Mon, 04/01/2002 - 00:00

Sam Houston: Coastalota defends title

Coastalota won her third stakes race of the Sam Houston Race Park meet Saturday night when she defended her title in the $30,000 Double Your Flavor Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths over Tip the Man. It was another half-length back in the third to June Spender.

Coastalota ($3.20) stalked a fast pace in the early stages of the seven-furlong race, then drew clear in the stretch, covering the distance in 1:23.60. Bobby Walker rode Coastalota for trainer Randy Mayfield. Earlier this meet, Coastalota won the $75,000 Martanza Handicap and the $30,000 Tomball.

Mon, 04/01/2002 - 00:00

Sunland: Invader takes Oaks

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - No Turbulence received a perfect outside stalking trip from leading rider Daryl Montoya, made a four-wide bid on the turn, and won Saturday's $77,700 Sunland Park Oaks by 2 1/4 lengths. An invader from the tough Southern California circuit, No Turbulence had finished third behind Bella Bella Bella in the Santa Ysabel Jan. 6 at Santa Anita.

No Turbulence, a Skywalker filly, is trained by Eric Kruljac and she covered the mile in 1:38.11. After the Beep finished a nose in front of Gray Ryder for the place.

Mon, 04/01/2002 - 00:00

Turfway: Becky Virtue upsets

Becky Virtue, ridden by Tony D'Amico, shook off favored Miss Pickums at the top of the stretch and went on to a 1 3/4-length victory in the $50,000 Fairway Fun Stakes at Turfway Park.

Becky Virtue was always prominent after breaking from the rail in the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares. Owned by Stonerside Stable and trained by Mike Stidham, she returned $13.40 to win after finishing in 1:43.36 over a fast track.

Mon, 04/01/2002 - 00:00

DQ'd True Rose tough vs. same

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Trainer Bill Turner knew he had a good one on his hands in True Rose, but the trainer had to exercise some patience before the filly showed her true colors.

True Rose, a 4-year-old, has really bloomed for Turner this year, winning back-to-back allowance races over the inner track. In her last start on March 15 on the main track, True Rose crossed the finish line in first, but was disqualified and placed second for drifting out late under jockey Robbie Davis's left-handed whip and interfering with the runner-up, Belle Artiste.

Mon, 04/01/2002 - 00:00

Lumpkins aims to dethrone Baze

SAN MATEO, Calif. - In this corner, the 26-time champion: Russell Baze. In the other corner, the up-and-comer: Jason Lumpkins.

Baze has not lost a riding title at a northern California meeting he has competed in since winning his first title at the 1980-81 Bay Meadows meeting.

Last spring, Lumpkins gave Baze a his sternest challenge for a championship during the 56-day Bay Meadows spring meeting.

Mon, 04/01/2002 - 00:00

Magic Doe scores a win for the ages

CICERO, Ill. - Between them, owner William Cortesi and trainer James Eckrosh have spent 175 years on this planet. Saturday, Magic Doe won them a trophy in the $100,000 Chicagoland Handicap.

Leading from start to finish, Magic Doe set a fast pace and narrowly held off Classic Appeal and Freeway Ticket in deep stretch to win the Chicagoland by a neck under Randy Meier. He paid $10.80 to win and ran six furlongs in a meet-best 1:09.73.

Sun, 03/31/2002 - 00:00

Schvaneveldt suffers injury

ALBANY, Calif. - Jockey Chad Schvaneveldt suffered a fractured left clavicle when Moscow Princess suffered a fatal breakdown at the finish of Sunday's second race at Golden Gate Fields.

Moscow Princess, the 7-to-5 favorite, fractured her right front sesamoid at the finish line. She had to be euthanized.

Schvaneveldt is expected to miss four to six weeks with his injury. He finished fourth in the Golden Gate Fields jockey standings with 57 winners.

Sun, 03/31/2002 - 00:00

Mellow Fellow honored

ALBANY, Calif. - Mellow Fellow, who won all four of his starts at Golden Gate Fields including the Montclair and Danville Handicaps, made a clean sweep of the awards for the 2001-2002 Golden Gate Fields meeting.

The 7-year-old gelding was voted the Horse of the Meeting, top older horse and top sprinter. Mellow Fellow, co-owned by Ronelle Heller and his trainer William J. Morey Jr., has won 10 of 23 career starts and $307,283.

Sun, 03/31/2002 - 00:00

Alexine best in Santa Lucia

ARCADIA, Calif.-Already accomplished on turf, Alexine won her first stakes on the main track in Sunday's restricted $82,725 Santa Lucia Handicap at Santa Anita.

"It's nice to be versatile," trainer Richard Mandella said.

Ridden by Gary Stevens, Alexine ($4.80) needed a half-mile rally to wear down Cashmina, a determined pacesetter.

Sun, 03/31/2002 - 00:00

Halo Tyra wins Emeryville

ALBANY, Calif. - Halo Tyra won the first stakes race of her career, capturing Sunday's closing day stakes at Golden Gate Fields, the $55,700 Emeryville Stakes.

Halo Tyra ($12.60) won the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies by four lengths over Respectful in 1:09.48. She rated early, made a three-wide move on the turn to take the lead and widened her advantage down the stretch.

"She just hung out there three wide, and that was fine with me because she was really running. I really had a perfect trip," winning jockey Russell Baze said.