LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Gold Mover finished first, but was disqualified by the stewards for interference in midstretch, enabling Celtic Melody to win the Grade 1, $228,000 , one of five stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs.
Gold Mover, a slight favorite over Nasty Storm, was placed second. Hattiesburg finished third.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Danthebluegrassman, a surprise entrant in the Kentucky Derby on Wednesday, was scratched Saturday morning after the horse showed signs of tying up, trainer Bob Baffert said.
Baffert took Danthebluegrassman to the track Saturday morning for a routine jog, and when the horse came back to the barn, Baffert noticed he was "walking a little short in behind." Baffert treated the horse with Banamine and then muscle relaxers.
"If you don't treat them right away they mess up their back muscles," Baffert said.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Shaws Creek rallied from well off suicidal fractions under Jake Barton to capture the $168,150 Queenston Stakes at Woodbine Saturday.
Favored Wild Whiskey and Rare Friends hooked up through fractions of 21:75 and 43.85 seconds in the seven-furlong dash for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds. Shaws Creek began his rally at the quarter pole and mowed down Rare Friends in the final furlong to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over a closing Embattle. The final time was 1:23.46.
Shaws Creek ($18.l0) earned $100,890 for the Jam Jar Racing Stable and trainer John Ross.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Beau's Town won his sixth consecutive race Saturday when he powered to a 1 3/4-length victory over Boots on Sunday in the $75,000 Ford Express Stakes at Lone Star Park.
It was another seven lengths back in third to Exemplary, who was five lengths clear of Peanutsinacoke.
Alternate moved closer to a berth in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks by scoring a 4 3/4-length victory in the $75,600 Go for Wand Stakes at Delaware Park.
A 3-year-old filly trained by Graham Motion, Alternate ($3) was boxed in among rivals for most of the 1 1/16-mile race before jockey Ramon Dominguez steered her clear of traffic on the far turn. She overtook Spelling in upper stretch and drew away, completing the distance in 1:46.35.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Fast Decision, trying stakes company for the first time, won Saturday's $150,000 Withers, a Grade 3 for 3-year-olds, at Aqueduct.
Fast Decision, stalked the pace under Jose Santos and seized the lead from the pacesetter, Shah Jehan, in deep stretch and stormed home a three-quarter-length winner.
While all eyes were on the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, trainer Graham Motion was already preparing a horse for the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Motion, whose horses are stabled a few miles away from Delaware Park at Fair Hill, Md., sent out Equality for a five-furlong workout over a track labeled wet-fast last Monday. Equality, winner of the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby on March 17 and second in the $250,000 Aventura Stakes at Gulfstream Park a month ago, was timed in 1:00.80 for his breeze.
CICERO, Ill. - Evidently, it did not take long for Summer Note to come around. Unraced since dead-heating in the 2000 Hutcheson Stakes, and having arrived here in trainer Richard Hazelton's barn only a couple weeks ago, Summer Note is set to resume his racing career Monday in Hawthorne's seventh race.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - War Emblem, allowed to coast alone on the lead, led from start to finish to capture the 128th at 20-1 on Saturday at Churchill Downs, giving trainer Bob Baffert his third Derby victory.
War Emblem was purchased less than a month ago by Baffert on behalf of Prince Ahmed Salman's The Thoroughbred Corporation. None of the dozens of 2-year-olds that Baffert began with one year ago panned out, forcing Baffert and Salman to buy their way into the Derby.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Danthebluegrassman, whose controversial late entry denied Windward Passage a spot in the starting gate, on Saturday morning was scratched from the 128th Kentucky Derby.
Churchill Downs's publicity staff reported that Danthebluegrassman "tied up" after a morning gallop.
His defection leaves the Derby with 18 runners. Buddha was scratched on Friday.
