Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Megahertz best in Honeymoon

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Two hours after Medaglia d'Oro was narrowly beaten in the Belmont Stakes, trainer Bobby Frankel found a minor consolation when Megahertz rallied in the stretch to win the $164,050 Honeymoon Breeders' Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Stuck behind fillies until midstretch, Megahertz made up two lengths in final sixteenth to deny Arabic Song by three-quarters of a length. Ridden by Patrick Valenzuela for owner Michael Bello, Megahertz ($4.60) ran 1 1-8 miles on turf in 1:51.97.

Frankel watched from the tack room at his Belmont Park stable.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Sarava wins as War Emblem stumbles

Horsephotos
Sarava (left) wins the Belmont over Medaglia d'Oro, paying $142.50 in the biggest upset in Belmont Stakes history. War Emblem, who was going for the Triple Crown, stumbled at the start and finished eighth.

ELMONT, N.Y. - War Emblem literally stumbled over his chance to become racing's 12th Triple Crown winner in Saturday's 134th , which went to the longest shot in Belmont history, the 70-1 outsider Sarava.

War Emblem stumbled badly coming out of the gate, was caught in traffic behind horses for the first five furlongs, made a bold move to vie for the lead down the backstretch, but wilted in the stretch run and finished eighth in the field of 11, 19 1/2 lengths behind Sarava.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

'Doomed' Crown bid apparent from start

ELMONT, N.Y. - This time, trainer Bob Baffert knew his Triple Crown bid was lost before they crossed the finish line the first time.

Baffert said "we were doomed" when War Emblem broke poorly leaving the starting gate and was behind horses just a few jumps into the race.

Though he made a gallant effort to take the lead midway up the backstetch, War Emblem tired to finish eighth in Saturday's 134th Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. The loss meant that the Triple Crown would go unclaimed for a 24th consecutive year.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Family obligation keeps Salman home

ELMONT, N.Y. - Prince Ahmed bin Salman, whose Thoroughbred Corp. owns War Emblem, did not attend Saturday's Belmont Stakes, instead choosing to remain in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Representatives of the prince said security was not a concern, and pointed out that a younger brother, Prince Faisal bin Salman, was in attendance.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Beat Hollow stakes his spot at top

ELMONT, N.Y. - Beat Hollow stamped himself as the country's top grass male with an authoritative two-length win in Saturday's $400,000 on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

Forbidden Apple, who won the Manhattan last year, finished second in his first start since December. It was a half-length back to Strut the Stage, the Grade 2 Dixie winner, in third.

The Manhattan was Beat Hollow's second consecutive win in a Grade 1 race after capturing the Woodford Reserve at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Friday at Prairie: Sharky's Review

ALTOONA, Iowa - Sharky's Review took advantage of a hot pace duel and a ground saving trip under Luis Quinonez to score a one-length victory in Friday's $64,200 Mamie Eisenhower Stakes for Iowa-bred fillies and mares at Prairie Meadows.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Thistledown: Wire-to-wire upset

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Eye Slew the City ($23.60) set all the pace and defeated 6-5 favorite Lady Cherie by 2 1/2 lengths in the the $50,000 Merry Time Stakes here Saturday. Ashwood C C finished third, a half-length farther back in the field of eight Ohio-bred fillies and mares in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Eye Slew the City, a 4-year-old homebred daughter of Slew City Slew trained by Gary King, covered the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.34 over a fast track.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Monmouth: Bold World rules

OCEANPORT, N.J. - On Saturday, Bold World won her fifth race in six starts this year, capturing the off-the-turf $50,000 Ocean Hotel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at five furlongs.

Bold World won her fifth sprint stakes and improved to 6-1-0 in 10 starts for trainer Ronald Taylor.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Calder: Marquette back in big way

MIAMI - Marquette, a Grade 2 winner earlier in his career, returned to his top form on Saturday when he rallied to a surprisingly easy 4 1/4-length victory in the $38,440 Kissin Kris Stakes at Calder.

Sat, 06/08/2002 - 00:00

Philadelphia: Cetewayo gets it done

Cetewayo, a beaten favorite in each of his previous two starts, got back on track at 1-2 Saturday at Philadelphia Park, winning the inaugural $100,000 Greenwood Cup Handicap with an impressive last-to-first surge.

Serial Bride, a 17-1 shot, got a ground-saving trip and finished well for second, beaten three-quarters of a length. Dawn of the Condor, another Dickinson horse, was third, another 1 3/4 lengths behind.