JAMAICA, N.Y. - Saturday's $80,725 Paumonok Handicap at Aqueduct became an easier assignment for the five horses who ran when the morning-line favorite, Here's Zealous, was scratched early in the day because of a cough.
The significance of the scratch wasn't lost on trainer Jimmy Jerkens, who saddled the Paumonok's 2 3/4-length winner and even-money favorite, Wrangler. "That's a hell of a scratch," Jerkens said with a grin in the winner's circle on an unusually balmy winter afternoon.
NEW ORLEANS - Easyfromthegitgo drew first blood on the road to the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, winning the $100,000 Lecomte Stakes by a nose over Sky Terrace at Fair Grounds on Saturday.
It was a game effort by Easyfromthegitgo, who was making his stakes debut, but one that was enhanced by a perfect trip under jockey Donnie Meche, who chalked up career win number 1,000 in the race. Breaking from the rail post, Easyfromthegitgo saved ground the entire race while stalking a quick pace, found room turning for home and ran down Sky Terrace from the two path.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Yvonne Azeff, an assistant for trainer John Ward Jr., was listed in serious condition at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., suffering from head injuries from an accident during training hours at Gulfstream Park on Saturday morning.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Squirtle Squirt is not expected to lose the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Handicap on Sunday at Santa Anita, despite trainer Bobby Frankel's admission that the screws are not completely tightened for his first start back.
"He'll run okay, but I haven't really cranked on him," Frankel said. "I'm not killing him to get ready; hopefully his class will come out."
Seven others - including graded stakes winners Ceeband, Men's Exclusive, and Snow Ridge - hope Squirtle Squirt is vulnerable in his first start since Oct. 27.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - A New Twist goes from hunter to hunted as she aims for her second straight stakes victory Sunday, facing six rivals in the $100,000, Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Three weeks ago, the public made Forest Heiress a 3-10 favorite for the Old Hat Stakes, while sending A New Twist off at 4-1. A New Twist ran Forest Heiress off her feet in scoring a 3 1/2-length gate-to-wire victory. The result was a reversal from the Valley Stream Stakes at Aqueduct in November when Forest Heiress ran down A New Twist to win by three lengths.
NEW ORLEANS - Everyone wants to know if Lake Lady can race as effectively at two turns as she has at one. She starts Sunday in the one-mile Tiffany Lass Stakes, yet win or lose, questions about her distance limitations might still persist.
On paper, Lake Lady outclasses the six other fillies entered in the $100,000 Tiffany Lass, Fair Grounds' first route race for
3-year-old fillies. It's followed on the stakes schedule by the Grade 3 Silverbulletday and the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks.
PORTLAND, Ore. - Chinquapin Charlie will carry 125 pounds, taking on six others in Sunday's $7,500-added William Kyne Handicap, a 1 1/8-mile race at Portland Meadows.
Chinquapin Charlie, a 5-year-old trained by Jim Hambleton of Vancouver, Wash., won this season's Thanksgiving Handicap, as well as last season's Polynesian Flyer Handicap and Portland Meadows Mile, to earn highweight honors for the Kyne.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Bedanken fought off a late surge by Born to Dance to win the $50,000 Dixie Belle Stakes before an opening day crowd of 18,142 at sunny Oaklawn Park on Friday.
For Rubies finished third, while 3-5 favorite Brown Eyed Beauty finished an even fourth.
Bedanken raced about two lengths behind the pace early in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies. Ridden by Don Pettinger, she took the lead in the stretch and outgamed the ourushing Born to Dance, prevailing by a nose. Bedanken covered the distance over a fast track in 1:12.40, and returned $14.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Veil of Avalon proved she is as courageous as she is talented, outgaming a valiant Snow Dance to score a well-deserved nose decision in Friday's $100,000 De La Rose Handicap at Gulfstream Park.
Wander Mom finished a neck behind the top pair in one of the most exciting finishes of the meet.
"From where I was watching I didn't think she won," said Christophe Clement, who trains Veil of Avalon for John F. Newsome. "The good news is that she made it. The bad news is that we'll have to meet Snow Dance again somewhere down the road."
