ARCADIA, Calif. - Chris McCarron on Saturday became the first jockey to win three graded stakes on the same day at Santa Anita.
Aside from Came Home's popular win in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, McCarron won two $150,000 races - the Grade 2 San Bernardino Handicap on Bosque Redondo and the Grade 2 Arcadia Handicap aboard Sienne.
"It's something to be proud of," McCarron said.
The track mark for most stakes wins in a day is five, set by Laffit Pincay, Jr., on California Cup Day in 2000.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Cellars Shiraz continued her dominance of the 3-year-old filly division this meet, registering her third straight stakes victory with a two length decision over Dame Sylvieguilhem in Sunday's $75,000 Via Borghese Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
The versatile Cellars Shiraz added the Via Borghese to her earlier victories in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes and Gaily Gaily Stakes. The Via Borghese and Herecomesthebride were both decided on grass, the Gaily Gaily over the main track.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Southern Tour, the stalker in a short field of front-runners, rallied past favorite Spanish Glitter in midstretch to win the $100,000 Carousel Breeders' Cup by 2.50 lengths Sunday at Oaklawn Park. The order of finish in the four horse field was completed by Powder and Miss Seffens.
Bettors failed to conquer the pick six at Santa Anita on Saturday, leaving a massive carryover of $243,519 for Sunday's program.
The pick six was so tricky on Saturday that the consolation paid $1,863.60 for tickets with four winners.
The carryover is higher than normal for a weekend because of interest in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby program. The Santa Anita Derby, won by Came Home, the favorite, was not part of Saturday's pick six.
There were few scratch-time changes for Sunday's program. The pick six covers the fourth through ninth races.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Came Home's tenacity served him at the most opportune time Saturday at Santa Anita, when he bravely fought off a stern challenge from Easy Grades and re-rallied to capture the $750,000 , the West's final major prep for the May 4 Kentucky Derby.
CICERO, Ill. - War Emblem galloped out to an easy lead and ran away from heavily favored Repent in the stretch, easily winning the Grade 2, $500,000 on a chilly Saturday at Sportsman's Park.
Repent, a top Kentucky Derby hopeful and a 1-2 favorite Saturday, made a bold move around the far turn but could gain no ground on War Emblem in the stretch. At the stretch call of the Illinois Derby, Repent trailed by five lengths; at the wire, he was behind by 6 1/4.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Take Charge Lady confirmed her status as one of the favorites for the May 3 Kentucky Oaks by racing to an impressive victory Saturday in the 65th running of the Grade 1, $557,750 at Keeneland.
Take Charge Lady, the heavy favorite under Tony D'Amico, easily disposed of front-running Colonial Glitter entering the far turn of the 1 1/16-mile Ashland and finished 4 1/4 lengths ahead of Take the Cake in a field of eight 3-year-old fillies. Belterra rallied to finish third, another 2 1/2 lengths back.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - He might not be going to the Kentucky Derby but Marasca stamped himself a 3-year-old to watch after holding off 3-5 favorite Equality to register a 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $250,000 at Gulfstream Park.
Marasca, beaten in a preliminary allowance race in his previous start, rated just off the early pace of Major Focus, moved three wide to engage leader Charioteer midway around the second turn, opened a three-length advantage near midstretch, and withstood Equality's closing surge.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - The day began with snow squalls. But, that wasn't the strangest thing that happened Saturday at Aqueduct.
In an oddly run race, John Little - who seemed the potential main speed in the six-horse field - rallied from fourth place and outfinished Windsor Castle in a stirring stretch duel to win the $200,000, Grade 3 Excelsior Breeders' Cup Handicap by a neck. Windsor Castle, who made a short lead in midstretch, finished second, 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Ground Storm.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Azeri, a maiden winner just five months ago, won her second straight Grade 1 race Saturday when she rallied to win the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park by 1 3/4 lengths over Affluent. It was three-quarters of a length back in third to Miss Linda.
Azeri ($4) hopped out at the start, then sat off pacesetter Miss Linda in fourth early in the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares. She moved up around the turn, overtook the leaders in the stretch, and powered home, covering the distance in 1:42.60.
