf race.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Orientate clearly established himself as the leading sprinter in the country after withstanding a torrid pace battle with reigning Eclipse Award champion Squirtle Squirt en route to a 2 1-4 length victory over Aldebaran in Sunday's $250,000 at Saratoga.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Sheza Nasty Lady led throughout to win the $50,000 Lyrique Handicap by a neck over Chula at Louisiana Downs on Sunday. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Just Scarlet.
Sheza Nasty Lady($5.40) took the lead soon after the start in the mile and a sixteenth turf race for 3-year-old fillies, and coasted through fractions of 24.82 seconds for the opening quarter, 48.75 for the half, and 1:12.85 for six furlongs. In deep stretch, she fought off a bid by Chula, and went on to cover the distance over firm turf in 1:42.91.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Favored El Prado Essence held off a closing Hattiesburg to prevail by a nose in Sunday's $136,500 Seaway Stakes at Woodbine.
Feathers and Elektraline dueled through fractions of :22.61 seconds and :45.75 in the 6 1/2-furlong contest. El Prado Essence stalked the leaders on the backstretch, and made a three-wide bid on the turn under Todd Kabel. She hit the front at the head of the stretch, opened up a clear lead at the eighth pole, and held Hattiesburg at bay to stop the timer in 1:24.48 seconds.
