Mon, 10/29/2001 - 00:00

Parisia a question in debut at 2 turns

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Parisia, winner of the Victorian Queen Stakes two starts back, tries two turns in Wednesday's $104,000 South Ocean Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine.

Parisia failed to hit the board against maidens in her first two starts, but began to come around when she finished third behind Jade Eyed in the six-furlong Nandi Stakes in July. She ran another solid race Sept. 3 in the seven-furlong Muskoka Stakes, in which she surrendered a two-length lead at the eighth pole before ending up second to Miss Noire.

Mon, 10/29/2001 - 00:00

Tell It will try to get it straight

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - There are no such awards, but if one existed for unluckiest disqualification at the Keeneland meet that ended Saturday, there is little doubt who would have been the recipient.

On Oct. 12, Tell It dueled the length of the stretch in a classified turf allowance with heavily favored Good Game. As the wire approached, Tell It, ridden by Calvin Borel, began edging away to what seemed to be a well-earned, clear-cut victory. But with only about 20 yards to go, Tell It suddenly came in sharply on Good Game, forcing jockey Pat Day to steady his mount.

Sun, 10/28/2001 - 00:00

'Smok'n' frolics in Tempted

ELMONT, N.Y. - Smok'n Frolic returned to her favorite surface Sunday and finally achieved her first graded stakes victory, romping to a 6 1/4-length score in the $111,500, Grade 3 Tempted on closing day at Belmont Park.

Saintly Action, who took a short lead approaching the quarter pole, settled for second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Wopping.

The victory was the 17th of the meet for trainer Todd Pletcher, who finished as the meet's leading trainer by three over Mark Hennig.

Jerry Bailey won the riding title with 36 wins, two more than Edgar Prado and John Velazquez.

Sat, 10/27/2001 - 00:00

Full alert at Belmont: Sharpshooters, searches

ELMONT, N.Y. - Security was at a high level Saturday at Belmont Park for the Breeders' Cup. Sharp-shooters toting automatic rifles could be seen from all angles on the roof; bags were searched as people churned through the turnstiles; trucks, including horse vans, were banned on the backstretch; and commercial trucks were carefully screened on Hempstead Turnpike, the road that runs parallel to the track.

Terry Meyocks, president of the New York Racing Association, said, "We pulled no stops. We want our fans to feel safe and secure."

Sat, 10/27/2001 - 00:00

European runners rule the day at Breeders' Cup

ELMONT, N.Y. - Saturday's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships were exactly that, with European-owned horses winning four of the eight races and narrowly missing a fifth when Sakhee was beaten a nose by Tiznow in the Classic.

Godolphin Stable led the Europe's domination of this year's Breeders' Cup, winning the Juvenile Fillies with Tempera and the Turf with Fantastic Light before narrowly missing an unprecedented hat trick with Sakhee.

Sat, 10/27/2001 - 00:00

Romans tries to keep it going with 'Missile'

Fresh off a dominating meet at Keeneland, where he won the trainers' title with 13 wins, trainer Dale Romans hopes his luck continues during the 24-day meet at Churchill Downs, which began Sunday. Romans saddles Dancing Missile in Tuesday's feature, a $50,700 three-other-than allowance contested at six furlongs.

Sat, 10/27/2001 - 00:00

La. Downs: Norman breaks record

Trainer Cole Norman broke Frank Brothers's 1987 record for wins in a season at Louisiana Downs Saturday, with Miss Romeo ($3.40) winning the second race. It was Norman's 100th winner at the 89-day meet in Bossier City, La., which runs through Nov. 11.

Brothers set the record during a 125-day season in 1987 when he won 99 races from 369 starters. Through the second race Saturday, Norman had started 295 horses this meet at Louisiana Downs.

Sat, 10/27/2001 - 00:00

Arlington: Miner's Gamble wins

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - It is almost not an exaggeration to call Miner's Gamble unbeatable in turf sprints. Miner's Gamble won the $54,750 Taylor's Special Handicap at Arlington by a neck, running his unbeaten streak in one-turn grass races to four.

A 5-year-old Prospector's Gamble gelding owned by Alan Drey, Miner's Gamble beat his stablemate, Bold Pilot, by a neck, completing a sweep of the top two places for trainer Dennis Ebert. It was another half-length back to Final Row, the 2-1 favorite. The entry paid $7 to win.

Sat, 10/27/2001 - 00:00

Woodbine: Feathers rallies

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Feathers rallied along the inside in the stretch under Mickey Walls to overhaul El Prado Essence for a convincing win the $115,000 Ontario Fashion Handicap at Woodbine.

Feathers raced about five lengths off the early lead in the six-furlong dash for fillies and mares. She began to mount her a rally on the turn, and was angled to the rail for the final furlong en route to one-length score in a time of 1:11.11.

Sat, 10/27/2001 - 00:00

Connected pips Broken Vow in Keeneland finale

LEXINGTON, KY - Connected wore down odds-on favorite Broken Vow in the final yards to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Fayette Stakes on Saturday, closing day of the Keeneland fall meet.

Connected, ridden by Marlon St Julien, overtook Broken Vow inside the sixteenth pole of the 1 1/8-mile race, prevailing by a half-length. It was 2 3/4 lengths back to Super Derby winner Outofthebox in third.