HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Hook and Ladder kept his perfect record over Gulfstream Park's main track intact Sunday afternoon by rolling to a 3 1/4-length victory over Kipperscope in the $100,000, Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Handicap*.
Red's Honor, who prompted the early pace, held on for third, a head in front of defending Mr. Prospector winner Istintaj. Silver Jet, Winnie's Pooh Bear, Tempered Appeal, and Brereton completed the order of finish.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Sir Bear added another chapter to his already amazing story, rallying from last to run down even-money favorite Red Bullet in deep stretch and score a half-length victory in Saturday's $100,000, Grade 3 Skip Away Handicap* at Gulfstream Park.
It was the third time Sir Bear, now 9, has won the race. He also won it when it was called the Broward Handicap in 1998 and 1999.
ALBANY, Calif. - The fun-filled Mike Pegram Express may be getting ready for another Kentucky Derby run after Danthebluegrassman's narrow victory in the Golden Gate Derby on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields.
Favored Danthebluegrassman ($4.20), coming off an easy wire-to-wire victory in the Dec. 15 Gold Rush Stakes at Golden Gate Fields, defeated Cappuchino by a nose in the Grade 3 $125,000 1 1/16-mile race. Cappuchino, who added blinkers after running third and never threatening in the Gold Rush, led the entire race until the final stride.
The winner of the Wishing Well Stakes at Turfway Park Saturday was odds-on, but not the filly most horseplayers expected.
Spanish Glitter, a winner in nine of 17 previous starts, clearly was the more well-regarded half of a stable entry trained by Bernie Flint. But when Spanish Glitter faded after incurring considerable pace pressure for most of the six-furlong Wishing Well, it was up to her stablemate, Keepondealing, to rescue the chalk players. She did.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Racing on a track that played kind to frontrunners, Western Pride scored an upset win in Saturday's $214,200 San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes* at Santa Anita.
The victory gave trainer James Chapman an opportunity to predict a successful winter for Western Pride, who has won four stakes in the last six months.
"He never gets credit for what he's done so far," Chapman said. "He's a great horse. They'll know what he's done now."
NEW ORLEANS - He's back. Three weeks after a surprising, tough-luck loss in the F.W. Gaudin Handicap, Bonapaw asserted his supremacy among local sprinters with a powerful win in the $75,000 Colonel Power Handicap.
Bonapaw ($5) pressed the early pace of Abajo, moved to the lead turning for home, and never looked back, steadily drawing away from his six opponents to win by 5 1/4 lengths. His time of 1:09.35 for six furlongs on a sloppy track set a stakes record.
OLDSMAR, Fla. - Jockey Tommy Pompell didn't ride his first race until he was 23. In Thoroughbred racing, a world where apprentice riders often start their riding careers before they attend their first prom, Pompell is clearly a late-bloomer.
But late-bloomer or not, he is one of the interesting stories of this meeting, as he rode another winner here Friday to bring his total for the young Tampa Bay Downs meet to seven, putting him in the top 10 in the rider standings.
NEW ORLEANS - Speed usually rules sprint races for younger horses, but a trio of 3-year-old closers bears watching on Monday at Fair Grounds.
Chamrousse, She's Rite on Time, and Meteor Miracle, who won their maiden races with strong stretch runs, will match late kicks in the seventh race, a first-level, six-furlong allowance for 3-year-old fillies.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Trainer John Servis said Zonk has always trained like a quality filly but on occasion has been a disappointment in the afternoon. That certainly wasn't the case on Saturday at Aqueduct in the $113,400 Affectionately Handicap* (click here for chart).
Zonk was a one-length winner over People's Princess in the Grade 3 Affectionately. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back to Search Party in third in the 10-horse field of fillies and mares.
