EDMONTON, Alberta - The $50,000 Canadian Juvenile at Northlands Park last Saturday was expected to provide a view to the 2002 Canadian Derby.
But the race provided more questions than answers after Crescent Remark, lightly regarded at 9-1, surged down the lane to overtake heavy favorite Dance Me Free at the wire.
Entering the race, Crescent Remark had just one win to his credit in his first campaign but the Rod Haynes-trained colt was not to be denied down the stretch.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - As the Hastings Park meet winds down, handicappers will be faced often with sorting out horses taking substantial drops running against horses coming off sharp wins and moving up in class. A perfect example is the sixth race on Wednesday's card, a $25,000 sprint for 3-year-olds that drew six horses.
Captain Des showed a lot of potential early in the meet with a sharp win going 6 1/2 furlongs against straight maidens in his initial start of the year and also in a 2 1/4-length victory in a $50,000 optional race at 1 1/16 miles.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Wild Squaw overcame a troubled trip to win the $67,850 Louisiana Breeders' Oaks at Louisiana Downs, giving her trainer, Cole Norman, and her rider, Anthony Lovato, their third win together during the track's two-day Breeders' Festival of eight statebred stakes.
As the distances get longer, First Again keeps getting better.
In her first try around two turns, First Again ($13.80) scored her first stakes victory over six other 2-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Polly Drummond at Delaware Park.
Trained by Javier Contreras and ridden by Mark Johnston, First Again covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.36 and finished a half-length in front of the 8-5 favorite, Lady Shari.
Previously, First Again ran third at nearly 60-1 in a one-turn mile in the Grade 3 Arlington-Washington Futurity at Arlington Park.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Only to You survived the late charges of Bowl of Emeralds and Krisada to win a tight three-horse photo in the $111,400 Dowager Stakes at Keeneland.
Only to You, a 5-year-old Lord at War mare owned by Sam-Son Farms and trained by Mark Frostad, returned $7.40 as the second choice in a field of seven. Playact, the 6-5 favorite, finished fourth, 3 1/2 lengths behind the top group.
ARCADIA, Calif. - More than a year after her last win, Cindy's Hero revived her career with a thrilling victory in Sunday's $110,500 Harold Ramser Sr. Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.
Cindy's Hero ($8.40) closed from fifth at the top of the stretch to catch an unlucky Gabriellina Giof by a nose, finishing a mile on turf in 1:33.70.
Walts Wharf, the longtime pacesetter, finished third, a half-length in front of Love Roi, the even-money favorite who was out of contention at the eighth pole.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Heads Will Roll gave Bobby Frankel another graded stakes victory while Love N' Kiss S. remained perfect at Belmont Park on Sunday as the pair of 3-year-old fillies won split divisions of the Grade 3 Pebbles Handicap.
Making her first start in five months, Heads Will Roll rallied from fifth to win the $110,100 first division by one length over the late-running New Economy. Salty You finished third. Stylish, who finished fourth, was disqualified and placed fifth for interfering with Fiddle and causing that filly to steady entering the clubhouse turn.
ANDERSON, Ind. - Splashing their way to victory, Marciann and rider Terry Thompson notched a repeat victory in the $42,950 Merrillville Stakes at Hoosier Park.
With the help of a blistering early pace over the sloppy surface, Marciann ran down the leaders through midstretch and moved off to a 5 3/4-length win over six furlongs.
Early leader Heresyour Chicky held on for second, a half-length in front of Celona's Girl and Sal Gonzalez Jr. in third. Marciann returned $3.20 as the 3-5 favorite in the field of eight Indiana-bred fillies and mares.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Take Achance on Me scored a runaway victory at 17-1 in the $50,000 Matt Scudder Stakes at the Meadowlands. He outsprinted his fellow 3-year-olds in the five-furlongs grass sprint and missed the course record by just four-fifths of a second with a final time of 55.83 seconds.
Favored Pirate's Gold was 2 3/4-lengths behind the winner with Rock third.