ARCADIA, Calif. - With three stakes wins at the current Santa Anita meeting, Snow Ridge may be headed to Kentucky to expand his reputation as a top sprinter.
On Sunday, Snow Ridge won his first Grade 1 in the $150,000 at Santa Anita. Previously at this meeting, Snow Ridge won the El Conejo Handicap over 5 1-2 furlongs and the Palos Verdes Handicap over six furlongs.
NEW ORLEANS - The question was whether to run Parade Leader in Sunday's $500,000 New Orleans Handicap or to wait for a softer spot, and even after the horse was entered Friday his connections weren't certain they would run.
"It was about 60-40," said trainer Neil Howard.
But run Parade Leader did, and the blossoming 5-year-old scored the first graded stakes win of his career with a runaway five and one-quarter length victory in the Grade 2 Handicap.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - John Oxley and John Ward completed a sensational stakes weekend Sunday when Snow Dance raced to a comfortable victory for the prominent owner-trainer team in the $100,000, Grade 3 Suwanee River Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
Snow Dance, the 1-2 favorite under Pat Day, captured the 1 1/8-mile grass race under mild urging, finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of late-running Step With Style. The previous day, Oxley and Ward won the Grade 2 Rampart Handicap at Gulfstream with Forest Secrets, also ridden by Day.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Before Saturday's $1 million , Milwaukee Brew was widely considered to be trainer Bobby Frankel's fourth-string contender for the richest race of the Santa Anita meeting.
Grade 1 winners Mizzen Mast and Lido Palace were waiting for summer racing; Euchre was Milwaukee Brew's entrymate and had better recent results.
After Saturday, those rankings may need to be reworked.
Milwaukee Brew ran the best race of his career in the Big Cap, rallying through traffic on the final turn to win by four lengths over pacesetter Western Pride.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.-Oaklawn Park canceled its 10-race program Sunday because of a frozen track. It marked the second time this meet freezing temperatures have forced Oaklawn to call off racing. A nine-race card was canceled Feb. 6.
Temperatures on Sunday morning were below 20 degrees, which forced the cancellation of training, and at about 10 a.m. Central, officials decided to call off the live card. The track did remain open for simulcasting, and is expected to resume live racing as scheduled on Wednesday.
Decarchy rallied wide to score the most important win of his career in Saturday's $300,000 .
Decarchy prevailed by a neck over Sarafan, pulling an upset against a strong field that included Val Royal and Irish Prize, two of the nation's top turf milers.
Val Royal, who was making his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park last October, closed from ninth on the backstretch to finish fourth, a half-length behind Decarchy.
Decarchy ($18) ran a mile on turf in 1:34.04, and had an ideal trip under jockey Kent Desormeaux.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Private Emblem, coming off a stakes win on turf, rallied to win the of the $75,000 Southwest Stakes on a muddy main track at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
Paloma Parilla, an impressive allowance winner last month here, withstood an objection to win the second division of the Southwest by neck over Cope With an Image.
NEW ORLEANS - Half-trainer, half meteorologist - it's a potent combination at Fair Grounds. Niall O'Callaghan entered Katy Kat in the $144,500 Bayou Breeders' Cup and came out a 2 3/4-length winner when the Bayou Breeders' Cup was taken off turf and run on a sloppy main track.
Another dirt horse, Pretty Gale, set the early pace but was no match for the pace-pressing Katy Kat ($4.80) in the stretch, finishing second, four lengths ahead of Temis. Katy Kat was timed in 1:50.67.
OLDSMAR Fla. - Trainer Gerald Bennett, who won a stakes during his three-month stay here, has shipped his string to Sportsman's Park, which began its meet Friday. All indications are that Bennett will have a powerful string for that Chicago track's winter stand.
ALBANY, Calif. - Front-running Secret Liaison, under constant pressure throughout, pulled away through the lane and scored a two-length victory in the $55,750 Sacramento Handicap at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday.
Secret Liaison ($3.60) set brisk early fractions of 22.19, 45.69 and 1:10.58 as she discouraged Phaenna early. She got a bit of a breather on the turn and spurted away after De Goddaughter ranged up along side heading into the stretch. The winning time was 1:36.01.
