ALBANY, Calif. - Owner Ronald Parker had never won a stakes race in California with a horse he solely owned before the weekend. After Steady Rollin won Sunday's $55,500 Sutter Stakes at Golden Fields, he had two stakes victories.
His Runaway Ab won the Corte Madera Stakes on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
Steady Rollin ($12.80) won the six-furlong Sutter by one and one-half lengths over Mighty David in 1:10.51 over a sloppy track.
Steady Rollin had to overcome trouble twice in the race.
ARCADIA, Calif. - After a series of losses in major races in late summer and fall, the comfort of the $150,000 San Gabriel Handicap* (click here for chart) suited Irish Prize on Sunday at Santa Anita.
Rallying from the back of a large field, Irish Prize successfully defended his title with a head victory over an unlucky Sligo Bay.
The victory ended a three-race losing streak for Irish Prize, but was the 6-year-old's gelding fifth stakes win in the last year.
NEW ORLEANS - When the Florida-based Gold For My Gal gets to New Orleans her eyes light up. Her latest trip to town resulted in her second straight win in the $75,000 Truly Bound Stakes* (click here for chart), which she won Sunday at Fair Grounds by a half-length over Instinct.
The victory was only her second in nine races since she won last year's Truly Bound by six lengths. Two seasons ago, Gold For My Gal shipped in to finish second in the Tiffany Lass Stakes and a close fourth, at odds of 99-1, in the Fair Grounds Oaks.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - When the New Year arrives on Tuesday, Xtra Heat* will be on a van headed north on Interstate 95 to Aqueduct, where she will run later that day in the $75,000-added Interborough Handicap.
The Laurel Park-based Xtra Heat's travel plans may get a little more involved later this year: John Salzman, her trainer and co-owner, said he is game for a trip to Dubai in March for the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen against males.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Freespool can start the 2002 racing season in Southern California with a milestone victory in Tuesday's $100,000 El Conejo Handicap at Santa Anita.
A 6-year-old, Freespool is attempting to win the El Conejo for the third consecutive running. Such an accomplishment has not been achieved in Southern California since Track Gal won the Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar from 1995-97.
MIAMI - August Storm, who stole the Hollywood Wildcat Stakes when allowed to set a slow pace in her 2-year-old finale, may have to work a bit harder if she is to keep her unblemished grass record intact when she launches her 3-year-old season in the $100,000 Calder Oaks on Tuesday. A full field of 12 newly turned 3-year-old fillies will contest the 1 1/16-mile Oaks, which shares top billing on the New Year's Day program with the Grade 3 Calder Derby.
ALBANY, Calif. - There are two types of trainers waiting to welcome the New Year on Tuesday at Golden Gate Fields: those who are hoping the rains will continue and those who are hoping the rains will stop.
That's because Tuesday's $100,000 Lafayette Handicap is carded at one mile on the turf. Ten horses entered the race, whose turf status is in question. When the race is run, whether on dirt or turf, it's likely the field will be much smaller.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Congaree, who finished third in the 2001 Kentucky Derby and has not raced since the Jim Dandy at Saratoga Aug. 4, has resumed training in South Carolina and will be sent to trainer Bob Baffert in California in the coming weeks, according to John Adger, the racing manager for Stonerside Stable.
Adger on Saturday said Congaree has been at the Stonerside training center in South Carolina since November under the direction of Tim Jones. Adger said no timetable has been set for Congaree, but he expected the 4-year-old to return to the races in the spring.
ALBANY, Calif. - Runaway Ab turned the $55,700 Corte Madera Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Golden Gate Fields into a runaway Saturday.
Though forced to steady going into the first turn when favored Gloriously Golden suffered a fatal breakdown, Runaway Ab moved into the lead midway on the far turn on her own. She continued to open up from there, capturing the one-mile race by seven and one-half lengths over My Sand Dollar in 1:39.03.
Coupled with Past You, Runaway Ab paid $7.80 while increasing her lifetime earnings to $53,750 with two victories in three starts.