FLORENCE, Ky. - Before catching a flight Saturday to see his family in his native Ireland, trainer Niall O'Callaghan was noncommittal about what race will be next for Guided Tour, who again showed his grit when he ran down Balto Star to win the Kentucky Cup Classic.
POMONA, Calif. - Just Ruler, at 20-1 the longest shot in the $100,000 Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap at Fairplex Park, won the premier race of the Los Angeles County Fair race meet to complete a dream week for trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Felipe Martinez.
The $43.80 win by Just Ruler came just three days after O'Neill and Martinez upset the $50,000 Gateway to Glory Stakes with 2-year-old Rainman's Request ($63.80). O'Neill and Martinez combined for four wins in the 17-day fair meet that concluded Monday.
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. - Corona Kool, Quarter Horse racing's top female, spoiled the first meeting between the sport's last two horses of the year, Tailor Fit and A Ransom, in the $200,000 Los Alamitos Championship at Los Alamitos.
A 4-year-old, Corona Kool finished a head in front of A Ransom, the 2000 Horse of the Year who lost for the first time in eight starts. Stoli, a 3-year-old from New Mexico, finished third, with Tailor Fit seventh in the field of 10.
Nut N Better ($3.20) controlled the pace throughout and drew off to a three-length victory over Lady Tamworth in the $50,000 Central Iowa Stakes at Prairie Meadows.
Lady Tamworth rallied for second, 5 3/4 lengths clear of Livin for Love. The victory was Nut N Better's fourth in nine starts this year and her 13th in 24 career starts.
Meadowlands Racetrack will donate all proceeds from wagering on Friday's $500,000 Meadowlands Cup to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's (NTRA) New York Heroes Fund.
Working with the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Benevolent Association (NJTHBA) and Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the Meadowlands announced Monday it will also donate all admission revenues on Friday.
The Meadowlands and the NJTHBA will guarantee a $100,000 donation to the fund.
BOSSIER CITY, La. - Outofthebox ran to the promise he showed this spring when he overtook 1-2 favorite E Dubai in the late stages to win the Grade 1, $500,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on Sunday before a crowd of 14,421.
E Dubai held for second after setting rapid fractions over a muddy track, three lengths in front of Quadrophonic Sound.
FRANKLIN, Ky. - Six years is a long time for a horse to persevere through a racing career.
But six years in the same barn while maintaining stakes-caliber form is even more rare, which is a major reason why trainer Hal Wiggins was so emotional Sunday after Chorwon posted a five-length triumph in the $300,000 Kentucky Cup Turf at Kentucky.
Hugs, tears and handshakes abounded for Wiggins and his wife, Renee, after Chorwon went over the $1.1 million earnings mark by winning the Grade 3 Turf.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Navesink gave his connections something to think about in terms of the Breeders' Cup Mile by registering a relatively easy 3 1/4-length victory in Sunday's $200,000, Grade 2 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park.
With hardly any pressure at all from jockey Edgar Prado, Navesink stalked the pace-setting Krieger from the inside, took command when asked in upper stretch and drew off for his fifth win in seven career starts. Strategic Partner made a belated effort to be second, four lengths ahead of 2-1 favorite Baptize.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Heavily favored Rare Friends remained unbeaten with a hard-fought score over 20-1 shot Grimer in Sunday's $109,900 Swynford Stakes, a seven-furlong dash for 2-year-olds at Woodbine.
Rare Friends, who was reluctantly loaded into the gate, broke slowly before rushing up to duel with Grimer on the front end through splits of :23.04 and :45.89.
Rare Friends edged clear from Grimer in mid-stretch, but the latter battled back in the final sixteenth, only to come up three-quarters of a length short.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Crash Course, whose racing career nearly ended 18 months ago because of a variety of injuries, continued his improbable comeback Saturday night when he rallied to win the $150,000 Cliff Hanger Handicap at the Meadowlands.
"He's amazing. Just a year and a half ago we thought he was done," said Billy Croll, son of Crash Course's Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Croll. "He was sore all over with all kinds of muscle problems and skeletal problems. But we gave him about three or four months off and he's really come back better than ever."