Sun, 04/21/2002 - 00:00

Buddha back on track

ELMONT, N.Y. - Buddha, who established himself as one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby by winning the April 13 Wood Memorial, showed no signs of being knocked out from that hard race when he worked six furlongs in 1:14.47 Sunday morning over Belmont Park's training track.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Astra victorious in Santa Barbara

ARCADIA, Calif. - Astra became the first repeat winner of the $250,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita on Sunday, scoring one the most convincing wins of her career.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Astra had an ideal trip in a slowly run race.

For the first time, Desormeaux kept Astra on the rail behind the pace of 26.09 and 50.82 seconds set by Polaire.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Lost At Sea knows way in San Jose

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Under a confident ride by Russell Baze, Lost At Sea ($7.60) sat off the early pace of Yourfinalanswer, moved into contention on the second turn and pulled away down the stretch to win the $55,912 San Jose Stakes at Bay Meadows on Saturday.

Lost At Sea, making her first start since an allowance race victory at Golden Gate Fields on Feb. 3, defeated Genteel World by two lengths, winning the one-mile race in 1:36.00. Favored Daddy's Gold ran last in the field of five 3-year-old fillies.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Dianehill rallies to take Stravinsky

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Dianehill, making her first start since being badly beaten in the Barbara Fritchie in February, rallied off a rapid pace to win the $84,900 Stravinsky Stakes, the secondary feature on the Lexington Stakes undercard Saturday at Keeneland.

Dianehill prevailed by a half-length over Senorita Ziggy in the Stravinsky, a 5 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares. The winner returned $7 as the second choice.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Sams Tune ready to rock and roll

CICERO, Ill. - Sams Tune's workout tab is riddled with bullets, and if she fires her best shot Monday, Sams Tune will win the featured seventh race at Sportsman's Park.

Off since mid-September, Sams Tune returns to racing in a third-level allowance sprint with a $35,000 claiming option, and faces a solid group of eight other horses. And if she runs to her very fast works, Sams Tune will be tough indeed.

Sams Tune's last four works all were bullets, two of them at Hawthorne, two of them over the Sportsman's surface, on which Sams Tune never has raced.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Hail the Chief takes charge

CICERO, Ill. - Jockey Jorge Chavez, unfamiliar with Sportsman's Park, looked around in confusion for the winner's circle as he came back toward the stands with Hail the Chief after Saturday's National Jockey Club Handicap. It was the only misstep Chavez and Hail the Chief made.

Taking an early lead with a powerful burst of speed from the gate, Hail the Chief set a fast pace on a dull racetrack, but still had plenty left for the stretch, running away from a solid field to win the Grade 3, $200,000 NJC Handicap by 11 1/4 lengths.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Raging Fever holds off Atelier

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Raging Fever overcame a sloppy track and a surprising early pace challenge from Atelier to win Saturday's Grade 3, $158,300 Bed o' Roses Breeders' Cup Handicap by three-quarters of a length before 5,648 at Aqueduct.

Atelier finished second, 5 3/4 lengths ahead of Shiny Band. Critical Eye, Belle Artiste, and Senora Claudia completed the order of finish.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Gygistar cruises in Hallandale

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Gygistar turned in one of the most dominating performances of the Gulfstream Park meet, drawing off to a 10 1/2-length decision over five other 3-year-olds in Saturday's $75,000 Hallandale Beach Handicap. The win gave owner-breeder Edward P. Evans and trainer Mark Hennig their second stakes victory of the afternoon, coming less than an hour after their Raging Fever captured the Bed o' Roses Handicap at Aqueduct.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Include easily wins Jennings

In his first start in five months, Include outclassed his six rivals in the $100,000 Jennings Handicap Saturday at Pimlico, strolling to a nine-length score under Mario Pino. Lightning Paces finished second in the Maryland-bred stakes, followed by First Amendment, who was two lengths farther back in third.

Sat, 04/20/2002 - 00:00

Wild Whiskey wires Woodstock

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Wild Whiskey outsprinted favored Rare Friends for the early lead and made all the running in an 8 3/4-length score in Saturday's $136,750 Woodstock Stakes at Woodbine.

Wild Whiskey set fractions of 22.05 and 44.91 seconds in the six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds. With Ray Sabourin aboard, Wild Whiskey opened up a six-length cushion at the eighth pole, and coasted home on top in 1:10.62.

"He broke well, as usual, and just went on with it," said Sabourin. "I was basically just hanging on. I kept him busy down the lane, and he had lots left."