ARCADIA, Calif. - Shuffling Kid held off a late rally from a herd of contenders to win Sunday's $114,400 Baldwin Stakes at Santa Anita and remain unbeaten in two starts in this country.
Shuffling Kid's upset victory in the Grade 3 Baldwin Stakes gave jockey Patrick Valenzuela his first stakes win at Santa Anita since he returned from suspension for personal problems in late December. Valenzuela also won Saturday's Ken Maddy Sprint at Golden Gate Fields.
NEW ORLEANS - Bonapaw is taking his show on the road early next month, flying to Dubai for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen. Maybe someone there can keep up with him.
No one in New Orleans can, and Bonapaw cemented his position as the best sprinter in the region with a three and three-quarters lengths win in the $100,000 Taylor's Special Handicap on Sunday at Fair Grounds.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Ms Brookski burst out of the shadows of Calder Racecourse and into the national spotlight with an impressive three and three quarter length victory over Colonial Glitter in Sunday's $100,000 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Smok'n Frolic, the even money favorite in the Grade 2 event for 3-year-old fillies, finished a tiring seventh.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Mizzen Mast, the winner of the Malibu Stakes and Strub Stakes in the last two months, will miss Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap due to a foot injury.
Trainer Bobby Frankel confirmed on Sunday that a quarter crack appeared over the weekend. Initially, Frankel hoped that the quarter crack could be patched and that Mizzen Mast could work this weekend, but he abandoned any hopes for a start on Sunday.
"He's going to have to miss the race," Frankel said.
It was Candid Glen's lucky night at Sam Houston Race Park in Houston. He not only won a photo over Even The Score to capture his second consecutive $222,000 Connally Breeders' Cup by a nose, he also withstood an inquiry into stretch run of the 1 1/8 miles race, which led to the disqualification of Even The Score.
ALBANY, Calif. - Echo Eddie made trainer Darrell Vienna and owners David and Rita Milch California sprint royalty for one day at least.
Two hours after stablemate Above Perfection, also owned by the Milches, won the six-furlong Las Flores Handicap (G3) at Santa Anita, Echo Eddie captured the $100,000 Ken Maddy Sprint Handicap at Golden Gate Fields. He beat Gibson County by 1_ (one three-quarters) lengths, winning the six-furlong race for Cal-breds in 1:08.61.
A shock winner in the first leg of Saturday's pick six has created a carryover of $189,574 on Sunday at Santa Anita.
Many tickets bit the dust when Tell Them Nothing ($116.80) won the first leg.
The other winners in Saturday's pick six were Hideaway Cafe ($6.40), Skywriting ($16), Jeremy's Quest ($7.80), The Tin Man ($5.80), and Love Bandit ($11.40).
Sunday's pick six covers the fourth through ninth races and includes a wide-open running of the Baldwin Stakes on the hillside turf course.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Rain or shine, turf or dirt, if anyone deserved to win Saturday's $150,000 it was North East Bound.
After suffering heartbreaking setbacks, by a head in the Appleton Handicap and a neck in the Ft. Lauderdale Handicap, North East Bound left little doubt who was best in the Canadian. Leading throughout before drawing off to a 4 3/4-length victory over Capsized and a field that scratched down to four after the race was taken off the turf and switched to a sloppy main track because of heavy rain.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Both should be tighter this time. Bowman's Band and Windsor Castle, who last month made comebacks from layoffs in the same race, will meet again Monday as the logical favorites in Gulfstream Park's eighth-race feature, a $38,000 allowance.
OLDSMAR Fla. ? Bunk N Ted gave every indication he will be a horse to be reckoned with in this year's Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday after he overcame a poor start, a pedestrian pace, and traffic problems to post a 2 1/4-length victory in the $50,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Patiently ridden by Derek Bell, who remained cool despite the troubles, Bunk N Ted ($5) remained unbeaten in three career starts.
Canadian stakes winner Tails of the Crypt finished second, a head in front of Raymond Springs in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the March 17 Tampa Bay Derby.
