CHICAGO - It was turning into a wonderful story. A 5-year-old horse suddenly discovers stakes form for a longtime Kentucky trainer with a short string of middle-class racehorses.
Then Two Point Two Mill made a sharp left turn.
At 67-1, Two Point Two Mill was on his way to an improbable victory June 1 in the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap. With the 51-year-old rider Charlie Woods aboard, Two Point Two Mill ranged up on the final turn and cruised to the lead as he straightened for home.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Good Journey got a perfect trip under Pat Day before running down Morluc to win the 10th running of the $292,500 Firecracker Handicap Thursday at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Wally Dollase, Good Journey returned $6.40 as second choice in the Firecracker, a Grade 2 race that marked the third straight victory for the 6-year-old horse.
ELMONT, N.Y. - The brilliance Left Bank has flashed at times in the past was on display for a July Fourth crowd of 18,609 at sweltering Belmont Park to see again Thursday as he rolled to a 6 1/4-length victory over Affirmed Success in the $150,000 Tom Fool Handicap.
By running seven furlongs in 1:20.17, Left Bank set a Belmont Park track record, eclipsing the mark of 1:20.20 set by You and I in 1994. John Velazquez rode the winner, his fourth victory on the 10-race card.
MIAMI - The old men showed the youngsters a thing or two at Calder when the 7-year-old Dancing Guy and 9-year-old Sir Bear finished one-two in the $100,000 Americana Handicap. The Americana was originally scheduled for the turf but was moved to 1 1/8 miles over the main track.
ALTOONA, Iowa - Lost at Sea parlayed a perfect stalking trip under this meet's leading rider Terry Thompson into an upset victory over previously undefeated See How She Runs in the Wednesday evening's $150,000 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows.
Thompson settled Lost at Sea ($46) in third along the rail just behind See How She Runs and pacesetting Never Out through a half-mile run in 46.44 seconds. Thompson eased Lost at Sea off the fence approaching the second turn as jockey Don Pettinger moved See How She Runs up to challenge for the lead entering the far turn.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Premeditation rallied up the rail to win the $100,000 Alysheba Breeders' Cup before a crowd of 28,123 Wednesday night at Lone Star Park. It was three lengths back in second to 30-1 longshot Padlock, who finished a neck clear of De Real Deal.
Matanzas Creek, the 4-5 favorite, raced wide throughout and finished fourth.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Krz Ruckus gamely captured the $136,875 Overskate Stakes for the second year running, at Woodbine on Wednesday evening.
Dino Luciani rode Krz Ruckus, who fought off several challenges on the front-end in the seven-furlong dash for Ontario-sired runners. Classic Manner and Devil Valentine pressed Krz Ruckus on the backstretch through a quarter in 22.43 seconds, and Mighty Quinn joined drew alongside him on the turn through a half in 44.69.
PLEASANTON, Calif. - Rio's Chase ($10.20), making his stakes debut, scored a four-length victory in the Pleasanton Stakes in wire-to-wire style at the Alameda County Fair on Wednesday.
Rio's Chase discouraged favored Wild Celebration in the opening half mile and won the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds in 1:14.97. Late-closing Bold Mango finished second.
Rio's Chase, trained by Bill Delia, earned $24,610 to increase his career earnings to $56,010 with three wins and two seconds in nine starts.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Forbidden Apple can't stand the heat, so trainer Christophe Clement kept him out of the Poker.
"I don't think he runs so well in the heat," said Clement, explaining why he didn't enter Forbidden Apple in Friday's $100,000 Poker Handicap. "I ran him in the Bowling Green last year, and it was very warm, and he ran the worst race of his career."
Without Forbidden Apple, Shibboleth figures to be a deserving odds-on favorite in the Grade 3 Poker, run at one mile on the Widener Turf course. First post is 1 p.m., a switch from the customary 3 p.m. Friday post.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Mark Hennig has been so dominant in stakes for fillies and mares the past two seasons that his colt and gelding division has been overshadowed.
That began to change last month when Seeking Daylight and Gygistar captured graded events at Belmont Park. Both horses will be back in Grade 2 races this weekend as Seeking Daylight gets tested for class in Saturday's $500,000 Suburban Handicap and Gygistar gets tested for stamina in Sunday's $150,000 Dwyer Sakes for 3-year-olds.
