Mon, 07/16/2001 - 00:00

Keeneland's new pitch: Consignors get a stipend

LEXINGTON, Ky. - In an effort to attract buyers to its July Selected Yearling Sale, Keeneland has tried a new promotional gambit, offering consignors a stipend that could be used to pay travel expenses for potential buyers.

Mon, 07/16/2001 - 00:00

Burning Roma sizzles in Long Branch

OCEANPORT, N.J. - Burning Roma displayed why he should be considered among the top 3-year-olds by posting a convincing 1 1/4-length victory in Sunday's $100,000 Long Branch Breeders' Cup Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Up next for Burning Roma, a winner of five of six starts this year, could be a meeting with division leader Point Given in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational on Aug. 5 at Monmouth.

Sun, 07/15/2001 - 00:00

Rich work - if you can get it

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Congaree earned $300,000 for what amounted to a workout on Sunday. Making his first start since finishing third in the Preakness Stakes on May 19, Congaree set a pedestrian pace and came home well to win the second stakes of his career in the $500,000 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park. He ran like a 1-10 show is expected, finishing four lengths in front of Until Sundown.

"He ran like he was working," winning trainer Bob Baffert said.

Sun, 07/15/2001 - 00:00

Came Home best in Juvenile

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Came Home booked a spot in the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity later this summer with a four-length win in Sunday's $107,400 Hollywood Juvenile Championship.

Chris McCarron never struck Came Home, who finished six furlongs in 1:09.20, comfortably ahead of an unlucky Metatron, who took up on the turn.

Breaking from the rail, Came Home ($2.60) quickly took the lead and was never headed. He set fractions of 21.90 and 44.91 seconds and led by 2 1-2 lengths entering the stretch.

Sun, 07/15/2001 - 00:00

Sharp Performance wins stakes debut in Lexington

ELMONT, N.Y. - In the days leading up to Sunday's $150,000 Lexington, trainer Dave Donk said he was using the race to see where Sharp Performance stood among stakes winners.

On a beautiful summer afternoon at Belmont Park, Donk discovered he has a stakes winner on his hands in Sharp Performance, the one-length Lexington winner.

Sharp Performance was making his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Lexington for 3-year-old grass runners.

Sun, 07/15/2001 - 00:00

Luzzi tossed, breaks ankle

ELMONT, N.Y. - Jockey Mike Luzzi broke his left ankle when he was tossed by his mount in a starting gate mishap at Belmont Park on Sunday. Luzzi was aboard first-time starter Gold N Fancy in the third race for 2-year-old maiden fillies. Gold N Fancy flipped in the gate and Luzzi came off. Luzzi was sent to nearby North Shore University Hospital, where X-rays revealed the fracture. Roger Sutton, Luzzi's agent, said, "Mike said he heard [his ankle] crack."

Sat, 07/14/2001 - 00:00

Carryover reaches $180,091 at Hollywood Park

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A longshot winner in a tricky maiden race on Saturday helped to create a pick six carryover of $180,091 at Hollywood Park for Sunday's top-class program.

Sunday's pick six covers the fifth through 10th races, which includes two stakes with short-priced favorites. Congaree, third in the Kentucky Derby, is the 3-5 morning-line favorite in the $500,000 Swaps Stakes, the sixth race on the program.

Sat, 07/14/2001 - 00:00

Affluent captures Hollywood Oaks

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Affluent, who chased some of the nation's top 3-year-old fillies in the first half of the year, won her first stakes in Saturday's $150,000 Hollywood Oaks.

Sent off as the even-money favorite, Affluent got an ideal trip under jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, who swept Saturday's two stakes. Earlier in the day, he won the Valkyr Handicap with Fair Apache.

Delahoussaye rated Affluent at the back of the five-filly field until the end of the backstretch when they engaged Collect Call, the 8-5 second choice.

Sat, 07/14/2001 - 00:00

Dream Supreme dominates Rooney

Jean Raftery/Turfotos
Heavy favorite Dream Supreme cruises to a 4 3/4-length victory in Saturday's Princess Rooney, the premier event in Calder's Summit of Speed.

MIAMI - Dream Supreme turned in a thoroughly dominating performance for an easy 4 3/4-length win over Hidden Assets and seven other overmatched fillies and mares in Saturday's $400,000 Princess Rooney Handicap at Calder.

The outstanding performance capped off a perfect day in south Florida for owner George Steinbrenner, coming on the heels of a similarly one-sided victory by his 3-year-old homebred Illusioned in the $250,000 Carry Back Stakes and an extra-inning win by the New York Yankees over the Florida Marlins at nearby Pro Player Stadium.

Sat, 07/14/2001 - 00:00

Distance suits The Seven Seas

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A turf marathon specialist, The Seven Seas will be a short-priced favorite to defend her title in Monday's $100,000 Estrapade Stakes at Hollywood Park.

The closing day feature of the spring-summer meeting, the Estrapade is run over 1 1/2 miles on turf, a distance at which The Seven Seas excels. In her 11-race career, she has won five times, including all three of her races at 1 1/2 miles.