INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Skipping gave trainer Bobby Frankel a record sixth winner in Sunday's 13th running of the Jim Murray Handicap at Hollywood Park on Sunday.
A recent European import, Skipping stalked pacesetter Startac to the final turn, rallied wide to reach contention and pulled clear in the final furlong to win the $80,175 restricted handicap by two lengths. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Skipping ($4.60) finished 1 1-2 miles on turf in 2:26.23.
ELMONT, N.Y. -- Carson Hollow annihilated her rivals in Sunday's $85,025 Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park with a five-length win in her stakes debut.
Carson Hollow, who was the odds-on favorite, is now undefeated in three career starts.
Message Red finished second in the 11-horse field of New York-bred 3-year-old fillies. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to Shawklit Mint in third.
Under jockey John Velazquez, Carson Hollow set the pace in the seven-furlong dirt race and drew off in the stretch without being threatened.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Sambuca On Ice, under perfectly timed ride from Patrick Husbands, nailed Mysterious Affair on the wire to take the $130,500 New Providence Stakes at Woodbine Sunday.
Sambuca On Ice bided his time early in the six-furlong dash for older Ontario-sired runners, as favored Krz Ruckus led while being tracked by Mysterious Affair. Krz Ruckus, who set splits of :22.47 and :45.68, was overhauled at the eighth pole by Mysterious Affair, who couldn't handle the winner's stretch kick and came up a head short.
BALTIMORE - War Emblem, whose victory in Saturday's Preakness Stakes put him one race away from sweeping the Triple Crown, came out of the race better than he did the Kentucky Derby, according to trainer Bob Baffert, who hopes War Emblem can complete a sweep that eluded his colts Silver Charm and Real Quiet.
"He's pretty wild today," Baffert said at Pimlico Race Course on Sunday morning. "After the Derby, he was quiet and tired. Today, he's pretty rambunctious."
Ken McPeek hobbled around Pimlico Saturday on a broken left foot, eschewing the crutches he has used since suffering his injury a month ago. But he was still able to scamper to the winner's circle after his rapidly improving 3-year-old colt Sarava drew away with authority when scoring a four-length victory in the $79,250 Sir Barton Stakes.
"I'm not moving very fast. Fortunately, my horse moved fast," McPeek said after Sarava ($8.20) scored the first stakes victory of his career. He beat the 3-5 favorite, Shah Jehan, who held on for second, a half-length in front of No Pressure.
True Direction, a 3-year-old colt shipping in from New York, ran his winning streak to three with an eventful but dominating victory in the six-furlong $100,000 Hirsch Jacobs Stakes.
True Direction ($4.80) stalked on the outside down the backstretch in the six-furlong race and almost clipped heels when jockey Ramon Dominguez had trouble keeping the horse in check. But True Direction swept by the leaders around the turn and drew off powerfully in the stretch, winning by 2 1/2 lengths with a final eighth in 12.20 seconds. The final time for six furlongs was 1:10.90.
Mr. O'Brien, an Irish-bred 3-year-old colt trained by Michael Dickinson, shot through an opening on the rail to win the $100,000 Woodlawn Stakes.
Under patient handling by jockey Pat Day, Mr. O'Brien ($7.60) tracked behind early leaders Regal Sanction and Root With Style for the first six furlongs of the 1 1/8-mile race. In the stretch, when Regal Sanction began faltering and drifted off the rail, Day gave Mr. O'Brien his head and the horse sprinted home on the rail. Regal Sanction held on for second.
Quidnaskra, trained by Maryland-based Mary Eppler, scored one for the home team, taking the Grade 3, $125,000 Gallorette Handicap by three-quarters of a length over the late-running De Aar.
Watch, the 6-5 favorite, finished sixth in the scratched-reduced field of seven.
Making her first start since last October, Quidnaskra, under Chris McCarron, stalked Morena Park, under Mario Pino, through splits of 24.97 seconds, 51.15, and 1:16 over the yielding turf course. Quidnaskra put away Morena Park leaving the eighth pole and had more than enough to hold of f De Aar.
BALTIMORE - The local girl made good. She came within three-quarters of a length of making great.
Trainer Nancy Alberts, who worked for trainer James P. Simpson for 30 years before going out on her own in the early 1990's, nearly pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Preakness history Saturday when Magic Weisner's late charge just fell short in finishing second to War Emblem.
